Thursday, May 3, 2012

Just in Time for the Kentucky Derby

This weekend is the 138th Kentucky Derby (Take Charge Indy is going to win - inside tip). In honor of this, I thought I'd mention some great stories involving horses.

One of the masters is the author Marguerite Henry. She wrote fifty-nine books based on true stories of horses and other animals. She won several Newbery Awards.



King of the Wind     
1949 Newbery Medal Winner

In truth, horse books aren't necessarily my "thing". But King of the Wind is such an amazing story, telling of the lineage of every great race horse to this day. The story begins in Morocco with a mute boy and his best friend, Sham, a golden bay chosen as a gift from the Sultan of Morocco to the King of France. It is based on a true story of the father of Man O'War. It really reads through as an adventurous historical novel.



Misty of Chincoteague
1948 Newbery Honor Medal

This is the story of two children who save up to buy the beautiful Chincoteague wild pony, Misty, and raise it themselves.

Justin Morgan Had a Horse

Justin Morgan Had a Horse
1945 Newbery Honor Medal

Another great plus to all these books is the wonderful illustrations by Wesley Dennis. His pictures are beautiful.








Enjoy!!

1 comment:

  1. In my girlhood I was crazy about horses. My book shelves were cluttered with horse statues (I wish I had them today) and I avidly read every horse story books that I could find. THANKS for these lovely remembrances and recommendations.

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