The True Story of Zippy Chippy

Synopsis:

“Zippy Chippy is descended from the leading legends of horse racing. He is destined for greatness and glory.

But . . . when the starting bell rings, it’s anybody’s guess what Zippy will do. Will Zippy go for a gentle trot around the track or stop and smell the roses? Or, perhaps, never even leave the starting gate?!

With mischief in his makeup, he’s known to stick his tongue out at people and chew up the hats of passersby. And he’s always trying to break out of his stall. What’s an owner to do? Try and try again! After all, he believes in Zippy—and, besides, the horse is now a part of the family. But as Zippy’s losses mount, a funny thing happens. People start to take notice of the hapless, cupcake-eating horse. Could it be that they’re betting on Zippy to win?

This remarkable story of the famed racehorse who lost every race is sure to win your heart!”

Review

I had never heard of this little horse before reading this book! And I love when I learn something new, especially in picture book form. Artie and Dave come together to bring a feisty little horse to life on the page. I loved this story about a horse, who although wasn’t the best. But he loved what he did and wanted to keep doing it!

Sharing this story shows kids that you don’t always have to be the best at something you try, you can just love doing it. You can always try your best and be determined and sometimes things won’t go the way you want them to. But the important thing is to try.

Many kids these days are afraid to try something new for fear of failure. But what if we taught kids that trying is more important than succeeding? Would kids be exposed to many different things to find what they love? Would we find unexpected scientists, business owners, and activists because a child tried something new and thought about something differently? I bet we would. And I bet people would pay attention, just like they paid attention to Zippy!

Additional Thoughts

This is an easily accessible story that would work great as a read-aloud in an elementary classroom or as something a child could easily pick up themselves and read. And who doesn’t love a story about animals?

Need to Know:

Title: The True Story of Zippy Chippy: The Little Horse That Couldn’t
Author: Artie Bennett
Illustrator: Dave Szalay
Publisher: NorthSouth Books Inc.
Publication Date: February 25, 2020
Page Number: 40 pgs.