The Horse's Haiku

by Michael J. Rosen, Stan Fellows (Illustrator)

Overview

Paired with Stan Fellows’s splendid illustrations, Michael J. Rosen’s resonant haiku is a gift to anyone who loves horses, nature, or poetry.

From field to stable, from rest to riding, poet Michael J. Rosen captures the nature of horses with spare and graceful haiku. Filled with Stan Fellows’s evocative artwork, this collection celebrates the beauty of horses while peacefully grazing or in all their powerful and dynamic action. Lovers of horses or haiku or those who simply appreciate the natural world will enjoy this contemplation of one of earth’s most beautiful creatures.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763689162
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	03/13/2018
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	787,830
Product dimensions:	7.80(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Michael J. Rosen has written or edited more than 135 books for children and adults, including The Hound Dog’s Haiku and The Maine Coon’s Haiku. A college zoology major, he finds that many of his books are inspired by his lifelong observations of animals. Michael J. Rosen lives in the Appalachian foothills of central Ohio.

Stan Fellows has illustrated several books for children, including John Muir: America’s First Environmentalist by Kathryn Lasky and The Cuckoo’s Haiku and Other Birding Poems by Michael J. Rosen. He lives in Colorado.

Editorial Reviews

★ 02/05/2018
In their fourth book of animal haiku, which began with 2009’s The Cuckoo’s Haiku, Rosen and Fellows pair crisp, contemplative haiku with sumptuous watercolors that reflect the strength and beauty of horses, as well as the bond between the animals and the humans who care for them. Rosen divides his work into three sections (“In the Field,” “At the Barn,” “In Saddle”), dwelling on small moments and observations that, together, create a composite portrait of horses’ lives. As a slash of black cuts across a winter field, “snowfall whitens all/ but two darks: unfrozen stream/ and horses huddled.” In a cozier image, a skewball horse is shown in profile in a barn: “dozing familiars:/ mare settled in her stall, cat/ balanced on her rump.” It’s a majestic collection that should leave readers spellbound, especially those devoted to horses themselves. Ages 6–9. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

In their fourth book of animal haiku, which began with 2009’s The Cuckoo’s Haiku, Rosen and Fellows pair crisp, contemplative haiku with sumptuous watercolors that reflect the strength and beauty of horses, as well as the bond between the animals and the humans who care for them...It’s a majestic collection that should leave readers spellbound, especially those devoted to horses themselves.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

A collection of haiku with a horse theme is paired with watercolors in this picture book...Altogether a fresh and masterful contribution to the genres of both haiku and horse.
—Kirkus Reviews

Full of light and shadows, the impressionistic watercolor-and-pencil illustrations capture the reflective tone of the verse. Occasionally they also clarify the literal meaning of a poem, enhancing the experience for young readers. This handsome volume of verse will resonate with poetry lovers who dream of horses.
—Booklist

Fellows’s watercolor illustrations reflect seasonal and time changes and depict a lot of movement and expression effortlessly. The artwork even conveys more dramatic moments with ease such as a horse leaping over a hedge. The poems all work together but can also stand alone. A beautifully illustrated collection of haiku for fans of horses and poetry.
—School Library Journal

Luminous watercolor and pencil illustrations complement this wonderful collection of horse haiku.
—World Magazine

From the Publisher

04/01/2018
Gr 2–5—Rosen pens contemplative reflections on horses in this book, organized into three sections: "In the Field," "At the Barn," and "In Saddle." "In the Field" begins with a horse's birth, and the haiku is told from a horse's point of view, while "At the Barn" and "In Saddle" reflect on human experiences with horses and use a second-person viewpoint. This added perspective is a nice touch and complements the theme of the relationship between people and nature: "daybreak, low tide—flash/of sunbeams between saddle/and posting rider." All of the haiku holds to the syllabic pattern, which is reminiscent of a horse's gait and works well with the overall theme. Fellows's watercolor illustrations reflect seasonal and time changes and depict a lot of movement and expression effortlessly. The artwork even conveys more dramatic moments with ease such as a horse leaping over a hedge. The poems all work together but can also stand alone. VERDICT A beautifully illustrated collection of haiku for fans of horses and poetry.—Ellen Conlin, Naperville Public Library, IL

School Library Journal

2017-11-22
A collection of haiku with a horse theme is paired with watercolors in this picture book.The evocative haiku are loosely organized into three groups: "In the Field," "At the Barn," and "In Saddle," with an afterword by author Rosen that explains his creative intent and inspiration in drawing parallels between the horse and the haiku. Each of Rosen's poems, in proper haiku tradition, captures a momentary impression, and the collection adds up not so much to a storyline as an evocation of place and emotion. Readers who are familiar with horses will feel the full impact, such as the horse's steaming back when the saddle is removed, although many other haiku are just as effective for readers who must use imagination only. Illustrator Fellows' richly rendered watercolors are the perfect match, since they too exhibit the expertise and close observation inherent in the haiku. They are done in an earthy palette of greens, blues, browns, and yellows with the occasional dab of bright blue or red, and Fellows' use of the white paper for highlight and delineation is as masterful as it is deceptively simple. Pencil lines are unabashedly left in, as are drawn-in details that are left without color, reinforcing the illustrations' fresh, spontaneous feel.Altogether a fresh and masterful contribution to the genres of both haiku and horse. (Picture book/poetry. 8-14)

Kirkus Reviews