Come on Seabiscuit! [Paperback]

Ralph Moody (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2003

Master storyteller Ralph Moody tells the thrilling story of a plucky horse who refused to quit, a down-on-his-luck jockey who didn’t let horrendous accidents keep him out of the saddle, and a taciturn trainer who brought out the best in both. During the Great Depression, Seabiscuit captured the hearts of Americans from the streets to the White House, winning more money than any horse at that time and shattering speed records across the country. In this real-life story Moody captures the hoof-pounding excitement of the explosive early races to an unforgettable showdown with the feared Triple Crown winner War Admiral. Moving and inspirational, Come on Seabiscuit! is a reminder of the qualities that make a real American champion.

 

Ralph Moody is best known for his eight Little Britches books, which have delighted generations of readers and are all available in Bison Books editions.

 

Ralph Moody captured the hearts of young readers everywhere with his beloved Little Britches saga. In this Bison Books edition of his 1963 classic, Moody brings to life the story of a knobby-kneed little colt called Seabiscuit, who against all odds became one of the most celebrated racehorses of all time.

 

Although Seabiscuit was the grandson of the legendary Man O' War, he was neither handsome nor graceful. His head was too big, his legs too short, and his gallop was awkward. His owners gave up on Seabiscuit when he was two, raced him too heavily, and tried unsuccessfully to sell him. It took the keen eyes of trainer Tom Smith to recognize the heart, courage, and gallant determination of Seabiscuit, the qualities of a truly great horse. Smith's unfailing patience and astute treatments, the love and skill of jockey Red Pollard, and the continued support of owner Charles Howard forged Seabiscuit into a champion.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"When I was about seven years old. . . . I found a children''s book called Come on Seabiscuit! which was just wonderful! I read it so many times I broke the spine and all the pages fell out. I still have it; it has to be wrapped in rubber bands because the pages will go everywhere. But that book in just vivid prose told the story of the horse."—Laura Hillenbrand, July 29, 2003, interview on Fresh Air with Terry Gross

(Laura Hillenbrand )

"Young Adults will love the excitement and the empathy expressed in this story, which is told in language that was held up well for 40 years. Beautiful pencil sketches of the horse and racetrack culture fill the book. This is an inspirational story for those who need to know that one failure does not mean a life of failures and that often critics can be proven wrong."—Kliatt

(Kliatt )

"Written in a folksy, easily understood prose, this illustrated predecessor to Laura Hillenbrand''s book about the racehorse (the basis for this summer''s movie) is a great pre-movie primer for anyone under 18."—Christy Karras, The Salt Lake Tribune

(Christy Karras Salt Lake Tribune )

"Horse racing fans will enjoy the paperback reprint of Ralph Moody''s classic tale Come on Seabiscuit!, originally published in 1963. Seabiscuit, the plucky Depression-era racehorse, has gained a new generation of fans since the 2003 Universal Pictures'' film release by the same name, and his fans should enjoy Moody''s small, easy-to-read volume with black-and-white illustrations by Robert Riger."—Western Horseman

(Western Horseman )

“One unlikely offshoot of the Seabiscuit phenomenon . . . was a lovely reminder of the way horse-racing writing used to be done: Ralph Moody''s Come on Seabiscuit! was recently brought back into print by the University of Nebraska Press. . . . [W]hat is remarkable about the book—and what makes it rewarding even decades after reading it the first time—is the level of detail about the scrawny racehorse. . . . Ultimately, the reason Come on Seabiscuit! and King of the Wind and Black Stallion are so memorable is that they are outstanding children''s literature, not just outstanding children''s literature about racing. Just as racetrackers never forget the great horses, we never forget the books that left a mark on us. [M]aybe the Seabiscuit effect wouldn''t have been possible without books like Come on Seabiscuit!”—Eric Banks, slate.msn.com

(Eric Banks slate.msn.com )

About the Author

Ralph Moody (1898–1982) was a working cowboy from the age of ten, a trick rodeo rider, and a student of good horseflesh. He is the author of Come on Seabiscuit! as well as the Little Britches series about a boy's life on a Colorado ranch, all available in Bison Books editions.

Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: Bison Books; First Edition edition (March 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803282877
• ISBN-13: 978-0803282872
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #716,690 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of many but not the original, August 28, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Come on Seabiscuit! (Paperback)

Ralph Moody's book is a warm tribute to the story of Seabiscuit. The illustrations are wonderful and it is written at the level for its intended audience. The original tale of Seabiscuit was written by B.K. Beckwith in 1940, his "saga of a great champion"; Moody realized the lessons inherent in this amazing horse--forgotten even by his time in the 1950s--and he recast the tale for a new audience, just the way Laura Hillenbrand did so successfully in our own time. Both Moody and Hillenbrand relied on Beckwith's book and I find the voices of all three to be excellent and complementary. Beckwith actually knew the horse and the people around him, so his book has the excitement of the time, but I recommend all of these books on Seabiscuit.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Outcast Becomes a Legend, April 8, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Come on Seabiscuit! (Paperback)

The story of Seabiscuit is the story of an underdog who succeeds. Seabiscuit was a grandson of one of the greatest racehorses ever, Man O'War. In spite of Seabiscuit's pedigree, he was not regarded as a promising winner. Misunderstood and overlooked, he was overworked when very young and nearly faded into obscurity.

An unlikely trio saw his potential and raised him to greatness. Charles Howard, a bicycle repairman turned wealthy automobile dealer and thoroughbred owner, purchased the horse. His trainer, Tom Smith, was a former frontiersman, who knew many secrets about training and doctoring horses. Red Pollard, a product of brush-league riding, became Seabiscuit's jockey. With the help of these three men, the outcast horse became a legendary winner on the track.

"Come On Seabiscuit" is written mainly for children, but as others have said, it is a good read for any age. It is an inspirational story about love, trust, friendship, and tapping inner potential in the face of obstacles. Having read this book as a child, I'm thrilled to see it reprinted.

If you like this book, another good one on the same topic is "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand. The Hillenbrand book is written for adults, and includes details about the rough realities of the racing world.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rediscovered Old Book, August 5, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Come on Seabiscuit! (Paperback)

With the current fame of Hillenbrand's book, I dug Moody's book out for my young nieces. As good as Hillenbrand's book is, Seabiscuit is somewhat lost in the story of the men around him (Howard, Smith, Pollard, Woolf). Moody's book is shorter and geared to a younger audience. Seabiscuit the horse shines in this story more than Seabiscuit the historical phenomenon. I read once that Moody knew about some of Pollard's secrets, like his vision problem, but he promised to keep the secrets as long as the main players were alive. Moody also emphasizes how good a racehorse Seabiscuit was, how the blood of Man O'War ran through the veins of his grandson even if Seabiscuit didn't look the part. Some of the newer stories talk about Seabiscuit's being lucky to win and being from the wrong side of the track, when he was actually blazingly fast (tied and broke a number of records, including in the match race with War Admiral) and had the bluest of Kentucky blood in his veins.
But put the politics aside and read this wonderful story - like the old saying goes - it doesn't matter who trains them, and it doesn't really matter who rides them, and it certainly doesn't matter who owns them, in the end, a Thoroughbred will run as far and as fast as he was bred to run - and Seabiscuit ran true to his grandsire's heart.....and to his own.