Review of Quincy Moves to the Desert

Quincy Moves to the Desert is the second book in the series about Quincy the Horse by Camille Matthews. Before you even start to read the story, you are mesmerized by the gorgeous illustrations by Michelle Black.

The story is of a horse named Quincy, who lives in a barn, owned by a man named George, with his best horse friend Beau. His owner is a woman named Cam. One day, Cam tells Beau that he and Quincy will be taking a long trip out to the desert. George bids them farewell as he loads the horses onto the truck.

The truck makes its way across the United States, from New York to New Mexico. Along the way, Beau teaches Quincy about all of the different kinds of horses they see, and their various jobs. Each description is accompanied by a breathtaking painting, depicting each kind of horse. As Quincy learns about each horse's special talents, he begins to dream of all of the things he wants to do when he gets to his new home.



I love the feeling of hope and promise that Quincy shows as he moves to a new home. Moving can be scary, especially for kids. Instead of focusing on his fears, this book shows that all kinds of new things are possible in a new environment. I also appreciate all of the education in the book about different breeds of horses and for what they are commonly used. It is high quality literature that isn't found quite as often these days in newer books.

This is the kind of story that will hold the attention of children ages 4 and up. They are going to enjoy the story, but will be completely entranced by the beautiful illustrations. I have visions of my kids sitting in the rocking chair, going through the pages again and again in the book corner at school.

Meet Camille Matthews, author of Quincy Moves to the Desert

Camille Matthews is a licensed clinical social worker and author of the Quincy the Horse Books for children ages K-4^t.h. She notes that most children have empathy for animals and identify with Quincy and his adventures which involve every day challenges that children face such as loss and change, a family move, confronting a bully and sibling rivalry.

Matthews was born in Lexington, KY, an area considered by many the horse capital of the world. She loved to read and treasured her horse books. She was an only child and her favorite activity was visiting her grandfather’s farm where she learned to ride. As an adult she has been an avid equestrian. In 2002, she became certified in the relatively new field of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and established the Pathfinder Program, one of the first equine assisted mental health programs in New Mexico providing EAP to children and teens.

In 2008 she had the idea for a series of children’s horse books inspired by real events in the life of one of her horses. She teamed with Michelle Black, a horse trainer and artist in Farmington, New Mexico, to create the Quincy the Horse Books. Their first book, Quincy Finds A New Home was published in 2009 and awarded a Mom’s Choice Gold in 2010. The sequel, Quincy Moves to the Desert, released in August 2011, is a recipient of Mom’s Choice Gold and Tillywig Toy awards for 2011. The series will include at least two more of Quincy’s adventures. Quincy and Buck will be released later in 2012, Quincy and His Brothers in 2013. Matthews and Black have given great care to the details of horse life in the series and Black’s vibrant, authentic artwork brings Quincy’s world to life for young readers. 

Guest Post by Camille Matthews, Author of Quincy Moves to the Desert

Today I am honored to share with you some words of wisdom from author Camille Matthews, author of Quincy Moves to the Desert. I asked her why she chose to use an animal to tackle the topics of moving and more in her book, instead of using a child as a character. This is what she had to say.

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Why Choose a Horse to Reach Out to Children?

An interesting question I was asked recently was why I chose to use an animal to broach the topics in the Quincy the Horse books that follow the adventures of a red horse named Quincy. The theme of the series is that when you are facing something new and different that can even be scary and confusing, it is helpful to make a friend who will support you and then try new things that will help you master the challenge. I think the interviewer was wondering why I would choose an animal instead of a human child as the lead character in my series of children’s books.

The short answer to this question is that it was actually a case of the characters choosing me more than my choosing the characters. I am an animal person and longtime equestrian. At the time I had six horses, two dogs and a cat. It was probably inevitable that I would write about animals. While my particular situation influenced my choice, I see two important issues here I would like to address.

The first issue is the importance of animals in children’s lives. While many children have a pet in their life such as a dog or cat, horses are a special case. Only a very few families have the resources and facilities to have horses in their lives day to day; and many equine activities for children require a commitment of time and money. Animals teach unconditional love and the importance of responsible caretaking. Horses bring joy, humor and wisdom to life and I wanted to share that with young readers who might not have contact with horses.

The second issue has to do with feelings and empathy. Children and horses share many characteristics. Horses are deeply emotional and transparent in their feelings. I thought a description of Quincy’s feelings, especially some of his difficult feelings like being mad and jealous would give readers a way to understand some of their own emotions as well as permission to feel them. Most children feel empathy and love for animals. I felt that this pathway would help me reach out to children who would identify with Quincy’s experiences and learn from the way he faces challenges like loss and change. He trusts a new friend, relies on his loving owner and ultimately learns new things. Through this process he grows stronger and more able to cope. Horses really experience these things through their herd and owners so the process, even with horses, is an authentic portrayal.

Camille Matthews

Contact Info for Camille Matthews, Author Quincy the Horse Books

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Camille Matthews or Laura Sjosten at 877-550-5010, 610-488-1282 or pathfinder1908@gmail.com. Also please visit www.quincythehorse.com and www.facebook.com/quincythehorse.