Star Gazer, The Horse Who Loved History
Star Gazer, The Horse Who Loved History is the first in a series of books for children about a brave race horse and his adventures around the world learning history and spreading a message of world peace.
About Star Gazer
Star Gazer's a beautiful horse, with a lovely white star on his forehead. He's also smart and loves to learn new things. Unfortunately, as a racing horse, none of these things matter. All that counts is winning races, and Star Gazer always comes in last. When his angry owner sells him, Star Gazer feels like a loser, but his life improves. Pulling a carriage of tourists through the streets of Philadelphia may be hard work, but he gets to learn all about US History and the Constitution and meets people from all over the world. He realizes how important world peace is, but how can a horse help? Even a horse that saves the President of the United States?
“Star Gazer asked curiously, “What is the Constitution?”
Gretchen explained, “The Constitution is the written laws that all people in the United States follow. Laws are like rules.”
“I know rules. Stop at stop signs and look both ways before crossing the street,” Star Gazer declared. He felt proud because he always followed the rules.”
Beyond the book
Want more Star Gazer? Teach and explore Star Gazer's world with:
- A one-woman show performed by author Johanna J. Smith
- A play for elementary school age students
- Learning resources including a vocabulary list and reading questions
Praise for Star Gazer
“Every child should read this book because it makes learning history easy.”
“This book is perfect for struggling readers. The heartfelt story encourages persistence and kindness while introducing vocabulary words and a history lesson. This is a feel good read with high interest! I will use it when I tutor my reading students.”
“What a wonderful way to learn about the world and its differences. History is not always an easy subject for children to learn as it can be dry. Stargazer finds a way to use the mundane and make it an exciting read.”
“This is a heartfelt story about a horse that becomes a carriage horse in Philadelphia. Star Gazer begins to learn about the history
of Philadelphia and the revolutionary war. And as Star Gazer learns, the young reader will learn to appreciate our history and our form of democracy. A great way to introduce your child to history and our country.
Five stars!
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“Star Gazer is a delightful book with a super-smart horse as the central character.
The book is designed to teach some basic ideas about American history, including the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, as well as the benefits of knowledge, perseverance and courage. More importantly, it addresses the hope for a better world. It would be an excellent read for an elementary student.
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