Arno and His Horse
Jane GodwinFelicita Sala (Illustrator)

Arno and His Horse is a beautifully written rhyming text, matched with exquisite illustrations, that explores love, memory, loss, and the power objects can hold.

Arno had a horse,
it was brown and it was black.
He took it with him everywhere,
but did he bring it back?

When Arno loses his precious toy horse, all the kids in town help him to look for it. They look everywhere, but will Arno ever see his horse again?

A touching story about memory, dreams, and the mysterious ways we feel connected to those we love.



'Besides offering an Australian setting and suggesting the boy's powerful connection with his grandfather, the book communicates a strong sense that something magical has happened ... T he inviting artwork, created with watercolours, gouache, and coloured pencils, uses repeated lines and forms to echo the rhythm of the verse text ... An appealing addition to picture-book collections.'
-Booklist

'When Arno loses his wooden horse, everyone helps hunt for the small carving.... Grandpa is introduced as the now-deceased carver of the horse. That's what makes it special. After Arno dreams about his grandpa, he knows where to find the horse...Grandpa is seen fording the river, both in Arno's memory of his grandfather's stories and in his dream. Does it matter? The book's emphasis on the relationship between the older man and the young boy is comforting.'
-Kirkus

'Wide landscapes help to illustrate happy days past and present in this story about the sweetness of remembrance.'
-Foreword Reviews