BooksforTopics Reading for Pleasure Recommendations
Book Title: The Winged Horse Race (available here)
Author: Kallie George
Illustrator: Lucy Eldridge
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s
Publication Date: March 2019
Most Suitable For: Lower Ks2
Reviewed By: Carol Carter (@HPSLibrary), Librarian
Review
Pippa (Hippolyta) is a foundling and stable hand in Ancient Greece. She knows nothing of her background and owns nothing but the tunic she stands in and a gold coin she was left with as a baby. To make matters worse, she’s just been kicked out of her job and lodgings and doesn’t know where her next meal is coming from.
But then, wonder of wonders, Pippa wakens from a dream to find she has been transported to Mount Olympus. She has been chosen by the goddess Aphrodite as one of twelve children to take part in the Winged Horse Race, to choose which horse will become Zeus’s next steed.
What follows is a fast-paced story of love, friendship and trust, as Pippa bonds with her horse Zephyr and makes friends (and enemies) amongst the other riders. Along the way we encounter a range of Greek gods, goddesses and heroes, as well as nymphs and dryads, Fates and Graces.
The Winged Horse Race initially seems to wear some of its educational content heavily. However, once the story got going, the description becomes a valuable tool to increase accessibility of the mythical setting to a younger audience, as well as making this a useful class reader for Ancient Greece or Myths & Legends topic work. I can imagine this book being an appealing ‘next step’ for fans of Rainbow Magic and Magic Kitten.
Overall, the Winged Horse Race has an engaging storyline, relatable characters, a satisfying conclusion and positive messages of perseverance and determination.
You can order The Winged Horse Race online or from your local bookshop or library.
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****Book Giveaway****
Thanks to the publishers at Macmillan, we have 10 copies of The Winged Horse Race to give away to our followers!
To enter, simply follow @booksfortopics on Twitter and retweet the giveaway tweet by 11.59pm Sunday 14th April 2019 (T&Cs here).
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You can order The Winged Horse Race online or from your local bookshop or library.
Many thanks to the publisher for sending us a copy of this book and providing the prizes, and also to Carol for reviewing it.
