Disclosure: I received a copy of the book, Pony Express, for review. Opinions are 100% my own and Aubree’s and have not been influenced in any manner.
I have been waiting for what seems like forever for our book to arrive! I couldn’t wait to share this book with Aubree, my one-year-old granddaughter. It’s called Pony Express by author Carla Crane Osborne.
Carla and I Both Grew Up on Farms
I spent 14 years of my life growing up on my grandparents’ farm. My mother remarried when I was 5, and my earliest memories are of the farm. One of my deepest regrets is that I never had the chance to share my love of growing up on our family farm with my own children and now grandchildren. We raised cows, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and occasionally a few pigs. My brother and I had over 100 acres to explore and roam after our daily chores were done, much like Gona and Scott. It was a magical childhood as far as adventures go and we were only limited by what our imaginations could create.
Carla and I are much alike in that I still consider our family farm back in Pennsylvania home, even though it was sold after my grandparents passed away. I love telling my children stories of growing up on the farm, and I cannot wait to pass those memories along to my two granddaughters.
Meet Gona, a spirited young girl growing up on a farm with her older brother, Scott. Gona and Scott have daily chores that need to be done on the farm, but once they are, they have the rest of the day to play and explore the prairie and meadows around their family farm.
Carla Crane Osborne grew up under the barnyard light on her family’s farm in rural southern Idaho, where she spent countless hours helping tend cattle and sheep, riding horses, and having grand adventures exploring the landscape.
Pony Express is the next in a series of books that explores what a child's imagination can become when living on a rural farm.
Develop Your Child’s Imagination with Reading
Reading helps us practice imagination by letting the words describe a certain image while we manipulate the picture in our minds. My own Nana instilled a love of reading in me at a young age, and I have done everything in my power to pass that along to my children and now to Aubree as well. It is one thing Nana Lissa (her maternal grandmother) and I agree on – the more books the merrier! Aubree just loves snuggling up at night before bed for her bedtime story, and we are both happy to oblige.
Young children whose parents read them five books a day enter kindergarten having heard about 1.4 million more words than kids who were never read to, a new study found. Even kids who are read only one book a day will hear about 290,000 more words by age 5 than those who do not regularly read books with a parent or caregiver.
Aubree is already smart as a whip at just 13 months and has no problem entertaining herself with her toys. I am positive that she will be one of those children who romps and pretends to capture dragons and fairies in the backyard and make forts and castles in the trees versus being inside with her face stuck in a phone, tablet, or television all day.
Pony Express is the first book in a new series entitled Go Gona Go! that continues the saga of Under The Barnyard Light. They are both sure to become a nightly favorite for your child too. Shoot, who am I kidding? I’m the one excited for the next book as much as Aubree! The illustrations done by Michael Crane are absolutely beautiful with so much color and detail. Aubree loves looking at the photos as I read to her.
If you would like to purchase Under the Barnyard Light, you can find it on Amazon or on Carla’s website.
Under the glow of the soft barnyard light ...
Even in the dark of the winter, the animals need to be fed. Step into the magical world of a young girl on a farm full of small wonders. Beneath the barnyard light, feed warm milk to the calves, catch snowflakes on your tongue, and give a kiss to Dandy the horse.
Connect with the Author
Be sure to stop by Gona’s Reading Ranch on YouTube with your little ones each week for reading adventures around the farm. You can also visit Carla Crane Osborne on Instagram at @gonas_reading_ranch.
Giveaway
My apologies for the late notice for the giveaway – but you still have time to enter! Carla is giving a copy of the book Pony Express to two lucky winners. The giveaway ends on February 25 at 11:59 PM EST. It is open to US/Canadian residents. Simply enter your information below!
Speaking of sparking your child’s imagination, CLICK HERE to download a coloring page of the real Pony Express!
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