Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse, Marcy Campbell and Corinna Luyken

I try really hard not to label books as ‘for girls’ or ‘for boys’. I never want my kids to feel that they are not welcome to read a particular book. I know that lots of books are written for an intended audience, but that doesn’t mean people outside of that audience should restrict themselves and potentially miss out on a great book.

Hopefully what I say next doesn’t seem contradictory. I do look for and choose books especially for my boys and my girls, with their individual interests, talents, personalities and previous reading history in mind. A colourful, well designed, picture book, can teach my kids in a more subtle and memorable way than I ever could. A picture book that highlights or explains an important principle, in a gentle and colourful manner is worth its weight in parental lectures.

A while ago we read The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken and it was just right for one of my girls (the same one who needed Accident!). The pictures were super interesting, and the message of the book was bang on what I needed my girl to hear and learn. (It also helped that it featured roller skates.)

So when I saw Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse, I put it straight on my list of books to read. It is a wonderful, beautiful, gentle book that opens up a way to discuss a more female type of bullying.

First of all, look at the colours and the illustrations; they are truly spectacular. Almost too good for a children’s book. Corinna Luyken‘s work, especially the sweet, simple yet expressive faces of the children is similar in feel to Julie Mosrtad. There is a certain level of sophisticated whimsy that is just right for primary school aged kids.

Secondly, I don’t think I’ve come across a better title than this one. I knew right from the start what the plot of the story was going to be and I was super keen to read it.

The story starts with the reader being introduced to Adrian Simcox by the narrator, Chloe, who doesn’t like the way Adrian Simcox tells everyone that he has a horse. Chloe is quite sure he does not have one and can’t believe anyone else would believe he does. Eventually, Chloe can’t hold it in anymore and she shouts out from the monkey bars: “Adrian Simcox does NOT have a horse!”

Chloe knew she had hurt Adrian Simcox’s feelings, but she also knew he didn’t have a horse. Luckily she has a mum who is willing to put Chloe in a situation to confront her assumptions and rethink her behavior.

I feel like we as a community have done a lot to say no to bullying. What I really like about this book is the way it highlights the more subversive, less physical way kids (more often girls) can bully one another through words. That making someone feel ostracised and embarrassed is a form of bullying.

I also really love that it shows the ‘logic’ behind the bullying – Chloe wants the truth to be known – but then demonstrates another logical way of arriving at friendship rather than continuing the torment.