A BIG ISSUE BOOK OF THE YEAR

This beautifully written rhyming text, matched with exquisite illustrations, explores love, loss, memory, 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 loss, memory, and the mysterious ways we feel connected to those we love.

About the Author
Jane Godwin is an Australian children's book publisher, and also the highly acclaimed author of over twenty books for children, across all styles and ages. Her work is published internationally and she has received many commendations, including the Queensland Premier's Award (Children's Books), the Aurealis Award and the Animal Welfare Award, and shortlistings in the CBC Book of the Year Awards, the Prime Minister's Literary Award, the New South Wales State Literary Award (Patricia Wrightson Prize), the YABBA Awards, the Speech Pathology Awards, The Family Award for Children's Books, and the Australian Book Industry Awards. Felicita Sala is a self-taught illustrator and painter. She graduated in philosophy from the University of Western Australia. She has illustrated many picture books, contributed her art to magazines and newspapers, and has also worked on papercut stop-motion animations. One of her books was included in The New York Times' Best Illustrated Picture Books of 2018, and in 2020 she won the Premio Andersen award in Italy for best illustrator. She loves to travel and can speak four languages, but wishes she could speak Japanese. Felicita lives in Rome with her husband, Gianluca, and their daughter, Nina.

Reviews

'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 *

'Beautifully written with a rhyming text, matched with exquisite illustrations, Arno and His Horse deftly explore the themes of love, memory, loss and the power objects can hold -- making it a unique, entertaining, and unreservedly recommended addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections for children ages 3-6.'

* Midwest Book Review *

'A story of loss and also of the things we keep. Memories, mementos... This is a lovely, rhyming book that never explicitly shows the grandfather dying, and in fact, the grandfather could be absent for other reasons, though there's a sense of loss that permeates the text, and of finding what we lose. My daughter connects to the idea of losing a lovey or a toy and trying to find it.'

* Baby Librarians *

'A beautiful story to help littles navigate loss and grief, while sharing with them the power of memories.'

* Mai Story Book Library *

'A beautifully written rhyming text, matched with exquisite illustrations, that explores love, memory, loss and the power objects can hold.'

* Nanny Miss Monique *

'[R]ich, earth-toned gouache and watercolour illustrations highlight the beauty of the Australian bush and Arno's loving community... [R]eaders who are grieving the loss of a family member may take comfort in this loving story.'

* Youth Services Book Review *

'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 *

'A poignant and heartwarming tale about one boy remembering and cherishing his lost grandfather. One of our favourites published this year.'

* Books for Diversity & Avery & Augustine *

'[T]he most beautiful new release that is all about loss as well as holding on to what you treasure...Plus, the illustrations couldn't be lovelier!'

* Book Nerd Mommy *

'This gentle story is beautifully illustrated, and the landscapes that illustrator Felicita Sala has created are beyond dreamy ... a great tale for explaining grief.'

* The Tiny Activist *

'An endearing combination of an old-fashioned search story and a more profound consideration of how objects become connected to cherished memories ... Don't be surprised if your voice cracks the first time you share it with your little one.'

-- Jane Graham * Big Issue *

'[A] sweet story about love and loss - as well as our precious memories and how important mementos can be. It's a very effective vehicle for talking about the people we miss, and it's visually stunning as well.'

* Dad Suggests *

'A wooden horse, worn smooth with love and the memories of the grandfather who carved it is the guiding force in this gentle reflective book. Through thoughtful verse and a landscape rich with play, Arno and his friends search for the horse that has lost its way. Memories of grandfather and the love this wooden horse holds, guides it back to Arno and to home.'

-- Jesica Sweedler DeHart, librarian at Neill Public Library

'Arno and his Horse explores the role objects play in evoking memories and connecting people gently and powerfully. The artwork, which renders the Australian landscape so effectively, is full of contrasts between cool greens and deep oranges, curves and straight lines; it provides wonderful opportunities to explore the spectrum of feelings surrounding loss that includes those positive emotions such as love and attachment.'

-- Viv Young * Picture Book Parents *

'Reassuring and rhyming, this book gently connects us to those we love even if we are physically apart.'

* The School Librarian *


Awards
Short-listed for Australian Book Design Awards for Best Designed Children's Illustrated Book 2022 (Australia). Long-listed for World Illustration Awards for Children Publishing 2021 (UK).



Book Information
ISBN 9781912854899
Author Jane Godwin
Format Hardback
Page Count 32
Imprint Scribble UK
Publisher Scribe Publications
Dimensions(mm) 275mm * 235mm * 9mm