Gia and I are giddy with excitement to be part of the blog tour for Rain and the Reading Horse written by Maria Gianferrari and illustrated by Hannah Sayler which celebrated its book birthday on October 7, 2025. Thanks to the author for sharing a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
As nervous as Rain is to read to a horse named Snow, she knows it will be less stressful than reading in front of her classmates. Gianferrari’s poetic text and Sayler’s emotional artwork share Rain’s sentiment.
His ears twitching and tail swishing, Snow quietly listens to Rain with no judgment. When the words do not flow easily, mucking Snow’s stall calms her. On her second visit, just being in Snow’s presence settles Rain’s heart and breath allowing her to read a little more.
Growth is not always linear so when Rain stumbles, she finds solace in feeding and grooming Snow. These simple tasks give her the strength to return to reading aloud to Snow. Her visits include riding Snow and just like her reading, Rain starts slow and gains her stride. Her assurance is captured not only in the melodic text but also in the uplifting artwork. Soon Rain’s reading and riding have the same rhythm giving her unbridled confidence.
As a reading specialist, my heart initially hurt for Rain. For the students I work with, reading is challenging and repeated practice in a safe environment is a game changer. I love that Gianferrari chose to highlight a Giddy-Up and Read program which strengthen Rain’s skills. The collaboration between Gianferrari’s lyrical text and Sayler’s stirring illustrations is pure magic. As a reader, I could hear, see, and feel Rain’s demeanor gradually change from discouraged to delighted.
Reminiscent of Gianferrari’s Hello Goodbye Dog, Rain and the Reading Horse is a heartfelt story capturing the profound impact an animal can have on a child. Back matter includes notes from the author and illustrator as well as reading horse therapy program websites.
About the Author:
As a shy, animal-loving kid, Maria Gianferrari wishes she could have read to a horse like Snow. As a shy animal-loving adult, she now gets to write about all kinds of creatures and the bonds they share with humans in books like Be a Tree! You and the Bowerbird, and To Dogs, With Love. Maria lives in Massachusetts with her family and dreams of reading Rain and the Reading Horse to a horse!
About the Illustrator:
Hannah Salyer has always been a friend to horses. After years spent riding, caring for, admiring, and drawing them as a kid, she was ecstatic to illustrate this book. In starred reviews of her other books, Packs and Ancestory, her work has been called “capitivating,” “breathtaking.” and “visually stunning.” Hannah is also the recipient of the Maurice Sendak Fellowship. She currently lives in Brooklyn but makes it a point to get out and volunteer at the closest therapeutic riding stable between working on projects in her studio.
Beagles & Books 