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Print Catalog |
Learning Abilities Books CatalogFictionOrder |
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Fiction (includes Visual Impairment) |
10,000 White Horses try, try again tale for all ages 10,000 White Horses / 10,000 Caballos Blancos bilingual for all ages Beth's Fella visual impairment, horses, farm life for Gr. 3 - 5 The Buggy That Boogied Away a cumulative tale for Pre-K - 3 Cuckoo a novelty book with divided pages for Pre-K - 3 A Lucky Pair visual impairment, horse rescue for K - 3 Pat, the Cat fun, an accident, and forgiveness for Pre-K - 3 |
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Written by Betsy B. Lee As a child, the author loved stories about the white horses of the sea. The illustrator spent many of her summers at the ocean playing in the waves. She also spends as much time as she can in the company of horses. a coffee table book, a delight to see, hear, and read for everyone who loves horses and the sea.
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See reviews. Come! Catch a wave and
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10,000 White Horses Written by Illustrated by © Betsy B. Lee 2002 |
Will rise from the sea. I wonder where They'll carry me. I'll try to catch a few thousand |
The horses now come. They're skirting, flirting, Proceeding, receding. The little ones whisper, |
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10,000 White Horses / 10,000 Caballos Blancos
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Written by (escrito por) Betsy B. Lee Betsy B. Lee lives in Brunswick, GA. As a child, she loved stories about the white horses of the sea foam. Catharine E. Varnedoe lives in Savannah, GA. She spent many of her summers at the ocean playing in the waves. She also spends as much time as she can in the company of horses. Natty Cruz-Torres is a third grade teacher in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
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10,000 White Horses / 10,000 Caballos Blancos Written by © Betsy B. Lee 2002
Thanks for not copying Gracias por no reproducir Websites |
Will rise from the sea. I wonder where they'll carry me. I'll try to catch a few thousand Diez mil caballos blancos
Atraparé a unos mil |
The horses now come. They're skirting, flirting, Proceeding, receding. The little ones whisper, Desde las capas blancas, Los pequeñitos susurran,
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Beth's Fella Written by © Frances D. Strong 2006
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When the author was nine years old, she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, commonly called tunnel vision. For details and school visit information, click on the description of A Lucky Pair, which was about her second horse, Lucky. She bought him a few years after Fella died.
This picture of Fella was drawn by Frances before her eye condition interfered with her artistic abilities. Her third book, Beth's Fella, is about the horse which she raised from a foal, and her many experiences during the 33 years of his life as she coped with tunnel vision. She had moments of despair with the handicap, but didn’t let it keep her from having a wonderful life. Fella and Lucky were very important parts of her life. It is quite interesting that Frances rode Fella with Lucky and his owner 12 years before she bought Lucky. He was named Beau when his owner and her friends visited the farm and rode on the wide dirt roads. Later, Beau's owner became ill and had to sell him. Years passed and Beau fell into the hands of a man who neglected him. The author bought Beau and named him Lucky. With her constant care, Lucky restored his strength and handsome looks. Lucky inspired her to write her first book, A Lucky Pair. Beth's Fella and A Lucky Pair present opportunities to teach about visual impairment and to improve reading vocabulary. Beth's Fella begins when Beth (actually Frances) was a child in 1955, and it has many details about farm life at that time.
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1 Bright Beginnings |
Excerpt from Chapter 1, A Bright Beginning
The South Carolina April morning was perfect. The sun’s rays sparkled on the damp dew-filled grass. Beth searched the wooded area with her eyes to the west but saw nothing. Slowly her eyes moved to the south across the wide open pasture but she saw no movement. She turned her face to the east. She blinked several times, pushed up her glasses, and wiped her eyes. The bright sunlight made it difficult for her to see. There it was! She saw a most glorious sight! Queenie was walking with her little foal bouncing along behind her. God seemed to paint that picture just for Beth. Beth squatted down beside Duchess and tearfully said, "I can’t believe it. He’s so perfect." Duchess barked as Beth hugged her collie for a moment. |
Experience the excitement when Beth first sees her newborn foal and the precious moment when she touches him for the first time. Watch Beth and her sister as they train their young horses. Enjoy the ride down the country lanes. Visit the beautiful millpond. Join the girls as they discover their secret garden. Laugh at the sight of a horse rolling over in the huge mud puddle. Be surprised by who wins the race. Share the sadness when Beth’s dog dies. Beth marries and has three children who learn to ride on Fella. Read how Fella brightens the life of a handicapped boy. Follow the development of Beth's tunnel vision from mild to severe. Understand concepts of poor periferal vision and night blindness. Notice subtle ways to help people with handicaps. |
The family didn’t realize Queenie was pregnant when they bought her. They knew nothing about Fella’s sire, and they assumed he was a three gaited horse. At age 24, he surprised them when a group of women named The Posse Cats brought their horses to the farm. They enjoyed the smooth gaits of their Tennessee walking horses on the wide dirt roads. The excerpt begins after Beth's friend, Peggy has arrived with her horse, Pal, to ride with The Posse Cats.
