Percy: The Racehorse Who Didn't Like to Run is a children’s picture book written by M.J. Evans and illustrated by Gaspar Sabater. When it was very cold and snowy outside, too cold even for the owls and foxes huddled deep within their dens, Percy was warm and comfortable inside the barn, where he lay as his mother licked him clean. She was proud of her newborn colt, who came from a distinguished line of racehorses, and she told him that one day he would be great like his father and grandfather. When spring came, Percy and the other colts loved to play in the pasture as the mother horses watched. Percy’s mother would encourage him to run with the other colts because she knew he had to practice to be a great racer, but Percy was happier sniffing the flowers and watching the butterflies. He knew he should like to run, but he just didn’t really. Then one day, as he was playing, he saw a boy in a strange chair, who seemed to be watching him. The boy knew his name, and they soon became the best of friends. Did that boy know Percy’s purpose? Would Percy ever find out?

M.J. Evans’ children’s picture book, Percy: The Racehorse Who Didn't Like to Run, introduces the subject of therapeutic horsemanship to children in this inspiring story about a racehorse whose purpose was something he had yet to discover. When I opened up to the first page in this awesome book, I was totally blown away by Gaspar Sabater’s impressive artwork. The windows of his snow-covered barn shine brightly out onto a bitterly cold and snowy scene, leading the reader to enter through those double doors and catch a first glimpse of that newborn colt. The story captures the first year of a colt’s life, and Sabater’s artwork follows the four seasons brilliantly. Evans’ story will resonate with any kid who feels different and at odds with his parents’ and peers’ expectations of him, and it introduces the marvels of therapeutic horsemanship to caregivers and kids alike. Perfectly suited for both story time and independent reading by young readers, Percy: The Racehorse Who Didn't Like to Run is most highly recommended.

Encouraging kids from an early age to follow their dreams is definitely very important. I believe Percy: The Racehorse Who Didn't Like to Run by M.J. Evans is an admirable effort in that direction. It is the story of Percy -- a horse whose mother insists that he is born to be a racehorse. According to his mother, that is the purpose of his life. The problem, however, is the fact that Percy's heart is not in racing. He does not like to run around with other foals. His mother would push him to run, and he would do it only to oblige to his mother. He found spending time with a little boy, who visits him every day in his wheelchair, more to his liking. This struggle of doing what is apparently his purpose in life and not finding his heart in it is the basis of Percy: The Racehorse Who Didn't Like to Run.

The appearance of a book is of utmost importance if it's a children's book. By including cute and colorful graphics, the author has checked this significant parameter. The story is written in an easy to understand language and has useful information about the terms that are used to denote young horses. There is a glossary at the end of the book to explain the various terms used throughout the pages. Percy's journey is insightful without being too complex and is easy to follow. This book would motivate kids to think about their own purpose in life, which would open new topics for discussion between kids and their parents. I would recommend this book to all parents who want their kids to think about their dreams and life's purpose from an early age.