Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Thrilling, info-rich tale of young mustang in Silver Rush.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Born in a band of wild horses who live in a wetland that is now Reno, A HORSE NAMED SKY grows up surrounded by loving family and friends -- but as the 19th century's Silver Rush brings miners and their strange ways into the region, everything changes. Separated from his family and best friend, he's captured, branded, and put to work for the Pony Express. He's fast, and it's work he does well, but he's determined to escape, go home, and rejoin his loved ones. It's hard to see how he'll make it happen, though. For those who want to know more about the underlying history and science, there's a raft of interesting info and references in the appendix.
Is It Any Good?
Author Rosanne Parry and illustrator Kirbi Fagan present a vivid, engaging window on Nevada's Silver Rush and the Pony Express, as seen by a young horse whose life they change forever. A Horse Named Sky capture's young Sky's determination to go home and reunite with his loved ones so keenly it's almost heartbreaking. Like Parry's previous books, this one hits a narrative sweet spot, telling a compelling story of home, family, and friendship with appeal to different audiences: animal lovers for its empathetic, scientific way of looking at the world through another species' eyes; history fans for its you-are-there experience of events from those living it; nature enthusiasts for its wealth of information about plants, ecosystems, and interdependencies. This is a lovingly researched historical novel many middle grade readers will love.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about horses, and why they're such a popular subject for storytelling. How does A Horse Named Sky compare with other horse stories you know? What do you like and not like about it?
An underlying theme of A Horse Named Sky is the habit some people have of moving in on a place and grabbing its resources for themselves, without regard for those who were already living there at the time. Do you see this happening today? What's going on, and what do you think about it?
How do you think belonging to a prey species, like Sky and his family, would affect how you went about your daily life? What might you need to think about that really isn't an issue for you now -- or is it?
Describe some times that characters demonstrate courage, empathy, and perseverance in the story. When have you had to be brave, show empathy, or work really hard for something?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Kirbi Fagan
- Genre : Animals
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship , History , STEM , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Greenwillow Books
- Publication date : August 29, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 272
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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