LITTLE FREDDIE AT THE KENTUCKY DERBY

Kids Summer Recommended Book List

– New York’s Newsday

This is a most unusual look at horse racing straight from the horse’s mouth. The story is told from Freddie’s point of view; from his birth to his grand day at the Kentucky Derby. Along the way, he learns some valuable lessons about life that we all need to know. He learns that true friends are forever even if they are no longer with him. His mother teaches him about growing up, being independent, and even about death. The author offers many gems of wisdom, yet the story flows and does not become overshadowed by these lessons.

– Lorgnette Review
 

Cocquyt’s vast love for horses permeates the books, which is probably why children are enjoying it.

– The Thoroughbred of California

 

It is a solid book, well-written and well-edited with lessons on love, loss, grief and joy.

– Daily Racing Form

 

Freddie is a story about anyone who follows their dream.

– Los Angeles Times, Ventura County Section



 

LETTER FROM BECKY GRATE:
A FIRST GRADE TEACHER IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, W.V.

Dear Ms. Cocquyt,

I am a first grade teacher in Charleston, WV. I have been teaching for 26 years and the last 17 have been with first graders. Every year (for the last 6 years) in April, I read Little Freddie at the Kentucky Derby to my students. This book is quite possibly one of the finest pieces of children's literature that I have ever read (and I have read hundreds). The story is appealing to young children but the ideas and lessons to be learned from it are incredibly important. When Romantic Myth is taken from Freddie and he repeatedly calls out to her not to leave him, I can't help but cry. As the mother of two young men, I know only too well how difficult that separation can be. The honor, fairness, and integrity that we witness in the characters of this book are examples to live by. Even the bully, Revolver, has learned some of this at the end of the story by showing deference to Freddie for having won the Kentucky Derby.

I would like to thank you for writing such a wonderful book. Our class has truly enjoyed it.
 

LITTLE FREDDIE’S LEGACY

This mini-biography of a racehorse named Freddie and his offspring Baroness interweaves themes of compassion, patience, determination and hard work into a reality that is at times sad and at times triumphant.  – Children’s Literature

Good Reading for Kids! If you liked the author’s first book, Little Freddie at the Kentucky Derby, you are sure to enjoy this Little Freddie’s Legacy. Little Freddie has just returned to the pastures of his parents after winning the Kentucky Derby. He soon falls in love and sires his first foal named Baroness. She is destined to follow in her sire’s footsteps; however, she encounters a few setbacks along the way. This story is about her setbacks and how with the love and guidance of a young girl, she is able to overcome her fears.

– Western Horseman, World’s Leading Horse Magazine Since 1936

 

Little Freddie’s Legacy is told from the view point of the animals, a la Black Beauty, which provides an entertaining and often thoughtful perception of the world. The book is filled with lessons for the young reader, such as developing trust and friendship and learning to overcome difficulties. The focus, though, is on Baroness who must face her fears and build her self-confidence to become a championship racehorse. – The Bloodhorse
 

THE CELTIC HEART
 

Kathryn Cocquyt proves herself to be a writer of quality, who has the ability to breathe life into her characters, presenting an absorbing account of life as it may have been.

– Heather Hughes, author of The Flight of Winged Wolf
 

An excellent book. – IERNE, Celtic Historical Fiction Society *****

 

Kathryn Marie Cocquyt has written a very moving and touching story that draws you in and gives you both hope and loss in equal measure. The mixture of wars brutality, historical information and love is a heady one, and probably helps the book appeal to a wide-ranging audience. From other Celtic based books I've read Cocquyt appears to be fairly accurate in her interpretations.

– Portalmania, War/History book reviews Amazon.co.uk *****

 

If you are into Irish history, Irish fiction, religious history and myth, read Kathryn Marie Cocquyt’s novel The Celtic Heart today!

– Great Books, Athens/Acropolis

 

A MUST have! I found this book by accident. I picked it up because I wanted to learn more about the Celtic ways. I was in for a ride. I LOVE IT! Not only did I have a hard time putting it down, I learned a great deal of information about the Celts. I felt like I was living through it.

– Amazon Reader Review; G. Fusako, San Diego, CA

 

Couldn’t put it down. This fantasy book keeps you engaged, and I found it difficult to put the book down after finishing a chapter. The images are vivid and I feel extremely knowledgeable about the Celtic people of that time, their religions, rituals and moral values. This is my favorite type of book – an absorbing novel with historical significance from which I really feel I have learned something important.

– Amazon Reader Review; Stephanie Bond, Brisbane, Australia