Stick Horse Derby: Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers’ Favorite
We can’t always have what we want in life. But it doesn’t hurt to dream big. A little boy has big dreams of riding a big red racehorse and winning the Kentucky Derby, or the Run for the Roses. He tries to convince his parents to buy him a racehorse, but they point out that their yard is too small. So, Mom and Dad work together to create a stick horse. At first, the little boy is upset, then angry when the stick horse doesn’t do what he wants it to do. Dad points out, “Teamwork is the key to fun./ Walk together – in time you’ll run.” With teamwork and practice, the little boy and his stick horse improve their skills. So much so that the other children want to join in the fun. At first, they tease him, but the little boy has better ideas. He wants his teamwork fun to include all the children.
Mark Wayne Adams’ picture book story, Stick Horse Derby, is inspired by the author's love of horses, racing, and, in particular, the Kentucky Derby and the little stick horse his parents created for him as a child. Written in rhyming verse and accompanied by charming, bright, colorful illustrations, this story will be a winner amongst young readers. As well as teaching young readers about the Kentucky Derby and racehorses, it also inspires them to use their imaginations, to be creative, and to work together because effective teamwork is the key to success in anything one undertakes. At the end, there is an interesting list of facts about racehorses and the Kentucky Derby, which adds to this sweet memoir for children that is full of valuable life lessons. I loved it as it brought back memories of my own stick horse and the fun we created without the benefit (or curse, depending on how you look at it) of high tech. Beautifully told, the rhyming verse gives the young reader a sense of the stick horse’s galloping hooves.
