Children’s book author and illustrator Ruth Sanderson, known for her work on the Black Stallion series and Random House’s Horse Diaries, recently released her latest book, Jingle Bells. Inspired by visits to Blue Star Equiculture, a draft horse rescue in Massachusetts, Sanderson brought to life the story’s big draft horse star, a patient and steady young Clydesdale. Through her illustration process, which includes oil paintings for the covers and pencil drawings with gouache for interior snow scenes, she captured the gentle nature of the breed and the heartwarming moments of the story, such as a horse and sleigh rescuing a stuck Model-T on Christmas Eve.

Sanderson’s favorite illustrations include a snowy scene and one depicting a girl lying comfortably on the horse’s back, highlighting the horse’s calm temperament. The special edition of Jingle Bells also features holiday cookie recipes and a “How to draw Jingle Bells” section, fulfilling Sanderson’s long-held desire to create a horse drawing tutorial. For more about her work and artistic process, readers can visit her blog, website, and Facebook page.