The Jockey & Her Horse: Inspired by the True Story of the First Black Female Jockey, Cheryl White

Following in the hoofprints of The Flying Horse, Pulitzer Prize nominee Sarah Maslin Nir and Raymond White Jr.’s The Jockey & Her Horse is the second title in the Once Upon a Horse series. Illustrated with black-and-white art by Laylie Frazier, it is inspired by the true story of the first Black female jockey, Cheryl White, who raced to the finish line on her horse, Jetolara.

Cheryl loves horses. She’s been studying thoroughbreds at her family’s horse-racing stables since she was old enough to ride on the shoulders of her father, a famous horse trainer. Cheryl wants to be a jockey. One problem—she is a girl, and there has never been a Black female jockey in history!

Jetolara is a young thoroughbred finding his place in the herd. When Cheryl literally falls onto his back and Jeto sprints off across the pasture, Cheryl discovers that she doesn’t just want to be a jockey, she is a jockey—and she and Jeto were born to race. Together, girl and horse make history and show everyone that once you learn to love yourself, the world is yours.

Ages: 8-12

Grades: 3-7