Young colt Sky was born with the urge to run. Alongside his band, he moves across the range searching for fresh water and abundant grazing. But humans have begun to encroach on Sky's homelands. With fewer resources to share, Sky knows that he must leave if his family is to survive. He hopes that one day he'll be strong and brave enough to return and challenge the stallion to lead the herd.
Being a lone wild horse in a vast landscape is not easy, and things get even more dangerous when Sky is captured and forced to run for the Pony Express. Now, against all odds, Sky must find a way to escape and reunite with his family.
A Horse Named Sky is a stand-alone companion novel to Rosanne Parry's New York Times bestsellers A Wolf Called Wander and A Whale of the Wild. Chronicling the perils of westward expansion and the grueling Pony Express from the perspective of a wild horse, A Horse Named Sky is a gripping animal survival story about family, courage, trust, leadership, and loyalty. Impeccably researched and illustrated in black-and-white throughout, A Horse Named Sky is an excellent read-aloud for parents and teachers and a wonderful choice for fans of DreamWorks' Spirit and Anna Sewell's Black Beauty.
Includes black-and-white illustrations throughout, a map, and extensive back matter about wild horses and their habitats.
"Parry's moving story follows the pattern of her recent animal tales, A Wolf Called Wander and A Whale of the Wild, chronicling a wild animal's life in the first person, imagining its point of view, and detailing and appreciating the natural world it inhabits. . . . As Sky grows from wobbly newborn to leader of his family, he faces more than the usual challenges for colts who must fight their stallions or leave their herds when they are grown up. . . . A feel-good tale of a clever and determined stallion set against a well-developed landscape." -- Kirkus Reviews
"Sky's first-person narration of his adventures is engrossing and fast-paced. . . . Parry weaves historical and environmental information smoothly into the narrative. . . . Parry writes a convincing fictionalized life of one wild animal while addressing issues of community, survival, and care for our environment. Fagan's realistic black-and-white illustrations convey the windswept mountain terrain and the movement of the horses." -- Horn Book Magazine
Rosanne Parry is the author of the bestselling novels A Wolf Called Wander, A Whale of the Wild, and A Horse Named Sky as well as The Wolf Effect, a picture book illustrated by Jennifer Thermes. These "Voice of the Wilderness" stories center the voices of wild animals and focus on their struggle to survive in a dangerous and changing world. Based on rigorous research and inspired by the real animals of the western United States, Rosanne's books are treasured by teachers and librarians and adored by animal-loving readers of all ages. The author lives with her family in Portland, Oregon, and writes in a treehouse in her backyard.
Kirbi Fagan is a writer and illustrator for readers of all ages, but she specializes in children's literature. She is recognized for her cover art in adult, teen, and middle grade fiction as well as her numerous covers for comic books. Kirbi Fagan's work is inspired by her experiences as an artist with disabilities. She was traditionally trained as an oil painter but now works in mixed media techniques, including digital tools. Kirbi Fagan lives in Waterford, Michigan.
Greenwillow Books
Pub Date: August 27, 2024
Target Age: 8-12
0.87" H x 8.11" L x 5.35" W
228 pages
paperback