“Do you have a picture book recommendation for someone who loves horses?” someone asked me, a few years back. “I’d love to give a book as a gift. Horses is the theme of the party.” This! This is the book! If you know a reader of any age who loves ponies, or horses (or both!), they must meet MY PONY WONDER, the debut picture book of Jessica Milo, illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki (Random House Studio). Here’s a summary of the story:
Join a young rider and her pony on a trail ride adventure in this tender ode to the power of friendship and trust shared between a child and animal.
A girl boot-stomp-runs at the call of her pony’s whinny, both excited for a day of trail riding. After brushing his smooth coat and shiny mane and picking his hooves clean, it’s time to saddle up for a trail ride through the woods!
Through lyrical, bouncy verses, Jessica Milo invites readers to experience the beauty and wonder of the outdoors through the eyes of a young rider and her pony. As the pair trots and gallops along, they delight in each new sight, finding comfort in one another during moments of uncertainty, and ultimately, sharing precious time together.
MY PONY WONDER connects to my family in a very personal way this week! My daughters just returned from ranch camp. Through their experiences, I’ve grown quite enamored with the horse-rider relationship.
The way the girls speak of the horses they bond with conveys friendship, respect and trust. Riding and caring for the horses brings them peace, exhilaration and joy, all at once—a connection so special to witness.
MY PONY WONDER captures the intimate, revelatory, powerful adventure of riding so tenderly and vividly. So, how did this beautiful book come to be? Jessica Milo is here to tell us more. Come along as we go… Behind the Book!
How did this story come to you?
I love this question! Initially, I had the idea to write the story of my big sister getting her first horse for her 11th birthday, but it wasn’t coming together on the page the way I wanted. But thinking about the story made me remember how she and I grew up riding ponies and horses throughout childhood, and how fun it was. So many happy memories! I also struggled hard with childhood anxiety and was fortunate enough to receive therapy. In addition to that, riding horses and being around them brought me so much calm. My anxiety felt much more manageable when I was in their presence.
Bonding with horses brought me a sense of self-confidence and certainty. Like all pets, they love you for who you are—unconditionally. I felt that deep bond and connection with the horses I rode. So while the idea was sitting there in the back of my mind, I came across Valerie Bolling and Kaylani Juanita’s rhyming picture book, TOGETHER WE RIDE, and loved it. I adored the sparse, rhyming verse, and I thought to myself, what if I wrote a trailride picture book that was in sparse, rhyming verse? Then I knew I wanted the story to have a bouncy rhythm to emulate the clip-clopping of horse hooves. All of this, including looking at several pictures of little me riding ponies, gave me the final idea of writing MY PONY WONDER about a young girl and her pony going on a trail ride adventure through the woods, and how their deep bond and friendship grow over the course of the ride.
How did it evolve, as it came fully into being?
I did a few minor revisions of the story before my agent, and I went on sub with it. At this time, it was a girl and her horse on a trail ride (not a pony), and the title was TRAIL RIDE TOGETHER. We had received interest from two editors: one who was on the fence and needed to think it over, and the other who requested an R&R to highlight the child and pony’s bond more and draw out more emotion. I did that R&R, which we sent back to that editor, along with the other editor who was on the fence about acquiring it.
They both loved the revision, and the on-the-fence editor sent us an offer (the other R&R editor was still working on her offer at the time). We accepted and did a few little changes, but most of the text remained the same! One of the bigger changes my editor suggested was making the horse a pony, since that would be more fitting for a young 6-year-old girl. I loved that idea! Ponies are so cute! I had tweaked a line that needed changing now that the horse was a pony. The line was “gentle giant, trusty steed,” and I knew I couldn’t have “giant” – ponies are small! Then out of nowhere one evening, “my pony wonder” popped into my mind so I changed the line to read “my pony wonder, trusty steed” and knew instantly that “my pony wonder” was the title. My editor loved it! From there, we did a few word changes, and then final edits were completed.
What is your biggest hope for this story?
My biggest hope is that pony-and-horse-loving kids enjoy a picture book that speaks to their hearts! Whether they are kids who already ride horses/ponies or kids who dream of riding one, I hope it makes them excited to get back in the saddle and explore their world with their horse or pony! It’s such a magical, incredible experience full of bonding, awe, and calm. If kids want to ride a pony or are thinking about it but are a little uncertain, I hope this story gives them the encouragement to do it. They can do anything!
Another hope is that this story, with its diverse cast of characters, shows readers that you don’t have to look a certain way or be a certain type to ride horses and ponies. I think a lot of the societal expectation is that riding horses is for white people, typically those who are well-off financially. But riding is for everyone. It doesn’t matter your gender, age, race, etc. Anyone can enjoy riding, and what’s wonderful is that there are many programs and organizations out there for lower-income families that help kids experience the magic of horses. My family was low-income, so my sister and I could take riding lessons. We worked on the ranch by mucking stalls, helping with feeding, etc., so the lessons were cheaper. I love that Ramona Kaulitzki, the illustrator of our book MY PONY WONDER, included diverse characters in the story. That was really important to me that kids see that riding horses/ponies is an activity that is welcoming, inclusive, and joyful.
Another hope is that kids see that animal-child friendships and bonds bring so much love and happiness and can help calm those who struggle with anxiety and mental health. This book is a tender, lyrical ode to that friendship that can develop!
What sustains and nourishes you, as you travel this picture book journey?
Ooh lots of things—the biggest one being my kidlit friends and critique partners that have been part of my journey so far! My agent’s encouragement and belief in me also sustain me and push me to keep going and keep challenging myself. My husband’s support and love for who I am and what I do. What nourishes me are lots of snacks! Dark chocolate and peanuts, like my husband, friends, and agent, have always been there for me!
Thank you for visiting Behind the Book, Jessica! Here’s how to enter to win your copy of Jessica’s book:
Win a copy of MY PONY WONDER!
Visit @anitraroweschulte on Instagram
Comment WONDER on my “Behind the Book with Jessica Milo” post by EOD July 13.
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The winner will be announced on July 14. Wishing you the best of luck!