Attention, all horse lovers! Here's a gentle, gorgeously illustrated meditation on the healing power of our relationship with animals and overcoming our fears, for readers of I Talk Like a River and Rescue & Jessica.

When a shy young girl attends a school program to read to a horse called Snow, she doesn't know what to expect--other than to be nervous about reading aloud. Her words often get stuck, but Snow's calm and reassuring company slowly builds her confidence. Rain and the Reading Horse is a beautiful celebration of a girl's relationship with a horse and the slow but persistent ways we can confront our fears.

Author: Maria Gianferrari
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Clarion Books
Published: 10/07/2025
Pages: 40
Weight: 1lbs
ISBN: 9780063257252


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 07/14/2025
Kirkus Reviews 08/01/2025

About the Author
Gianferrari, Maria: -

Maria Gianferrari is a picture book reader/writer, dog lover, and bird nerd. She writes books that honor our bonds with creatures both domestic and wild and that celebrate urban ecosystems and the natural world around us. Maria's most recent titles include To Dogs, with Love; Fungi Grow; and Thank a Farmer. She lives with her family in Massachusetts, where deer, coyotes, bobcats, bears, and wild turkeys pass through her backyard.

Salyer, Hannah: -

Hannah Salyer's work, including Packs: Strength in Numbers and Ancestory: The Mystery and Majesty of Ancient Cave Art, has been recognized by American Illustration and the Society of Illustrators and featured in various exhibitions in New York City. Her books have been deemed Gold Standard Selections by the Junior Library Guild. She teaches art to students of all ages, including those at Parsons School of Design, has a ceramics practice, and is cofounder and codirector of Underland Gallery.