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The Riding Lesson
CCBC Review:
Wearing a bike helmet and rain boots, horse enthusiast Frances (white) arrives for her first riding lesson at her friend Mae’s house with a handful of carrots and high expectations. Right away, the experience is not as she expected. The barn stinks, and Mae’s mom is using a big fork to pick up poop! Snowball, the horse she’ll be riding, is not tall and majestic but small, round, and docile—though she does have alarmingly big teeth. Before Frances rides, there are chores to do: brushing Snowball’s coat, scraping the dirt from her hooves, and fitting her with a saddle, halter, and complicated bridle. When it’s finally time to ride, Frances struggles to mount, and then Snowball steps on her foot! Maybe she doesn’t want to ride anymore. But Mae (brown-skinned) is understanding and patient. She invites Frances to ride double around the orchard with her. It’s relaxing, and soon Frances feels brave enough to try again—and she does it! She rides a horse all by herself. She even feels comfortable enough to scoop a little poop before the day is done. This lengthy picture book is formatted mostly in panels, with plenty of speech-bubble dialogue and oodles of horse-care detail. The disappointment of reality not quite meeting one’s expectations is very relatable. Frances is an endearing character who just needs a moment to get her bearings and gain a little confidence before tackling the challenges of the day with open-mindedness. ©2026 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Jennifer K. Mann
CCBC Age Recommendation: 5-10
Age Range:
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
Confidence
Expectations
Fear
Humor
Diversity subject:
Brown Skin Unspecified
Publisher:
Candlewick
Publish Year: 2025
Pages: 48
ISBN: 9781536235265
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Mann