Common Sense Note
A stimulating read for horse lovers and an introduction to breeds for the novice, including nonfiction and fiction. Thoughtful illustrations depict horses at work and play.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Tanya Smith
ALBUM OF HORSES may appeal mainly to horse lovers, but for the uninitiated it is a first-rate introduction to horse breeds. Not only are the breed profiles fact-filled, but the author also spins each breed's story with a compelling narrative that will keep readers hooked.
There are no fact boxes or pull-out quotes, so readers must plow through to the end of each three-page profile in order to get the big picture on each breed. This lack of shortcuts may test some attention spans, but youngsters will be charmed by the full-page illustrations and the margin sketches.
Also, the writing tends to be flowery. One line from "The Percheron" starts, "Young Mark, a lad with a lick of red hair and a freckle-dusted nose ... ." Still, the delightful narrative on the Percheron breed was the favorite tale of one nine-year-old girl, "because it was about a real, live boy and how he loved horses."
The horses' stories are told in terms of their relationships with humans: the burro, "man's wistful companion"; the Thoroughbred, a horse that needs someone to believe in him. The better of the two short stories, "The Routine of Happiness," is a tender tale about an older workhorse that must adjust to its new life after being displaced by a younger animal.
Marguerite Henry also wrote many novels about horses, including Misty of Chincoteague and its sequels. For current or aspiring horse owners, Dorothy Henderson Pinch's Happy Horsemanship and Jessie Haas's Safe Horse, Safe Rider: A Young Rider's Guide to Responsible Horsekeeping are sound introductions to proper horse care, with an emphasis on safety.
From The Book
Don't let the name mislead you, for the Tennessee walking horse is anything but a heavy-footed nag that can go only a snail's pace. He has, among his three gaits, a running walk as fast and smooth as running water. Because of its gliding motion it gives the rider the sensation of skimming along on a magic carpet.
Plot Summary:
ALBUM OF HORSES details the lives and characteristics of two dozen horse breeds, one to each chapter, and the last two chapters are short stories about horses. The animals profiled range from the appaloosa and the Arab to the Tennessee walking horse and the Welsh mountain pony.
Each chapter contains one full-page, full-color illustration of the breed under discussion. The softly shaded drawings show horses in a variety of actions: frolicking with children, prancing in a parade, hauling farm equipment. The margins throughout the book are illustrated with smaller black-and-white sketches that illustrate minor points in the text: a Spaniard atop his mustang, two farmers arguing over who has the best Belgian.
The book concludes with an author's note that describes her lifelong fascination with horses.
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