Bea Reviews If A Horse Had Words by Kelly Cooper & Illustrated by Lucy Eldridge

Publisher: Tundra Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: June 5th, 2018 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
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Blurb from goodreads:

For horse-loving readers of all ages, a lyrical and exquisitely illustrated picture book following the relationship between a boy and a horse, separated then reunited. This is a story about enduring friendships and how language is shaped by our experiences.

The foal is born on a spring morning of sunshine and snow melt. If she had words, she would say willow, crocus, puddle and sky. . .

Red Badger is a newborn foal learning to stand when she slips and gets stuck in a muddy badger hole. It is a young boy who frees her, and his kindness and gentleness mark the beginning of their friendship — though she will always be wary of the ground that briefly trapped her. As the seasons pass on the ranch, Red Badger learns more about her world: Fall is leaf rustle and fence posts. Winter is white hills and long nights. The boy is hay, a gentle touch, playing in the snow and the sweet smell of peppermints. If a horse had words, the word would be . . . friend.

This is a beautifully written and heartwarming story told from the horse’s point-of-view that follows her relationship with a boy from the day she is born, to when she is sent to auction, to the day she and the boy are reunited at a rodeo, where she has become a bronc and he a cowboy.

My Thoughts:

This was a slight but sweet story of a friendship between a horse and a boy. A foal is born, struggles to stand, and soon is stuck in a hole. As we follow the foal's antics, we see her thoughts, in single words, as she takes notice of her world. When a young boy rescues her from the hole, she attaches herself to him and they become from friends and we follow them through seasons. Alas, an idiot trainer does a poor job of gentling her to saddle and, blaming her for his failure, sells her. Time goes by, and then the horse and her boy, now grown, are reunited.

It's a simple story showcasing the love between an animal and a human. The artwork is sparse, done it watercolors in lovely medium tone colors. "If A Horse Had Words" was lovely to look at at and sweet story of friendship.