As another companion to the stories The Old Truck and The Old Boat, (which I do not believe I have read) the book The Old Sleigh is added to the clever creators Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey stories. A horse-drawn sleigh against a snowy background is loaded with the firewood a boy and father cut and deliver to a small village. As the village grows and the sleigh starts to fall about as it ages, we see how the changes happen and though things have changed, the sleigh still has a place. Read via an online reader, this book is due right before the holidays in early November 2025. You will enjoy the sweet story that is reminiscent of the classical style of a book from the 1940s or even as late as the 1970s. It is cozy and friendly. There might be a slight somber overtone, but you know it will have a happy ending.
The illustrations really capture that old-fashioned element. It makes it a nice anytime read, but also a good holiday read. There is not a lot to the story in the way of traditional action, but there is a lot happening in the world of this inanimate, but completely alive, object. The use of reds, greens, and darker yellow as the colors capture the intimacy of old world ideals. The details are sparse, but do not lack depth. We see the boy and his connection to the old sleigh and what he and his father are doing.
Overall, this is not a WOW best book, but it is a good book that you will enjoy and will become a favorite to many readers. If I haven’t said it is cozy, then I’m saying it now, it is cozy. It might not become a classic, but has the elements to become one.