The Horse in Harry's Room by Syd Hoff

The Horse in Harry's Room Reviews

• 
  Josiah

  Does anyone do a better job telling a meaningful story in the brief space given for an easy reader than Syd Hoff at his best? If so, I have yet to encounter him or her. Arnold Lobel, Jack Prelutsky, and Mo Willems may be among his rare equals, but even they usually employ more words when telling a tale as emotionally resounding as The Horse in Harry's Room. This book does everything an easy reader should do, and does it to near perfection. It uses simple, repeating words to teach kids to read, tells a worthwhile story infused with deep emotional significance so readers of any age can learn and be affected by it, and implements a few changes of pace that keep the ending unpredictable. By making complex ideas and feelings accessible to the youngest readers, The Horse in Harry's Room and easy readers like it give us stories we can grow with through childhood and beyond, quality books we appreciate more with every year as we realize their timelessness and relevance to our lives at any stage. That's how I define a transcendent easy reader, and I don't know of a better example than this one.
  
  Harry lives with his mother and father in the city, but he hasn't let that stop him from keeping a horse of his very own. Harry gallops around his room on the horse's back and occasionally leaps over the bed, all without knocking over a single stick of furniture or bothering the neighbors. His horse is invisible, so naturally his parents can't see it. They watch Harry laugh and play, calling "Giddyap" and "Whoa" to his equine playmate, but they don't see anyone in the room with him. Harry's classmates laugh when he tells them about his horse, though the teacher reminds them that an imaginary companion can be a powerful comfort. Harry doesn't mind if no one believes his horse is real; he sees him and loves spending time together, and that's what matters.
  
  Eventually Harry's parents take him on a car ride to the country, far from their urban digs, and for the first time he observes horses in person: lively, energetic animals that everyone can see. They trot freely in the pasture, kicking wildly and nibbling the grass, not hemmed in by the walls of a city dwelling. This is the life for a horse, Harry's father says. Harry starts to wonder: is his horse as free as he wants to be? Would he rather leave the city behind for green grass and fresh air, to frolic with horse friends instead of being cooped up in an indoor living space? Harry has to offer his horse his freedom, because that's the only way he'll know his unique pet is happy. Will the invisible horse want to stay with Harry or head out on his own? Either way, Harry is ready to choose his horse's happiness over his own, because that's what a good friend will always do.
  
  "Oh, it's great to have a horse," said Harry. "I hope I will always have him. I hope he will always stay."
  
  —The Horse in Harry's Room, P. 8
  
  Emotional need doesn't disappear if it isn't met. It lingers and waits, an ache in our heart until we find a way to fulfill it, and that's what Harry has done by making friends with his invisible horse. A city boy can't have a horse clomping around his room, but an invisible equine offends no one, and puts happiness in Harry's heart. How often do we find contentment in places others would never think to look, so they stare at us in bewilderment and can't figure out why we're so pleased with what we have? They see an empty room with a kid shouting "Giddyap" to no one, but we see the horse we always wanted, and couldn't be happier. What does it matter if no one understands why we're thrilled? "Let's take Harry to the country...Let's show him some real horses", his father says to Harry's mother. Others may think we're missing out on the real fun and settling for something so much less that it's sad, but it's no deprivation if we can see and enjoy our invisible horse. As the story says, "Harry did not care if he ever went to the country. He had his own horse in his room!" It is sweet relief to have a friend who's always there for you, and The Horse in Harry's Room expresses this eloquently in a few masterful strokes: "Every night when Harry went to sleep, he knew his horse would stay and watch over him. Every day when Harry went to school, he knew his horse would wait for him to come home." Syd Hoff's illustrations beautifully support the text to impart a winsome and emotionally compelling vision of the scene. It is wonderful to know your closest friend is at hand should you need him, as excited to see you as you are in return.
  
  When Harry sees the "real" horses and his parents point out that they're meant to run free outdoors, his feelings for his horse are demonstrated in his immediate decision to let him go if that's what the horse wants. Harry has no desire to imprison his friend; if cavorting with creatures more like himself is what the horse needs, Harry is willing to say goodbye. But conventional wisdom isn't universal law, and not everyone wants the same things as their peers. Will anyone out there care for Harry's horse more than he does? Surely not. You love your friends and that love creates its own belonging space, regardless of superficial differences that, in the opinion of others, should divide us. There's no replacement for genuine friendship, and we're blessed if we recognize that and choose to stay where we're wanted, needed, and loved despite pressure from a world that can't see the invisible horse. We know it's there, and that's what counts.
  
