This month's RTÉjr Book Club article is written by Emily Daly. Emily is a Book Doctor and JCSP School Librarian. Moltaí Gaeilge ó Jenifer Ní Ghrádaigh, Oifigeach Gaeilge le Leabhair Pháistí Éireann agus léitheoir craosach críochnaithe.
A typical question book doctors ask at clinics is 'what is your favourite animal?,’ and inevitably we will uncover a horse-crazed or pony-mad patient! There are many different types of horse and pony stories out there so it’s important to make a few initial assessments before making our prescription.
Is the patient in need of a quick fix standalone novel, or is more long-time treatment needed? Maybe they have just finished a pony series and don’t know what to try next? It’s also important to assess their genre preferences and aversions, so that the treatment is effective. Do they respond better to horses and ponies with fantasy and magic, or real-life adventure and history? Finally, we’ll have a chat about their favourite story. Are they more interested in the animal’s or the riders perspective? Is the patient an experienced expert rider, or have they always longed to jump on the saddle but just never had the chance?
There are plenty of picturebooks featuring all sorts of horses and ponies. Fans of the bestselling duo Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks will enjoy Sugarlump and the Unicorn (2-5), complete with rhymes, rainbows, and sparkles. Vivian French and Catherine Rayner also teamed up to produce Hello Horse (4-7), a warm and tender introduction to horses as a young girl patiently teaches her friend how to handle her mare. Pony lovers who like a laugh will adore the hilarious picturebook The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton. For her birthday, Princess Pinecone wants a big, fast, strong horse, befitting a Viking warrior. To her dismay, her parents gift her a small, clumsy, roly-poly pony who farts a lot!
Those interested in history and adventure might enjoy Polonius the Pit Pony (5-9), a picturebook based on true events, retold by a Romani storyteller Richard O’Neill and illustrated by Felonia Parker Thomas. When Polonius the pit pony escapes from the coal mine he’s worked in all his life, he joins a family of Travellers and their horses, eventually proving himself a hero.
For early readers, the Spellbound Ponies series (6-8) by Stacy Gregg is an ideal starter series for anyone who loves ponies, magic and adventure. Each of the six books follow friends Olivia and Eliza as they break a different spell affecting one of the ponies at Pemberley Stable. For those more interested in the everyday adventures of a young rider and her horse, a good starting point is the Meg and Merlin series written by Tanya Landman and illustrated by Sònia Albertis, and published by dyslexia-friendly publisher Barringstoke Stoke. For a pony series with a comedic twist, try The Legend of Kevin; The Roly Poly Flying Pony series (7-10) by creative powerhouse Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre. These fun adventures follow an ordinary boy Max and an adorable biscuit-obsessed flying pony Kevin as they encounter all sorts of magic and mayhem. Readers aged 8-10 might enjoy The Racehorse who wouldn’t Gallop from broadcast journalist and former jockey Claire Balding and illustrator Tony Ross Or for a standalone comedy set in the everyday world, Pony on the Twelfth Floor (9-12), written by Polly Faber and illustrated by Sarah Jennings, is another amusing pony story filled with simple and delightful illustrations.
Older readers interested in drama and school stories might enjoy Horse Girl (10+) written by Carrie Seim, which follows a novice rider as she starts training at a prestigious horse riding academy. As Wills tries to grasp the reins of horse riding, she also struggles to fit in with the #HorseGirls posse. Friendship and the drama of the stables are also central to Faith Erin Hicks’s beautifully-crafted graphic novel Ride On (9+) as twelve-year-old Victoria is tired of the high pressure and expense of riding competitions. For an animal adventure, try Keepsake (9-12) by Irish author Paula Leyden, which follows Irish Traveller children and their grandmother on a daring quest to rescue their beloved horse Storm from the pound. For a unique blend of history, drama, and magical realism, try The Secret Horses of Briar Hill (10+) skilfully written by Megan Shepherd and beautifully illustrated by Dan Burgess. A young WWII refugee, now lives in a sanatorium where only she can see horses living in the mirrors.
Those curious to learn more about horses could try some non-fiction, there’s something for everyone! For a brief glimpse of the daily life of wild horses will enjoy Horses: A Day in the Life (6-9) written by Dr Carly Anne York and illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat. Witness the lives of various wild horses and ponies over a 24-hour period, from the search for food and water to fighting, communication, and birth. For a broader overview of horses, try Horses: Wild and Tame (7-12) by Iris Volant. Learn about the history and biology of horses, exploring horse breeds and gaits, famous and legendary horses, work and war horses, sports horses, and even horse care.
Don léitheoir Gaeilge tá trí leabhar ann gur fiú iad a lua, cé gur aistriúcháin beirt acu. Do léitheoirí aois 5 ar aghaidh, tá aistriúchán den leabhar eisceachtúil le Charlie Mackesy, An Buachaill, an Caochán, an Sionnach agus an Capall, pictiúrleabhar gleoite atá oiriúnach do léitheoirí óga agus níos sine. Do léitheoirí luatha ag tosú amach ar an aistear léitheoireachta dóibh féin agus le spéis sna capaill, tá leabhar álainn simplí sa tsraith Trixie agus Tony, An Capall Rása Tuirseach, le Patricia Mac Eoin, maisithe ag Richard Watson. Mistéir shéimh atá ann – cén fáth an bhfuil codladh ar an gcapall Luas Lasrach? I bhfírinne Trixie an madra laoch an scéil, í níos fiosrach agus cliste ná a máistir, an tréidlia!
