Merrylegs

LoveReading4Kids Says

There’s magic and joy in this gorgeous picture book.  Little Merrylegs is a riding school pony, clumping round the stables wishing his life was more interesting.  He longs to be as tall and beautiful as the racehorses he watches from his paddock, and when his friend Feathers reminds him how happy the children are to ride him, Merrylegs doesn’t listen. Then a fair comes to town, and a magical encounter with the carousel horses changes Merryleg’s view of himself forever, his stumble clop turning into a clippetty trip. It’s a lovely, truly satisfying story of friendship and self-belief, perfectly told through Pam Smy’s illustrations and gentle text.

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An enchanting story of friendship and self-belief illustrating you can see the world with new eyes.

Merrylegs is a bored riding school pony just plodding around the school, not noticing the delight of the children who ride him. It takes his friend Feathers to show him the Carousel in a local fair to inspire him to new heights.  It takes a while, and the magic of the night for Merrylegs to realise he can be the pony that strides out, going from ‘stumble, clump, clippety clomp’ to ‘snippety trip, clippety trip, trip, trot, trip’!  His dreams have inspired him and he’s now the pony enjoying all the children riding him.

This is a beautiful simple storybook showing you can achieve your dreams – a truly inspirational message.  The illustration style is clear and accurate with lovely details to spot, the ponies look like you really could ride them.  Spot the deliberate changes from frontispiece to end papers – reinforcing the story message. Pam Smy uses so many different techniques in her books I do hope she continues to use what I assume are lithographic processes.  The lovely rhythm of Merrylegs strides, repeated often in the text, will make this a read aloud favourite for classes and children everywhere.

Tricia Adams

Andrea Reece

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