Rain and the Reading Horse
A meditation on the power of animal friendships and the pressures of public speaking. With illustrations by Hannah Salyer; coming from Clarion Books (October 2025).
Reviews
“Gianferrari and Salyer marvelously capture the stop-and-go nature of stress and anxiety. Salyer’s illustrations, made from a combination of colored pencils and chalk pastels, have a tactile quality. Meanwhile, the quiet patience of a horse as listener is perfectly echoed in Gianferrari’s text, with its repeated phrase of ‘Ears twitching, tail swishing.’
Read this book to a horse, a dog, a cat, a sibling, anyone! An empathetic tale for anxious readers everywhere.”–Kirkus
★”When ‘the words get stuck,’ Rain turns to physical activities and sensations—mucking the stall, feeding and grooming Snow—that help to center her. Gradually, she builds confidence and familiarity, repeating the book’s lines while she works, and eventually reading the entire work to her equine companion: ‘She felt the up and down rhythm of riding and words,’ writes Gianferrari (Thank a Farmer), and ‘her heart beat as steady as the sound of Snow’s hooves.’ Impressionistic colored pencil and chalk pastel artwork by Salyer (Ancestory) echoes the narrative’s empathy as flowing, swirling layers of translucent color evoke healing and growth, deepening the impact of a hopeful story rooted in change slowly wrought.”–Publisher’s Weekly
“Gianferrari’s new picture book explores the way a bond with a horse helps alleviate a child’s anxiety. … Salyer’s exceptionally beautiful illustrations enhance the narrative, helping to show Rain’s emotional life in visual form; soft pencil and chalk in vibrant contrasting colors capture Rain’s experience. Spare words, repetition, and measured pacing reveal Rain’s journey from anxiety to calm and confidence.
“A stressful situation is gradually eased by a bond between a girl and a horse. ‘Rain had never read to a horse before—but this was a new school program, Giddy Up and Read.’ … Building upon themes from the author’s Hello Goodbye Dog (2017) to spotlight an emotionally supportive variation on a ‘paws to read’ program, the sensitive text is patient with Rain’s read-aloud progress and setbacks. Fluid full-page colored pencil and chalk pastel drawings in mostly cool, pastoral shades make emphatic use of occasional angry lines and warm tones to convey Rain’s palpable spikes in anxiety. A wonderfully reassuring pick for introverts and equine enthusiasts, with notes and resources appended.”–Booklist