Magic Hoofbeats [Audio CD]

Josepha Sherman (Author), Linda S. Wingerter (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

Gallop away to another world with this beautifully illustrated anthology of stories about magical, mystical and memorable horses. Illustrated in radiant hues by artist Linda Wingerter and containing notes about the different breeds of horse, this vibrant collection will enthrall and delight those with a love of the equestrian.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-7 - A rich combination of scholarly but age-appropriate historical information and well-told story, this hybrid features eight tales about magical talking horses. The fascinating note that prefaces each story tells of the origins and distinguishing features of horses, such as the loyal Marwari of Northern India, the pintos of the Pawnee, or the sturdy "Iron Horses" of Canada. Tales that follow include Russia's "The Little Humpbacked Horse" and some lesser-known ones, such as the Iranian "Colt Qeytas" and the Basque "The White Mare." While seven of the tales feature boys who find a wife, the girls are strong, independent, and active in realizing their desires as well. A bare-bones list of sources is included. Acrylic paintings in warm blues and browns feature stylized portrait ovals, framed as if in ancient parchment, of each horse followed by romantic and dramatic illustrations of scenes from the story. The book satisfies readers on both informative and imaginative levels, and will no doubt gallop off the shelves when horse lovers discover it. - Susan Hepler, Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 2-4, younger for reading aloud. Hoofbeats comprises short selections about horses from around the globe, each introduced with a brief description of a horse breed particular to the tale's culture. In each story, horses play a magical role as rescuers, protectors, and advisors for the humans in their lives. A full list of source notes concludes this lively, multicultural collection, which is beautifully illustrated with Wingerter's fanciful acrylic artwork. Teachers will want this for reading aloud or inspiring students to create their own folktale compilations. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Audio CD: 1 pages
• Publisher: Barefoot Books; Unabridged edition (October 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1846860237
• ISBN-13: 978-1846860232
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 4.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,634,524 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars momofahorseygirl, January 8, 2006

By 

L. Middendorf "faeryrockpainter" (Harrisburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Magic Hoofbeats (Hardcover)

My 7 year old daughter received this book for Christmas and what a wonderful book for any child who loves horses and stories about them.

This book breaks down the stories by country and describes in detail the history of the breed of horse specific to that region and the story. It is a wonderful blend of fact and folklore with gorgeous illustrations. The stories are rich in detail but are not "fairy tales" nor are they about unicorns or flying horses or other horse-like animals. They are folktales about horses with special wisdom or magical powers.

I'd say this book wouldn't hold the attention of a typical 5 year old. Some stories are 2 or 3 pages long with only small illustrations that might become dull for a younger child.

But if your child is a fan of folklore and/or horses, he or she will love this book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful for horse lovers and lovers of good stories, January 6, 2009

By 

K. Schreck (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Magic Hoofbeats PB w CD (Paperback)

This collection of international folk tales that feature magical horses will delight any child who loves horses/ponies. My six year old daughter loves listening to the stories. The text is rather advanced, probably a fourth or fifth grade reading level, so she just follows along with the pictures in the book. I wish there were more of these, but the illustrations that are included are quite beautiful. The multi-cultural perspective is a positive aspect of this collection. Stories are from a range of cultures: American Indian, Russian, Indian, etc. Order and enjoy!

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my daughters' favorites, March 3, 2010

By 

gayle k. zilber "Twin Mom" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magic Hoofbeats (Hardcover)

My daughters received this book as a present when they turned 5, and it became and has remained one of their (and my) favorites. The stories are full of fantasy and adventure, challenge and heroism, all centered upon protagonists who have a special relationship with a special horse, and are just the perfect length for a good bedtime read. My daughters sometimes groan when we read the one page introduction to the culture from which each story is drawn, so we often skip that part (hoping they'll be more open-minded in another year or two, as their curiosity about the world around them grows).