About this item
For horse-loving readers of all ages, a lyrical and exquisitely illustrated picture book following the relationship between a boy and a horse, separated then reunited. This is a story about enduring friendships and how language is shaped by our experiences.The foal is born on a spring morning of sunshine and snow melt. If she had words, she would say willow, crocus, puddle and sky . . .Red Badger is a newborn foal learning to stand when she slips and gets stuck in a muddy badger hole. It is a young boy who frees her, and his kindness and gentleness mark the beginning of their friendship -- though she will always be wary of the ground that briefly trapped her. As the seasons pass on the ranch, Red Badger learns more about her world: Fall is leaf rustle and fence posts. Winter is white hills and long nights. The boy is hay, a gentle touch, playing in the snow and the sweet smell of peppermints. If a horse had words, the word would be . . . friend. This is a beautifully written and heartwarming story told from the horse's point of view that follows her relationship with a boy from the day she is born, to when she is sent to auction, to the day she and the boy are reunited at a rodeo where she has become a bronc and he a cowboy.
About the Author
Kelly Cooper was raised on a farm in Saskatchewan and grew up with horses and cattle. One of her brothers was a bronc rider, one tried his hand at steer wrestling and the third is a well-known rodeo clown. Her first-hand experience of rodeo consists of attempts to ride her 4H calf when she was ten years old. Her family owns a herd of bucking horses that inspired the story of Red Badger.
She works as a Kindergarten teacher and lives on a dairy farm in New Brunswick with her husband, two daughters, a dog, two cats and 125 cows. She has written extensively for adults and her work has won or been short-listed for a number of national awards. If A Horse Had Words is her first book for children.
