Penny the Horse...Of Course!

By: Tatiana Christie
Illustrated by: Alexandra Rusu
Publisher: DartFrog Books
Publication Date: Coming Soon
ISBN: 978-1951490461
Reviewed by: Holly Connors
Review Date: November 23, 2021

An adorable pig who wants to be a horse is the premise of a delightful new children’s book from debut author Tatiana Christie.

Pigs and horses are very different. For one thing, pigs like to eat acorns and horses eat hay. Still, Penny the pig was the only pig on a big horse farm and she wanted a friend. With no other pigs on the farm, who would be her friend? She would watch the horses play together, and eat together, and it looked like fun. If only she could be just like one of the horses...if she could fit in and be like a horse, maybe they’d play with her and be her friend.

Penny decided that to be included in the horse games, she’d have a better chance if she looked like a horse. So the little pig rolled in the mud and then covered herself with bits of hay. But instead of asking her to join them, the horses laughed and told Penny she looked like a porcupine. That definitely wasn’t the reaction Penny wanted!

What could Penny do? She decided to sing and neigh like a horse. That would surely get the horses’ attention. But no, instead the horses laughed and told the pig that she sounded like a donkey. Again, it wasn’t the reaction Penny had hoped for. What could Penny do to get the horses to play with her?

Penny the Horse...Of Course! is a heartfelt story of a sweet little pig who feels she doesn’t belong. She’s the only pig on a horse farm, and that makes for a lonely life. Trying her best to fit in, things don’t go well until the horses ask Penny why she wants to be a horse. “To play and neigh and have fun together, of course!” But the horses explain to her that she’s perfect the way she is and the next day the horses all make an effort to include Penny in their activities – they even try some of her food. The author has written a fun, lighthearted story about an adorable little pig and cleverly wrapped up into her tale an important life lesson about understanding that you are perfect just the way you are. In addition, the story also teaches children to include everyone in their games and activities. Young readers will delight in the story of Penny without realizing the very important lesson they are learning until they turn that last page. And one last thing that must be mentioned is that the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous.

Quill says: If I could give Penny the Horse...Of Course! ten stars, I would! This book is a fantastic debut for new author Tatiana Christie. I can’t wait to see what she pens next.