FICTION

Thunder Horse

by Eve BUNTING
illus. by Dennis Nolan. 32p. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter Bks. Nov. 2017. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781626724433.
COPY ISBN
Gr 2–4— In this long picture book, Bunting writes the story of a girl who is gifted a tiny horse by her mysterious aunt. Acquired in Greece, the tiny horse comes with the warning that one day it will change and eventually leave the little girl. The horse lives with the girl in her apartment where she feeds him, walks him, and even takes him to school. As the horse grows, he begins to develop wings. The girl names him Pegasus and is thrilled when he eventually allows her to ride him through the night. One day, the girl realizes that Pegasus is ready to leave, and sadly she watches him fly off into the night, becoming a shining star in the vast sky. With gorgeous soft pastel illustrations, this is a gentle story of love, letting go, and believing that magic still exists in the world.
VERDICT For more confident readers, or to be shared as a longer read-aloud, this is a lovely general purchase for most libraries.
Reviewed by Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh
When an aunt gives her niece, the narrator, a tiny white horse, the girl and the horse she names Pegasus form a bond. But even as Pegasus grows, develops wings, and takes the girl on nighttime flights, she knows that "you cannot own magic." Hazy, richly colored paintings add a dreamlike quality to an otherwise ponderous tale of loving and letting go.
 , Jun 01, 2018

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