Black Beauty

Anna Sewell

265 pages

Every child loves a story about a horse, and Black Beauty remains one of the finest, most touching ever written. Set in Victorian London, the novel follows the shifting fortunes of a horse as he moves from owner to owner. Narrated by the noble Black Beauty himself, the tale offers an animal's perspective of the world, and highlights the thoughtless, even cruel treatment animals endured during that period.

Misty of Chincoteague

Marguerite Henry

176 pages

Paul and his sister Maureen's determination to own a pony from the herd on Chincoteague Island,Virginia, is greatly increased when the Phantom and her colt are among the ponies rounded up for the yearly auction.

Horse and Pony Stories

Christine Pullien-Thompson

256 pages

A thoroughbred collection with a diverse selection of twenty stories and extracts by such authors as Anna Sewell, Leo Tolstoy, C. S. Lewis, Helen Griffiths, Saki, Monica Dickens, Walter Farley, and Arthur Conan Doyle.

King of the Wind

Marguerite Henry

176 pages

He was named "Sham" for the sun, this golden red stallion born in the Sultan of Morocco's stone stables. Upon his heel was a small white spot, the symbol of speed. But on his chest was the symbol of misfortune. Although he was as swift as the desert winds, Sham's proud pedigree would be scorned all his life by cruel masters and owners. This is the classic story of Sham and his friend, the stable boy Agba. Their adventures take them from the sands of the Sahara to the royal courts of France and, finally, to the green pastures and stately homes of England For Sham was the renowned Godolphin Arabian, whose blood flows through the veins of almost every superior Thoroughbred. Sham's speed-like his story-has become legendary

Hero

Martha Attema

144 pages

During the last winter of World War II, Izaak must leave his mother and his hiding place in Amsterdam. A young girl takes him on her bike to a farm in Friesland, in the northern part of the Netherlands. His name is changed to Jan. For the duration of the war he stays with the farmer and his family. Izaak is scared and miserable until he meets the black stallion Hero. Hero is also wanted by the Germans. On the eve of the liberation, the Germans come for Hero. It is Izaak who comes with a plan to save the horse.

Katie and the Mustang (Hoofbeats Series)

Kathleen Duey

135 pages

Orphaned at age six and taken in by a heartless couple, nine-year-old Katie Rose spends her days doing chores and dreaming of going west to find her Uncle Jack. Then Mr. Stevens brings home an unbroken Mustang, and Katie's world changes. Katie is drawn to the horse's wildness, and he seems to sense her need for companionship. So when Katie learns that the Stevenses plan to join the expansion West without her or the Mustang, she makes a desperate decision to go on her own. And she will not leave the Mustang behind.

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HORSE BOOKS

Man O' War

Walter Farley

339 pages

A fictionalized biography of the American race horse who won twenty of twenty-one races, told by a stable boy who grew up with the great horse.

The Black Stallion

Walter Farley

187 pages

Pulled to a desert island by a wild black stallion he has freed during a shipwreck at sea, then rescued by a southbound freighter, a seventeen year old boy befriends the horse, trains him by night, and rides him to victory in a match race. Available for more than fifty years, this story will appeal to girls and boys who dream of owning and riding a horse.

Little Squire

Judy Anderson

80 pages

Little Squire was born in an Irish meadow on an early spring day. The colt was beautifully formed with strong, straight legs and a pretty head. But due to his small size, it was unlikely he would be more than a nice child's riding pony. By the following spring, the yearling was separated from his mother and turned out to pasture with the other weanlings. Little Squire wasn't happy to be away from his dam so he charged the high stone wall and cleared it easily. Little Squire had just shown an astonishing side of himself that would eventually bring him greatness. Over time, the young horse traded hands, crossed an ocean, and ended up on the American show-jumping circuit. That was when he met another diminutive Irish immigrant, Mickey Walsh. The two were inseparable until, at Mickey's request, Little Squire was retired at the top of his game, and while he was still sound. He went out in a blaze of glory, though, ending his last performance with Mickey by jumping a six-foot-two fence - rider-less - in front of a packed arena.

Paint the Wind

Pam Munoz Ryan

327 pages

Maya is a captive. In Grandmother's house in California, every word and action is strictly monitored, and even Maya's memories of her mother have been erased--except within the imaginary world she has created. A world away, in the rugged Wyoming wilderness, a tobiano Paint horse called Artemisia runs free, belonging only to the stars. She embodies the spirit of the wild--and she holds the key to Maya's memories. How Maya's and Artemisia's lives intertwine, like a braided rein is at the heart of this richly drawn adventure about captivity and freedom, about holding on and letting go.

Smoky the Cowhorse

Will James

324 pages

Smoky knows only one way of life: freedom. Living on the open range, he is free to go where he wants and do what he wants. And being a smart colt, he learns what he must in order to survive. He can beat any enemy whether it be a rattlesnake or a hungry wolf. He is as much a part of the Wild West as it is of him, and Smokey can't imagine anything else. But then he comes across a new enemy, one that walks on two legs and makes funny sounds. Smoky can't beat this enemy like he has all the others. But does he really want to beat it? Or could giving up some of his freedom mean getting something else in return that's even more valuable?

Barbaro: America's Horse

Shelley Fraser Mickle

160 pages

He was bred to be a champion. He was born to run. Everyone said he would be one of the greatest racehorses of all time. Everyone said he would take a place in history next to Triple Crown winners like the fabled Secretariat. Then, in one sickening, heart-stopping moment, everything changed. Suddenly he was no longer racing for glory; he was fighting for his life. And the horse bred to be a champion became much more. He became a symbol of hope and courage for an entire nation.