Excerpt from Chapter 13, The Posse Cats The Posse Cats began going at the nice running walk. Fella and Pal cantered which was faster than the walking horses' favorite gait. Peggy pulled her horse back to a trot. Beth didn’t like to trot so she tried a slow canter but Fella was so excited he wanted to run. As she held him back, surprisingly, Fella developed a gait he had never done before. Beth looked back and said, “Peggy! Look at Fella. I do believe he’s racking like a five gaited horse!” Peggy’s face lit up and she said, “Wow! I think you’re right!” Beth continued to hold him back and at the same time nudge him on. He kept on racking. Fella’s gait was just the same speed as his visitors. Beth loved this gait because it was easy in the saddle, too. Beth leaned over and said to her horse, “Fella, you’re the best. I can’t believe you are really racking. You are amazing!” |
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This rolicking cumulative tale with music is based on facts. "We can't visit too long. Our car might go home without us," said Betsy’s grandpa. Then the grown-ups laughed.
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The story started in horse and buggy days. I think it was around 1900. Your grandparents had a big, brown horse named Gypsy. That day, Gypsy was a problem. Of course, from Gypsy’s point of view, your grandparents were a problem. Gypsy happily pulled the buggy to their friends’ house. He waited patiently at the hitching post while they visited. After a few hours, Gypsy neighed and neighed and neighed. "No horse can tell me when to leave!" said your grandpa. Later, they had a big surprise from Gypsy when they went outside. |  Let's enjoy the book and the music from Gypsy's point of view. Find out what is so funny about it. |
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The Buggy That Boogied Away Written by © Betsy B. Lee 2006
Three Lesson Plans for This Book:
Read reviews. |
 Pre-K - 3 $7.95 Order Check or Purchase Order, PayPal, Amazon.com, BN.com |
Here's the buggy the old folks had when they were young.
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Here's the happy horse who pranced and pulled
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the buggy the old folks had when they were young.
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Here's the house they visited long ago
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with the happy horse who pranced and pulled
the buggy the old folks had when they were young.
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Text by © Betsy B. Lee 2005
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Directions for making these novelty books can be copied from this website. Visit Literacy and Making Books for suggestions about making many kinds of books.
During school visits, Mrs. Lee makes a novelty book. Using Cuckoo as an example, children enjoy making sentences which have funny combinations. Mrs. Lee writes their suggestions and makes one book which will be mailed to the school a few days later. Illustrations are not included. Children are encouraged to make their own books using photographs of pets, toys, household objects, or places they like to visit; sketches; numbers and letters such as these examples from Cuckoo. 
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Written by Illustrated by
See reviews. | for a ride on her beloved Lucky.
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When the author was nine years old, she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, commonly called tunnel vision. Thankfully for her, it has been a very gradual loss of vision. See her website for details. She and her husband live on her parents' farm near Sumter, SC. Send an email to request information about school visits. Replace AT with the "at" sign in this address. contactlabATgate.net Use this lesson plan to teach about visual impairment and to improve reading vocabulary. After teaching elementary and pre-school for 14 years, Frances retired because of her eyesight. Then her 33 year old horse which she raised from a colt died. Soon after this, her beloved father passed away. Frances became depressed. Her life was uplifted when she rescued an old Tennessee walking horse from neglect. For seven years, they were close friends. After Lucky's death, she wrote his story: A Lucky Pair. A Lucky Pair is based on facts except that the heroine is a young person.The story is told by the Tennessee walking horse, Lucky. |
A Lucky Pair © Frances Dinkins Strong 2002 All rights reserved. Thanks for not copying
Table of Contents 1 Neglected |
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Lucky is rescued by a visually impaired girl, Amy. Learn how Lucky wins her heart. See how Amy almost misses the chance to buy Lucky. In spite of the best medical attention, Lucky becomes blind in one eye. Enjoy how Lucky and Amy meet each other's needs. Feel the excitement as Lucky becomes lost. Experience the warm reunion and the experiences of other children with Lucky. Relax as they are blessed by the good life. |
This is beginning of the first chapter. Chapter 1. Neglected It was a terribly cold winter day. I stood there helplessly bracing against the bone-chilling wind as it cut through my frail body. Surely, I thought it was going to be another miserable day. When Mr. Jones approached me with a halter, I noticed two people had arrived. |
The Vet's Visit
Lucky rolled in the dirt. | Lost
Lucky was lost and caught in |
Friends
Lucky and Amy became |
This is the end of last chapter. Chapter 7. The Good Life I must have been napping and didn't hear Amy call us for breakfast. When I did hear her, she was coming out in the pasture using her seeing eye cane. "Lucky, where are you?" she called. "Even with my dark glasses, I can't see well in this bright sunlight." She turned and walked back towards the barn. When I came up behind her, she was mumbling something about me. Then I nudged her on the back. "Oh!" Amy jumped around. "There you are!" She laughed. I waited for her to grab a handful of my mane as we walked side by side to the barn. Moments like these were special times for both of us. I had many years of bliss on the farm with Amy. I know we gave each other that extra spark in life. Every day could be faced with bright anticipation. We were truly a lucky pair. |
