Marguerite Henry (1902–1997)

I cannot remember when I first read this book, probably before my school library in grade 5-6 offered Mary Stewart's Airs Above the Ground, which I also read with excitement and also loved. I still love this book over 50 years later. Profusely illustrated throughout, it gives a full account of the history and training of Lipizzaner horses without ever lapsing into didacticism. Not only did it give me an interest in dressage and haute ecole, it also imparted a strong desire to read Xenophon's Art of Horsemanship. It was out of print in the 1960s, it was out of print when my kids wanted to read it in the 1990s, but is at last available from Dover reprints!… (more)

Long ago, a lone little burro roamed the high cliffs of the Grand Canyon and touched the hearts of all who knew him: a grizzled old miner, a big-game hunter, even President Teddy Roosevelt. Named Brighty by the prospector who befriended him, he remained a free spirit at heart. But when a ruthless claim-jumper murdered the prospector, loyal Brighty risked everything to bring the killer to justice.

This is the true story of a shaggy little burro that blazed the original trails through the Grand Canyon, long before it became a national park. Black-and-white illustrations.… (more)

On the island of Chincoteague, off the coasts of Virginia and Maryland, lives a centuries-old band of wild ponies. Among them is the most mysterious of all, Phantom, a rarely-seen mare that eludes all efforts to capture her--that is, until a young boy and girl lay eyes on her and determine that they can't live without her.

The frenzied roundup that follows on the next Pony Penning Day does indeed bring Phantom into their lives, in a way they never would have suspected. Phantom would forever be a creature of the wild. But her gentle, loyal colt Misty is another story altogether...… (more)