The Horse's Haiku

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.)

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