animals, children

Wild Colt


Author: Lois Szymanski
Illustrator: Linda Kantjas
Publisher: Schiffer Books
Genre: Children / Horses
ISBN: 978-0-7643-3975-2
Pages: 40
Price: $16.99

Author’s website
Schiffer Books
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Assateague Island is well-known for its wild horses. In Wild Colt, the reader is treated to a delightful glimpse of how these horses live until they are ultimately rounded up for sale each year.

Gentle, rhyming verse tells the story of a newborn colt. As he and his mother wander around the island, other birds and animals cross their paths. Occasional storms brew overhead, and they enjoy lazy summer days with moonlit evenings. But summer comes to an end, and the wild colt is sold in the annual auction. Although he’ll miss his mother, the girl he’s going home with gives him a hug, and he knows he’ll be happy.

Illustrations by Linda Kantjas are beautifully done in oil painting, setting the scene for warm summer afternoons at the beach. A wildlife identification list shows some of the animals in this book, so children can try to find them in the story. Discussion topics and questions are also provided for classroom use. This charming book will please all who love horses or summer days at the beach.

Reviewer: Alice Berger