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Written by Illustrated by © Frances D. Strong 2003 This tale of fun and forgiveness is written by the author of A Lucky Pair. See her website. She has always loved cats. Currently, she has several of them. This book is for her first grandchild, Laura. |
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There once was a cat. His name was Pat. Every day at the window, he sat and sat. He wanted to see all he could see What was beyond the old oak tree. |
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Perhaps a noisy jay would fly by; Or he'd spy a rainbow high in the sky. Out on a limb was a squirrel with a nut, Chattering, chattering who knows what. |
| The book continues with its soothing rhythm and bright pictures as Pat sees different things and chats with outdoor creatures. Later, this scene takes place. | |
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All of a sudden on the window screen, A treefrog landed, all legs and green. Startled! Pat bumped a flower pot; The one the mother liked a lot. |
| See what happens when the flower pot breaks. Enjoy Pat's reaction to forgiveness. | |
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10,000 White Horses and 10,000 White Horses / 10,000 Caballos Blancos
| 10,000 White Horses is one of the cutest books I've read in a long time. Betsy B. Lee has captured the imagination within every young child. It is a beautiful story written in poetic verse.
Each of us who remembers our youth laying in the grass on long, lazy summer days looking at the clouds in the sky and finding animal, people, and flower clouds will be pleasantly surprised by Ms. Lee's ability to capture horses in the surf of the ocean as her "clouds." The use of rhyming words allows the reader to see and feel the roar of the ocean as the pounding of the horses running in the surf. They are playfully running, dashing, crashing, skirting, flirting, proceeding, receeding in constant motion with the sea. The young girl in the story hears the horses calling her to "come play." The symbolism and imagery both effectively pull the reader into the story from the start. Ms. Lee uses descriptions of the sea such as sinking in the valley, restless mountains, salty taste of the foam, to describe the sea as it rolls to shore. This is a charming book that is disarmingly simple in it's design yet complex in its thoughts, descriptions, and meanings. It is a book children will delight in reading and adults will appreciate while sitting at the beach watching their 10,000 white horses cavort, play, and stampede to shore. This is an unabashed call from Ms. Lee for people of all ages to use their imaginations to see life around them in a different prespective. Reviewed by Cindy Oldham - Author of Kaleidescope Memories due out late spring 2006
10,000 White Horses Galloping into your Heart What a fun, vivid story full of summer fun and memories. Children ask to hear this rhythmic story again and again. The illustrator did a great job of making the images leap off the page while hiding the horses in a unique way that adds to the reading experience by encouraging kids to seek and find the frolicking foals among the ocean foam. The writing style and tempo provide a great educational style that allows children and adults to not only read the words but to also feel the excitement of a day at the ocean. For those who love horses, live near the ocean or visit the ocean, this one is sure to gallop into your heart. Reviewed by JoAnna Carey, Author of Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life, Author's Webpage In Betsy B. Lee's book, a little girl plays at the shore, imagining that 10,000 WHITE HORSES take her up and over the roaring waves. She giggles as they race up her back, nagging her to play. The girl tries to float on the white horses and doesn't give up as her mother lovingly watches from the shore. Lee's book teaches children to try, try again using rhyming, playful text. Catharine E. Varnedoe, from Savannah, Georgia, sketched the charming illustrations that add a visual flair to the wonderfully written children's storybook. 10,000 WHITE HORSES would make a wonderful addition to any library, classroom, or day care center, and comes highly recommended by this reviewer. Reviewed by Jennifer LB Leese, Children's Book Review Columnist, Author, and Copyeditor: Author's Webpage
Incredible feats and heart-thumping adventure
Picture a clear blue sky along the coastal beach, miles and miles of the mighty ocean offering up her latest show just for you. A spectacular panoramic view of breathtaking waves of imagination, will give you memories to last a lifetime. In this poetic story a young girl experiences some of that feeling during her outing at the beach. Having missed the first wave, is dunked by the second one, and then finally catches the third. While on her float, from the white caps of the roaring sea waves arise 10,000 White Horses, some unique guest members of the aquatic world. Running along the waves, pushing and shoving, as they playfully race for the shore. For one heart pounding moment upon reaching the sandy beach they jump through darkness and disintegrate back into the sea. 10,000 White Horses is a great adventure and a way to introduce young children to the wonders of nature, gaining a deep appreciation for these cosmically remarkable creatures. This is an excellent starter book for both English and Spanish speaking children and an instrumental teaching tool for teachers and parents. Reviewed by Betsie: Betsie's Literary Page Back to Excerpts from 10,000 White Horses For 10,000 White Horses: Check or Purchase Order, PayPal, Amazon.com, BN.com
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Reviews for The Buggy That Boogied Away
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Reviewer - Addie Cusimano, educational therapist The Buggy That Boogied Away is a charming, humorous and brightly illustrated book about a horse who surprises his owner by trotting off when the owner least expects it! It is a wonderful book to use for helping children to develop fluency and confidence in oral reading. Based on a cumulative story, phrases are repeated as new ones are added, allowing the young reader to instill in his memory additional reading vocabulary while he enjoys the development of the story. The book also lends itself well to choral reading and is one that can be enjoyed by children from pre-school to grade four.