  I like Syd Hoff's easy readers in general, but The Horse in Harry's Room is a breed apart and above most of them. Its wisdom is profound, as satisfying an affirmation of idiosyncrasy in a world that demands conformity as anything I've found in literature, and I'm stunned I can make that statement. If you've been made to feel small because what you love is an invisible horse to everyone else, you'll find refuge in this book. It's a deeply heartfelt refuge for me, and I plan on many rereads to draw reinforcement from it. Just as important as the story's wisdom is the powerful emotional current that runs throughout, at its strongest in the final sentences. This is a big part of why I'd give The Horse in Harry's Room three and a half stars, and I believe I'm going to round that up to four. Nothing about this book isn't superb, and I submit that it's one of the best easy readers ever made, likely Syd Hoff's magnum opus. The Horse in Harry's Room is a splendrous addition to the cornucopia of children's literature, and I recommend it from the bottom of my heart.
• 
  booklady

  Perfect for early readers, horse lovers and those with lively imaginations. Harry has his very own horse who lives in his room. His classmates laugh at him when he talks about it, but his teacher understands that sometimes thinking about a thing is as having it. Good lesson to remember!
• 
  Matthew

  Cute story about a boy who keeps an imaginary horse in his room. When his mother and father become concerned they send him away to an institution where he is given electro-shock therapy... Just kidding. They take him to the country to visit real horses, but when he returns he still has his imaginary friend waiting for him. I found this story to be nice, but too short, coming in at only thirty-something pages. I think it could have been expanded to the average length of an easy reader which is around sixty-four pages. My rating - 3/5
• 
  Alexander

  I like this book because Harry had an imaginary friend in his room that was a horse
• 
  Kathleen Dixon

  I've always loved this little book. I think I must have read it when I was a child, because when I found it when my own children were small it was like a coming-home. Now I can read it to the grandchildren!
  
  James, who was my focus for this reading, is 5, and listens intently to new stories. Sometimes he asks questions about them, but he didn't of this book. I think he understood it without questioning, because when he then drew his own illustration (for his Books Book, which is part of "Granny School", he drew the fences first, and then the horse jumping. James understands about imagination and freedom.
• 
  Fjóla

  A cute story about an imaginary horse friend. Great early reader, just like the rest of
  Syd Hoff. For more books with a similar theme, check out
  Danny and the Dinosaur or
  Jessica.
• 
  Luisa Knight

  It's a cute idea for a story and the illustrations definitely are the perk to this book. If your child loves horses, they'll completely understand Harry and his "horse."
  
  Reading Level: 1st - 3rd grades
  
  **Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it! Visit my website: The Book Radar.
• 
  Rosa Cline

  This story encourages children to dream and use imagination. Harry does just that. No one sees his horse in his room but he rides him, plays with him, and gets to be friends with him. His parents takes him to the country to see real horses and he realizes that horses should be free. So when he goes home he tells his horse that all horses should be free and that he could go if he wants, but he stays... A very nice book to teach believing in something.
• 
  Christy

  In the middle of a big city, a boy named Harry has a horse in his room! No one else can see the horse, but Harry loves him and hopes the horse will always stay.But then Harry visits the country, where he sees horses running free, and he wonders if his own horse would be happier there.The answer to Harry's question is wonderful and unexpected and is sure to please beginning readers as much as it does Harry. Syd Hoff has created a warm and satisfying story containing few words [and] much wisdom.
• 
  Sarah Sammis

  Harry's parents know of course that he loves horses. They decide to take him out to the countryside to see a real horse and get some fresh air. Maybe they can cure him of his imaginary equine friend.
  
  Harry has a great time, naturally, but what about the horse at home? Hoff leaves that somewhat open ended. The horse is still there — but is that because Harry still imagines him or because he's more than imaginary?
  
  
  
  http://pussreboots.com/blog/2019/comm...
• 
  Elizabeth S

  I think I would have liked to have met Syd Hoff, because I seem to love all his books. This one shows the difference between imagination and reality, and the value of each, without the major trauma shown in so many books today. The book is fun, simple (in a good way), practical, and tender. And a perfect ending. Sigh.
• 
  Jenny

  It was cute and simple enough and my 5.5 year old could read every word. The print is big enough and there aren't too many words on a page to scare off the beginning reader. My son liked the happy ending.
• 
  Lavinia

  The book was about a little boy who had a horse in his room. But the horse was not real. His parents took him out to the country. They saw hens, cows, and horses. And the horses were kicking and running and nibbling on grass.
  
  I liked this book a lot.
• 
  Dolly

  This is an interesting story that demonstrates the value of a vivid imagination. Our girls really enjoyed it.
• 
  Kathryn

  Hoff's books are excellent for early readers and I love the illustrations.
• 
  Teri

  excellent beginning reader.
• 
  Shelli

  Perfect early reader book to help with word fluency and reading confidence.
• 
  Linda

  A cute easy-reader about the power of imagination.
• 
  Vicki

  While this book has a nice message - that it's okay to imagine, the illustrations really show the age of this book by the way the people dress and the tv and cars of the day.
• 
  Danny

  This book was about a horse in a kid’s room. My favorite part was when all the kids were laughing