I Love You, Little Horse

Marino (The Outside) takes readers to a sunny, rolling meadow ringed by mountains and shady trees, where horses run free, in this affectionate picture book. One large white horse, with a luxuriant silvery mane and tail that seem to ripple in a breeze, nuzzles a pale gray foal and muses, “Tell me, Little Horse,/ how will you celebrate/ this beautiful day?” From various vantage points, the elder tenderly watches the younger, asking whether Little Horse will blissfully savor “the soft earth/ under your hooves,” “wiggle in/ the prickly grass,” and “race those clouds across the land.” Calmly watchful and never intruding, the equine caretaker also encourages Little Horse to “dream of all you can do,” offering the assurance, “no matter how far/ you roam...// I will always be here.” As gouache washes of blues and greens turn into shades of orange with the “slipping sun,” Little Horse retreats to its bigger counterpart’s side, and they soon settle down to snuggle and sleep under a starry sky. It’s a loving, lyrical tribute to how the empowering constance of a trusted adult can support free-ranging exploration. Ages 3–7. Agent: Deborah Warren, East West Literary. (Jan.)