Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley [Hardcover]

Marguerite Henry (Author), Bonnie Shields (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1996 | Age Level: 9 and up

Molly, having so desperately wanted a horse, finally gets one and, although it is old and somewhat haggard looking, it surprisingly gives birth to a beautiful mule with a shining brown coat that grows to be truly handsome and is crowned King of the Mule Day Parade.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A new book by Henry, author of the Newbery-winning King of the Wind (1948) and two Newbery Honor books, including Misty of Chincoteague (1947), invites high hopes. Sadly, this slim novel disappoints from the start. When 10-year-old Molly and her father purchase an aging mare at auction, the animal is a far cry from the sprightly young horse the girl has long coveted. Yet with a little care Lady Sue begins to thrive, and brings much happiness to Molly and her parents. Soon she gives birth to Brown Sunshine, a spirited mule who, in an easily foreseen ending, is crowned king of the pivotal Mule Day Celebration. In addition to its predictable plotting, Henry's story suffers from hackneyed characterization (the relentlessly teasing bad boy ends up, in Molly's view, "looking taller and wiser, and more wonderful to me"); awkward writing ("To spend more time with Brown Sunshine, Molly's classroom work improved sharply"); and a grating overuse of exclamation points ("Molly!... we each have our own animal now! The baby mule with the handsome ears is all yours!"). A generous sampling of Shields's realistic line drawings dresses up the text. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5?Molly Moore wants nothing more than to own a sleek, fancy show horse, so when her family buys a skinny old mare at a local auction, she's very disappointed. In due time, however, the mare blooms with good health and produces a surprise for Molly's family?a baby mule. Brown Sunshine becomes a handsome mule, inspiring Molly to write an award-winning essay on the history of these animals. The story is pleasant and predictable, with the somewhat sentimental dialogue and description typical of this genre. The plot moves quickly enough for readers who need encouragement. Black-and-white drawings appear on most pages and capture the action and spirit of the text. A good addition for libraries with avid Henry fans.?Christina Linz, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FL
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; 1st edition (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689803648
• ISBN-13: 978-0689803642
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,136,771 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Marguerite Henry is the beloved author of such classic horse stories as King of the Wind, Misty of Chincoteague, and Stormy: Misty's Foal, all of which are available in Aladdin paperback editions.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars HORSE CRAZY IN TENNESSEE, July 28, 1999

By 

Plume45 "kitka12345" (Westchester, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley (Paperback)

This read-in-one sitting book by the author of MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE is presented in both diary format (first person) and standard narrative form (third person). You will be kept on your toes as chapters alternate in style, even switching back and forth in the same chapter. But this lightweight tale introduces readers to the world of mules--their history and unappreciated value. Molly (aged 10-13) acquires a young mule as a suprise, thanks to her father's wise faith in a lean, older mare. Even the local bully grows up to respect both girl and mule. This gently-paced story praises human caring for animals and their loyal service to man. A simple storyline which will appeal to pre teen girls are horse crazy.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley, July 1, 2001

By 

Shadow Legacy (Seattle, Wa, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley (Paperback)

I loved this book as much as I loved Black Gold! This is a story of love, courage, and anger. It starts about a little girl named Molly who gets an old mare named Lady Sue for her tenth birthday. Molly in her heart, does not like Lady Sue. She wanted a wonderful hose as elegant as Secretariat. Then, when Lady has a baby mule everything changes. Molly raises Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley to win the King Mule Contest. Despite all of the teasing from Freddy Westover, Molly takes a leap of faith to create a champion out of the true King Mule - Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley, February 27, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley (Paperback)

The story is about a girl named Molly who wants a horse of her own, but her family can't afford a horse. So on Molly's tenth birthday her dad saved enough money to give Molly a really big surprise. Molly gets an old mare named Lady Sue. Molly acts like she is happy, but she wasn't that happy at all. She was not very grateful. Lady Sue had a baby mule named Brown Sunshine. Brown Sunshine became a beautiful young mule. Molly turned Brown Sunshine into a hard working mule. She became her friend. Brown Sunshine inspired Molly to write an award-winning essay. He became so beautiful that he won the King of Mule Day. The book was a fiction book and it was very well written. The setting was in the Sawdust Valley. It was a peaceful place until everyone started talking about Brown Sunshine. I liked this book because I am an animal lover and it was about an animal. It is also an enjoyable book to read and you can read it very fast. It is full of surprises. I recommend this book for boys and girls ages ten to fourteen.