Category Archives: review

Review The Great Red Horse Trilogy by Helen Scanlon

Now and then a great horse comes along and is remembered and celebrated for who he was to a breed or sport and its people. UC Ringmaster was just such a horse. The UC is for the University of Connecticut where he was born. I just had the pleasure of recalling those days as I read three excellent books by local author Helen Scanlon. If you read aloud to your children or grandchildren, have a classroom, daycare or library do consider these books. The trilogy covers his birth in book one. His show career and his rise to fame in book two and his legacy and prodigy in book three.

These books are written with a light, artistic pen that plays with the words and sounds. The author is also the illustrator of the trilogy. Her pen and brush take similar strokes to paint a picture of this legendary horse. The wash of watercolor over the page is soft and enticing as she depicts the first steps, a mother’s love, and a championship in the show ring.

I have great memories of watching UC Ringmaster in the show ring. I remember him in the barn at UCONN as a youngster and later when he returned to fulfill his destiny and carry on the great Morgan horse breeding legacy that was part of the founding of the university. Later we were fortunate to have one of his sons in our barn. UC Daybreak was like his father in so many ways. These books hit such a sentimental chord as it was a remembrance of both of these horses. UC Daybreak made his own brand of fame and often in his escapades mention was made of the resemblance to his father in spirit and attitude as well as looks.

I highly recommend this wonderful trilogy for your equine book collection or introduction; you can’t go wrong!

Order Helen Scanlon’s books here: https://www.amazon.com/Helen-Scanlon/e/B00DVWLTVS%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

UC Daybreak son of UC Ringmaster

Read more about UC Daybreak, the son of UC Ringmaster

https://www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.com/dedication-one-step-from-insane/  a four-part series on the escapades of UC Daybreak

Review The Broken Violin By M.B. Tosi

Review The Broken Violin – Book One The Early Path Series The Revolutionary War  by M.B. Tosi Westbow Press 2017   My sleep was invaded, peace gone. I wrestled with the blankets and couldn’t find comfort. I rose to a state of semi-consciousness in a tangle of blankets. A hint of the scent of straw… Continue Reading

Reveiw: CD Prarie Child with Bert Marshall

Reveiw: CD Prarie Child with Bert Marshall

Prairie Child CD  Bert Marshall   available on CD Baby www.cdbaby.com Not the sound I was expecting, the word prairie evoked soft windswept to me, but here the prairie is alive with a beat of a full bodied rich composition. Each song a story in itself the  music is vibrant and draws the listener in. The opening piece “Road… Continue Reading

Think-Ets Game Review

Think-Ets Game Review

Review of Think-ets by Think-a-lot Toys  www.think-a-lot.com Not going out to face the bustle of Black Friday Shopping? You won’t find me out there either! I want to stay home and play a family game, I might even do some online shopping. I will be looking at my list of naughty and nice and deciding… Continue Reading

Cowboy & Wills, Monica Holloway; My Review

The temperature outside tonight is in the brisk teens. I have had a very long work week, and yet coming home tonight listening to the last CD in the audio version of Monica Holloway’s book Cowboy and Wills, I sat in the driveway wasting precious gas and running the car heater to  stay with Cowboy… Continue Reading