Planting seeds of kindness with ‘Lessons from Pete the Pony’ for children 0-100

PARK CITY, Utah — Nikki Glandon’s journey into the world of children’s books is as heartwarming as the stories she weaves for young readers. The creator of the beloved “Lessons from Pete the Pony” book series, Glandon combined her passion for equine therapy and psychology with a touch of whimsy to create a collection that resonates with readers of all ages.

Glandon’s journey into children’s literature began with a simple desire to instill manners in young minds. “I waited tables for years, and I had these encounters with kids who had no manners. I jokingly said I’d write a children’s book on manners someday,” Glandon said.

Years later, serendipitously, she walked past a book in her house that sparked an idea; she tacked a sticky note to the book with the words “horse mindfulness,” eventually leading to the 10-book Pete the Pony series. Lessons include themes like positivity, respect, kindness, gratitude, life skills, manners, and positive talk.

“I put a sticky note to it and kept going on with life,” she said. “At this point, I had written another book for adults called “Whiskey in Your Coffee,” which I released in December 2020; then COVID hit, and the trajectory changed.”

“I’m really all about prevention in our mental health world,” said Glandon. As she reflected on her path during the pandemic and the havoc it wreaked on the mental health of many, the idea of Pete the Pony emerged as a tool to equip children with essential skills for their mental health toolbox.

Contrary to common belief, Pete the Pony isn’t based on a real horse in Glandon’s life. Instead, Pete symbolizes the character we all need—a beacon of kindness, love, and gratitude. Glandon reveals that most characters in the books are inspired by loved ones or horses, including her own.

The series started with a divine moment of inspiration. Glandon recalls, “I was sitting in my truck meditating, and God said, ‘Lessons from Pete the Pony,’ and I wrote the first book right there in my truck.”

While her Equine Assisted Learning certification lies temporarily dormant, Glandon emphasizes her passion for connecting people with horses to foster personal growth and healing.

Despite the twists and turns, Glandon remains committed to Pete’s mission.

“Pete is the character we all need, filled with kindness, love, and gratitude,” she said.

The Pete the Pony series has expanded with new releases, including “Pete the Superhero” and “Pete the Rodeo Edition.” Glandon’s unique approach involves creating activity kits for books, aiming to make learning an interactive and engaging experience for children ages 0-9. Although, she encourages readers from 0-100, because we can all be reminded of good manners.

On a whim, Glandon applied for a booth at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) event in Las Vegas. For the past two years at NFR, she has witnessed an overwhelming positive response from the Western and horse-loving community. The books resonated with parents and grandparents, who saw Pete as a charming guide for instilling values in the younger generation.

Glandon focuses on merchandise and expanding Pete’s presence beyond books with her book activities (like learn how to compost, use a compass, garden, and more) and merchandise. In the spirit of planting seeds of kindness, Nikki Glandon’s Pete the Pony series continues to grow.

She embraces a playful approach to life, encouraging everyone to “be like Pete.”

For more information about Nikki Glandon and the Pete the Pony book series, visit petethepony.com and Glandon’s Instagram.