Customer Reviews

Magic Hoofbeats PB w CD

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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!

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!

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).