Edward and the Horse

'Edward and the Horse' is a simple story about a city kid who lives on the 21st floor of a New York apartment and longs for a pet. A sign in his lobby says 'no dogs or cats are allowed', so using kid logic he decides a horse is ok.

The story was written by Ann Rand (not to be mistaken for Ayn Rand!) who is known for the musicality of her prose. She is well known for several children's book collaborations with her designer husband Paul Rand. This book is one of her lesser-known titles illustrated by Ollie Eksell, a legendary designer in his own right and a close friend of the author and her husband.

One of the appeals of 'Edward and the Horse' is that Eksell's drawings are clear and childlike. I’ve found many kids who take to the story will start mimicking the drawing style Eksell’s simple clear lines. The style is reminiscent of Ed Emberley' who also always seems to inspire children to start drawing. The book has been out of print for almost 60 years so it’s nice to see it back in print! Grab a copy while you can.