The Glass Horse of Venice (Arnold Zable, illus Anita Lester, Text)

Arnold Zable, renowned author of Cafe Scheherazade, turns to children’s literature with his first picture book, The Glass Horse of Venice. Claudia lives in Venice and passes by a glassblower’s workshop every morning on her way to school. She is enamoured with the creations in the window—a true glass menagerie. One morning, the glassblower gifts Claudia a Pegasus with broken wings. Initially, she cannot see past the horse’s flaws, but after a disastrous flood forces Claudia’s family to relocate, the Pegasus brings comfort to Claudia by taking her on a homeward journey. Zable is an accomplished storyteller, but here I found his words fell flat, telling the story solely through actions, and lacking description of Claudia’s emotions or any engagement with the magical world he has put forward. Anita Lester’s illustration debut is divine, with the soft pinks and yellows of the Venetian campo contrasting with the glint of magical glass creations to capture Claudia’s fascination with glass and longing for home. Despite the story’s uneven handling, it is endlessly beautiful and explores longing, home, displacement and natural disasters. It’s a shame that the book glosses over the enchanting act of glassblowing itself, although perhaps this adds to the mysterious magic that is trapped inside Claudia’s glass horse. For readers aged 3+ who enjoy fable-like stories and spectacular visuals.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Clare Millar is a writer, editor and children's bookseller. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Category: Reviews