Parmesan the Reluctant Racehorse by Jacqui
Halpin, illustrated by John Phillips (Little Pink Dog Books) HB RRP $24.95 ISBN
9780994626929
Reviewed by Stacey Gladman
In life there are adversities and
challenges around every corner, the real challenge is how we deal with them. Parmesan,
the Reluctant Racehorse introduces the reader to a racehorse, with a
rather unique problem.
Parmesan is a racehorse, or is he? As far as
Parmesan is concerned he very well could be a dog, and since birth he has done
everything like a dog, from stretching like a dog to even fetching like a dog.
Unfortunately for Parmesan, he is not a
dog and with champion heritage parents, his owner expects big things for him on
the race track. One day Parmesan's owner came to visit him at the stables
expecting to see a champion racehorse in training, but what he finds is a horse
who thinks he is a dog.
His owner threatens to sell Parmesan if he
is not race-ready, which is upsetting for his trainer, Joe. Joe tries and tried
to remind Parmesan he is a horse, but nothing is working. From tying a carrot
to a stick in front of him, Joe tries everything until inspiration strikes: what
if he makes the race like a game of fetch, which Parmesan adores?
It seems that dogs can be champion
racehorse; well at least for Parmesan they can. For the first time in his life,
Parmesan feels like a racehorse. "He ran like a horse. He won like a
horse. He even fetched like a...dog." While racehorses might not be well
known for their fetching skills, Parmesan shows that you can be more than
what's expected of you and to test boundaries.
Parmesan, the Reluctant Racehorse is a charming
story of testing boundaries and embracing your differences, no matter what your
quirkiness may be. I loved the use of humour in the story, and it was a subject
matter slightly different that I think will appeal to younger children.
The picture book is beautifully
illustrated with colourful imagery that grabs the attention of readers both
young and old alike.
