Author & Illustrator Margaret Merry

I wrote about author and illustrator Margaret Merry over at 5 Minutes for Books. One thing I mentioned was that she is a gifted artist. I love looking at the pictures which compliment her stories.

I was able to read through her latest addition to the world of books, The Adventure of Princess the Pony. I have a lot of friends who are really into horses and so whenever I have the chance to check out a new horse title, I like to snap it up and see what it's all about. In Princess the Pony we meet a young Shetland foal who is desperate for a playmate. She asks other horses, sheep, and even a mule if they'd be interested in playing with her but everyone turns her down flat because of her small stature. Until she proves herself useful to full size horses, she seems almost a useless creature to the other animals. (This book has a theme vaguely reminiscient of another story I know in which the constant refrain is, "A person's a person, no matter how small!")

The treat of the book (for me) is, of course, Ms. Merry's painted illustrations which really are quite amazing. The following are my two favorite images from the book:




I'm not personally a big fan of horses, but I love looking at her paintings. There is a beauty and a rhythm to them that you just relax into. Her stories are also calm and peaceful and are just all-around enjoyable to read.

To learn more about Ms. Merry and her books, visit the Margaret Merry website. And then, just enjoy!