Terrible Horses

By Raymond Antrobus

Illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max

A truly authentic and stunningly evocative picture book on brother-sister dynamics and how creativity and storytelling can help resolve conflict and enable better understanding.

My sister and me fight! / Push Pull Hurt Hide. / We would not use our words. This little boy does not get on with his sister. They misunderstand each other, struggle to communicate, and they fight. Afterwards, there’s a lot of hurt, heavy feelings and loneliness. In order to escape their constant rowing and clear his head, the boy often retreats to his bedroom when he writes his stories. He writes stories about terrible horses – trampling and galloping – and he, a lone pony, who cannot compete and cannot speak. But what happens when his sister finds his book? Could it be a way for them to finally understand each other? Filled with empathy and poignance, Terrible Horses is a beautiful and powerful story of managing anger, reflection and learning to see someone else's perspective.

Categories: Picture Books

For readers aged: 3+

  • Publication details:
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781529520934
  • Published: 03 Oct 2024
  • Price: £7.99
  •  
  • Size: 270 x 250 mm
  • Pages: 32

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Customer reviews

Reviews

'Ken Wilson-Max's illustrations artfully combine depictions of the children in their home alongside the inner world of the young boy's feelings and imagination, with the horses rendered in brightly coloured pencil marks.' The Observer

'A picture book about empathy and loneliness.' The Bookseller

'Raymond Antrobus has penned a seemingly simple tale of sibling rivalry, but it’s one that conveys feelings relating to discord and empathy, both of which Ken Wilson-Max captures so adeptly in his illustrations of humans and of horses.' Red Reading Hub

'A poignant, expressive picture book about fraught sibling relationships.' The Guardian

'Ken Wilson-Max’s powerful mixed media, somewhat whimsical scenes, work beautifully in tandem with the author’s carefully chosen, poetic words... Altogether a demonstration of how storytelling can result in better understanding between people.' Books for Keeps

'We need plenty of books on the theme of sibling rivalry because this is such a common experience… This powerful story doesn’t shy away from the physical and emotional conflict between the siblings. The bold illustrations showing a particularly fierce stand-off... Young readers will enjoy the way in which their differences are eventually resolved and be inspired to share their own stories about sisters and brothers who can sometimes very trying.' The Letterpress Project

'A brother and sister are in conflict in this relatable story about sibling bonds and rivalries. Communication lies at the heart of the poignant tale, as a boy finds release from inner frustrations through creating stories about terrible horses. Can these stories bring the siblings closer together? Impactful illustrations vividly capture both turmoil and tenderness.' Inclusive Books for Children

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Paperback
£7.99

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