World of Ink Tours
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BiblioReads.com presents...
+ + + + + Quincy Finds a New Home
Author: Camille Matthews
Illustrator: Michelle Black
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Pathfinder Equine Publications; First edition (February 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 098192400X
ISBN-13: 978-0981924007
Book description: Author/illustrator team Camille Matthews and Michelle Black have created a new series of children s picture books. For ages 4-10, the stories introduce a red horse named Quincy and follow his exploits. Quincy Finds A New Home, the first book of the Quincy the Horse series, is a story about the importance of friendship. Quincy s life is turned upside down when he gets a new owner and is taken to a new home. His new home is the biggest barn he has ever seen. There are horse shows every Sunday, but Quincy does not know how to jump jumps and win ribbons. He finally makes a new friend, an old, brown horse named Beau and confides his secret. Together he and Beau find a very unexpected answer to the problem. This is an engaging, comforting story. The striking oil paintings bring Quincy and his world to life for young readers. Matthews and Black's knowledge and love of horses and attention to details of horse life instill the series with joy and authenticity. Winner of a Mom s Choice Gold Award and a Pinnacle Achievement Award.
+ + + + + Quincy Moves To The Desert
Author: Camille Matthews
Illustrator: Michelle Black
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Pathfinder Equine Publications; First edition (June 15, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0981924018
ISBN-13: 978-0981924014
Book description: Quincy Moves To The Desert, the second book of the series, is a story of self-discovery. Quincy and his trusted friend, Beau, leave the comforts of home and go on a big trip West to find trails as far as you can see. Though hesitant at first, Quincy is soon soaking up the sights. To his amazement, Quincy discovers that Horses are everywhere. He learns about all the jobs horses do and begins to dream about his own possibilities. Full of energy and imagination, the beautifully illustrated book includes a map of the US with highlighted states. The sensitive descriptions of Quincy s feelings and experiences provide an environment of warmth and comfort. The striking oil paintings bring Quincy and his world to life for young readers. Matthews' and Black's knowledge and love of horses and attention to details of horse life instill the series with joy and authenticity.
Book review: I have fallen in love with this new series. It's not just the beautiful, detailed oil paintings or the stories that draw me in and make me want to read more about Quincy, it's the fact that kiddos who are not quite ready for chapter books can really sink their teeth into this series. Especially older kiddos, a bit delayed in reading, who can easily be turned off by picture books that are too juvenile for them. The Quincy series will engage and encourage a love of reading and bring children up to the next reading level, bridging the gap between picture books and chapter books in an intelligent way.
The Quincy books are not sugary sweet, they are a frank and detailed horse's perspective and therein lies the charm. Quincy's thoughts and feelings read like a kid's, ages 6-10, and not like a sappy, patronizing caricature. Are there lessons to learn in this series. Perhaps. But they are so subtle they don't get in the way of a plain old good story.
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