Mystic Horse
Kindergarten-Grade 4-Powerful, evocative endpapers showing surging horses, winging their way across raging seas and starry skies, draw readers into the spirit world of the Pawnee. With this opening, Goble brings to life the legend of the magical steed that gifted the tribe with "a herd of spirited horses." As the story opens, a poor boy and his grandmother struggle to keep up on foot as the rest of the tribe moves from place to place on horseback. One day, the boy finds a starving, limping horse and nurses him back to health, ignoring the jeers of others who insist he is wasting his time. In return, the animal gives him speed and cunning to spur his people on in battle. The boy, however, ignores the steed's final instructions and is devastated when the beloved animal dies as a result of his heedlessness. Later, he is forgiven and the stallion returns from the spirit world to reward his former benefactor with a herd of wild horses. Employing the same technique as in The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses (Bradbury, 1982), Goble uses the white outlines that are part of his signature style and marries traditional and stylized flat patterning with occasional shading to suggest rounded forms. By combining gouache and watercolor, he alternates areas of opaque and transparent color, evoking a sense of both airiness and solidity perfectly suited to the mystical and earthbound worlds depicted in this tale of generosity, bravery, and forgiveness. Extensive historical notes attest to the author's comprehensive research.Laurie Edwards, West Shore School District, Camp Hill, PACopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.