'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 *