Ar deireadh, níor chóir dearmad a dhéanamh ar aistriúchán paiteanta de cheann de na leabhair is cáiliúla riamh mar gheall ar chapall, The Horse and His Boy le C.S. Lewis, aistrithe ag Antain Mac Lochlainn mar An Capall agus a Ghiolla (aois 8-12). In aineoinn teideal an leabhair, ní bhaineann an scéal leis an ngaol idir bhuachaill agus a chapall amháin, ach freisin idir chailín agus a láir, a mbuaileann siad leo ar an mbealach, rud a dhéanann oiriúnach do lucht léitheora níos leithne é. Scríobhadh an bunleabhar sna 1950idí, agus tá luachanna na tréimhse soiléir ann, ach go háirithe sa bhealach ina gcuirtear síos ar an láir, a pearsantacht agus a cur i láthair; é sin ráite, is ceann de na leabhair sa tsraith Nairnia is taitneamhaí é, ach an ghné seo a phlé, b’fhéidir, leis an léitheoir óg.
The Secret Horses of Briar Hill by Megan Shepherd illustrated by Levi Pinfold, Walker Books, 240pp, ISBN 9781406367584
What do you see when you look in the mirror? This story's narrator Emmaline sees herself, a small girl without a family during wartime Britain. She sees her surroundings in Briar Hill, a stately home that’s been turned into a tuberculosis sanatorium for children like her. But more importantly she sees something that no-one else can see: huge winged horses, who trot around in the mirror-world and normally cause no disturbance (other than occasionally nosing through the doctors’ cups of tea).So Emmaline is not quite sure what to do when one particularly beautiful white horse breaks free and turns up in Briar Hill’s garden, but the fact that she has a badly wounded wing seems to spell trouble.
This quietly enigmatic, atmospheric tale takes quite a hold on the imagination. The setting and premise are so well-realised that you might start checking your own mirrors for mystic equine life. Emmaline is a strong and self-contained character who’s also immensely vulnerable, facing an overwhelming situation alone. Her predicament is represented beautifully in Levi Pinfold’s soft monochrome illustrations. Everything seems bathed in twilight, and characters’ faces are almost always turned away from the reader, keeping their secrets to themselves. Emmaline is a fine companion on this journey into the mysteries of the mirror-world, and readers will find it a journey well worth taking.
Pony on the Twelfth Floor by Polly Faber illustrated by Sarah Jennings, Walker Books, 256pp, ISBN 9781406378450
Polly has dreamed of every possible way to get a pony. She's pony-mad and wants nothing more than to prove herself showjumping at Olympia. She can almost hear the crowds go wild! So, imagine her delight when she finds a plump, friendly pony munching his way through the flapjacks at the local supermarket. Polly really should walk him down to the police station and report him. But this could be her ticket to fulfilling all of her dreams. One problem, though. How do you keep a pony on the twelfth floor of a high-rise without Mum finding out? Determined to finally have a pony, Polly ignores all the little details and keeps Flapjack in her bedroom. What could go wrong?
Whether you’re pony-mad or not, this is a brilliant story of wish-fulfilment and following your dreams. Polly is clever, inventive and determined to keep Flapjack just a little bit longer. With unbridled eagerness, she manages to rope an amusing cast of well-described and completely believable characters into supporting her plan, in spite of the chaos that follows hilarious action throughout. Wonderfully diverse, this story is actually a realistic depiction of what it really means to be a community. The illustrations perfectly demonstrate the humour and feeling of a plot-line that is easy to follow and fun to read with pitch-perfect pacing. With a bit of drama and loads of laughs, this warm-hearted, hilarious story ticks all the boxes.
An Capall agus a Ghiolla le C.S. Lewis aistrithe ag Antain Mac Lochlainn, An Gúm, 328pp, ISBN 9781857919516
Aistriúchán is ea an leabhar seo ar The Horse and His Boy (1954), leabhar fantaisíochta faoi Narnia leis an údar iomráiteach C.S. Lewis. Bíonn bua na cainte ag go leor ainmhithe sa domhan draíochtúil seo: capaill, leon, gráinneog, coinín ... agus pearsantachtaí dá réir acu. Tá an leabhar lán de chodarsnachtaí – idir maith agus olc, lucht an tsaibhris agus an daibhris, mar shampla, agus conas a chaitear leis an mbochtán.
Is minic atmaisféar bagrach a bheith chun tosaigh sa leabhar dá bharr. Tá forbairt an-nádúrtha ar an ngaol idir Seasta, an giolla, agus Brí, a chapall. Nuair a shocraíonn Seasta bailiú leis ó thuaidh go Narnia, an tír fhoirfe idéalach, buaileann sé le maith agus olc feadh na slí. Fásann cairdeas idir é agus Aravios, cailín atá ar a bealach eachtrúil go Narnia chomh maith. Máistir ar cheird an aistriúcháin is ea Antain Mac Lochlainn, agus d'éirigh leis aistriúchán an-nádúrtha a chur de anseo. Tá an comhrá an-chliste agus éifeachtach ann. Bíonn nóta morálta ag sní tríd an insint go minic; nár cheart gadaíocht a dhéanamh, mar shampla, nó nár cheart a bheith gránna le cat riamh. I réamhrá géarchúiseach an leabhair pléann Mac Lochlainn aistriúchán agus ceist chasta an chiníochais sa lá atá inniu ann. Cé go bhfuil breis is 300 leathanach ann, ní bheadh aon leisce ar pháiste an leabhar taitneamhach seo a léamh go cíocrach, go háirithe agus cur amach aige/ aici ar an scéal cheana féin.
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