Mary Helen and the Black Pony

This is one of my favorite books from The Good and the Beautiful Library. Mary Helen is shy and is learning that this is okay while enjoying her new pony. I love that her parents guide her into making important personal growth discoveries for herself, and it may be silly but I LOVED seeing some curvy adults featured in the book. I’m curvy, my mom is curvy, and at least one of my three daughters will likely be curvy so it’s great to see curviness kindly represented in children’s books!

This a wonderful story about courage. I liked that Mary Helen went to her parents and God to help her face her fears. Animals are always a great hit in a story.

This story of overcoming fears with help from God, family, and a horse was enjoyed by my younger children.

This is a dynamic story that hit home for my shy, quiet daughter. I love how Mary Helen turns to her parents for help when she feels too scared to talk to people, and how they point her to God, all amid a fun and interesting story about horses and friends.

My 9 year old daughter read this one before I did and she told me that I should read it because it was really good! I loved the message that it takes time for us to grow and overcome our fears. It’s something I hope to keep in mind in regard to others and myself.