Reviewer - Mary Louise Parham, a grandparent
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Rediscovering emotional sources of mystery and enchantment.
The Hamilton's are looking to purchase a tame enough horse for their nine-year old daughter Amy, when they come across a malnourished horse that is up for sale. Even so after a test ride, he seems to move pretty good, is very quiet and has a great temperament, traces of an equine star. Mr. Hamilton feels he would make a great horse for Amy and by the next day they return to pick him up. Once home, Amy names him Lucky. It turns out Amy has tunnel vision, can barely see in the light of day and later Lucky goes blind in his right eye. The two build a bond of ever-lasting friendship, one depending on the other. This is absolutely a delightful tale that reminded me much of the classic movie "The Black Stallion," and much like the movie A Lucky Pair achieves a magical atmosphere that children, as well as adults will enjoy. Positively one book which will make a wonderful addition to any child's library. Lesson plans are included on the author's website. Reviewed by Betsie, the owner of Betsie's Literary Page. A Lucky Pair, told by the horse itself, is the delightful story of the relationship between a young girl who is visually impaired and an old Tennessee walking horse. After rescuing this bedraggled old horse from its harsh owner, young Amy (with her loving care) brings the bedraggled horse back to a healthy condition. This touching story emphasizes how caring for others can be a two-way street. For, as Amy cares for Lucky and Lucky demonstrates his concern for Amy, immeasurable joy is obtained by both. A Lucky Pair is a wonderfully heartwarming book that teaches children what is involved in caring for a horse as well as the benefits of a joint relationship of two handicapped creatures. In addition, this book offers an excellent source for parents and teachers to use for expanding a child’s reading and word meaning knowledge. It is a treasure for every classroom. Reviewed by: Addie Cusimano, MEd Educational Therapist-Reading Specialist
I LOVED the book. I thought it was interesting and the kind of book that a youngster would WANT to read. The story goes from page to page drawing the reader into relationship with each of the characters. The chapters are long enough to give the reader a sense of accomplishment from reading "chapter books" but short enough to make them want to read the next chapter! Reviewed by Lynn Hogan, homeschooling veteran of 12+ years, free lance writer, editor of the Homeschooler's Notebook and owner of the website, Unit Study Helps. A LUCKY PAIR will capture your heart as a parent and it will literally speak to the minds of children. The close friendship between Amy (who has tunnel vision) and the older horse (who needs her love) is heartwarming. It is also instructional. As a parent and grandparent, I think this book shares what many do not: the reality that some children have handicaps such as Amy who is visually impaired. Other children can relate to her problem as they too may be dealing with a handicap. ALL children should be aware of the sensitivity of this book and what it teaches about those with special needs. This is a wonderful book for a gift. The print, words, and illustrations make it an excellent learning tool, and something that I can read to my grandchildren, and perhaps ask questions regarding the chapters as we go along. Frances Dinkins Strong has captured some wonderful feelings that young children can easily relate to with their own pets. Lucky speaks and shares his thoughts as a Tennessee walking horse! What fun for children to realize pets have feelings too. The illustrator Mattie Dinkins Roscoe has portrayed the beauty of this relationship in her colorful sketches as well. I know this book will be a favorite that many children will enjoy over the years. Reviewed by Diane Dean White, author and site owner Seeds of Encouragement. Back to Excerpts Check or Purchase Order, PayPal,
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