LITTLE HORSE

A satisfying horse story with a new twist. Little Horse lives in a remote valley with his family and other horses. One day, he strays from the protection of his family, takes a drink from the river, and is carried far away from his safe valley. Disaster after disaster meets Little Horse, but he relies upon luck and his wits to survive. The story’s surprising twist comes when the reader realizes that Little Horse really is little. Little enough for the flowers to look like trees. Little enough for a hawk to try to pick him up. This unexpected detail separates Little Horse from many beginning chapter books. When Little Horse meets humans for the first time, he is terrified by their size and then comforted by their care. McPhail’s (Mud Is Cake, below, etc.) warm pencil illustrations add excitement and understanding to each page. McPhail can make Little Horse look lonely or terrified or comforted. Though the word choice, fast pace, and predictable adventures are perfect for the child who is ready to move beyond easy reading books, the story line provides fantastical and philosophical questions often lacking in books for children of this age. (Fiction. 6-10)