Sally Gets a Curly Horse

This book "Sally Gets a Curly Horse" by Ron Gale is a full color picture book about a young girl that is very allergic to horses. But she finds a way to enjoy her "hoped for" endeavors without affecting her health. This book will be the first of a series and is for the grades four to eight to enjoy and older folks to peruse. Ron Gale writes in a unique style that grabs the attention of all readers. His colorful sketches depict the exact content of the story. This book will be the first in a series that will be coming out of the experiences of Sally and the North American Curly Horses. Three star review by KL Bradley Sally Gets a Curly Horse is a 24-page children's book written and illustrated by Ron Gale. Written with a Western theme, the story revolves around ten-year-old Sally and the horses that she dreams of having. Despite Sally's love for horses, she is unfortunately highly allergic to them and has always thought she could never own one of her one. While visiting a rodeo with her family, Sally sees a rider with a curly haired horse, which the rider explained as being hypoallergenic. After learning that she has no negative reaction from the curly horse, Sally convinces her mother and father to get her a curly haired horse of her own. The story is written in an easy to follow manner, with details included that children appreciate. The author's writing style is both casual and entertaining, and written with enough action to keep children entertained, despite not being the traditional rhyming stories found in children's books. The lessons that can be found within the story could teach responsibility, as shown by how Sally cares for her horse and makes sure he has all he needs. In addition to the story line, Sally Gets a Curly Horse also includes adorable hand-drawn pictures that are full of imagination and precision. Featuring several different horses, I can imagine it would be fun for children to go back after reading and choose their favorite horse. One complaint I have for the story is the author's use of the word "tho" rather than "though." Used a few times throughout the story, I felt myself cringing at the shortening, especially for a children's book. I could easily see how this could create a reading barrier for children, as they could possibly think this is the correct way to spell and attempt to use the shortened version of the word in their writing. From my reading, I can say that this story could be read independently from around ages 7 to 10, as there is some complex thinking involved, and a few words that could take some serious sounding out. I would easily recommend Sally Gets a Curly Horse to children who enjoy reading books about a farm or ranch, and also recommend their parents to read with them This story would also be a great read for children who do suffer from allergic reactions. Due to the minor complaint I had for the story, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars, and will happily read it again with my child.