Mustang Canyon [Hardcover]

Jonathan London (Author), Daniel San Souci (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

What could be more thrilling than to run with a band of wild mustangs - and to share Little Pinto’s struggle to survive?

Deep in the heart of the canyon, a little pinto is born. In just three weeks he and his band of mustangs are ready to travel on. Danger is always lurking, so Old White Face stands guard - ready to sound a warning to flee when a plane swoops overhead. Little Pinto struggles to keep up, but as the herd pounds through the canyon, he stumbles. . . .

Jonathan London’s spare, dramatic text whisks readers into the midst
of a thundering band of mustangs, while an afterword focuses on their
remarkable history and their protection by Congress since 1971. With
Daniel San Souci’s watercolors capturing every flurry of hooves and toss
of the mane, this is a story to captivate anyone who loves horses -
and everyone who treasures the ever-diminishing natural world.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-This easy picture book consists of a few vignettes in the life of "Little Pinto," a new colt in a band of wild mustangs. This young animal witnesses a challenge to the leadership of the herd's stallion, sees and hears the threat of a low-flying airplane, and falls into the river. His mother crosses the water and leads him back to safety. Very young listeners and readers will want to go back to this exciting, reassuring title again and again. An afterword gives a brief background on the history of horses in North America and a glossary explains horse-related terms. San Souci's lovely spreads done in earth tones capture the joy of the running horses in their desert setting.
Ruth Semrau, Upshur County Public Library, Gilmer, TX
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. Thundering wild horses leap off the pages of this handsome offering from the team who created Red Wolf Country (1996). On the opening spread, just-born Little Pinto learns to stand and nurse. By the next page, he's off and running with the herd through gorgeous desert canyons. London adds suspense when a series of interruptions startle the herd at a river--first an aggressive, unknown stallion and then a plane used to round up horses. Then Little Pinto takes a frightening plunge into the rushing white water; when he makes it to the other side, he is comforted by his mother. The words are spare, immediate, and informative, and San Souci's lavish, sharp watercolor artwork brings children close to the wild herd and the blistering desert heat. An afterword touches on the horse's history in North America, and a glossary defines words used in the text. Just as thrilling as the horses themselves are their wide-ranging travels across the austere landscapes. A must for cowboy wannabe's and horse fans; suggest this for science units, as well. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (August 26, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763615544
• ISBN-13: 978-0763615543
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,355,897 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars John Ford Country for Little Ones, June 29, 2006

By 

M. Allen Greenbaum (California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mustang Canyon (Hardcover)

This is John Ford country for the toddler and early elementary school set. It's a work of sweeping panoramas, flat-topped buttes, massive sculptured rocks, scene-setting long shots, and dramatic close-ups. Illustrator Daniel San Souci highlights his watercolors with pencils to show the golden-touched contours of land and sky, and the unique shadings of the wild horses--the "Mustangs"--that are portrayed here.

The young reader or listener will immediately identify with the newborn "Little Pinto." After three weeks, Little Pinto takes his place among the herd of wild horses following their leader "Old White Face." In the tradition of Bambi, we learn at the conclusion that this horse is Pinto's father. Like Bambi's sire, Old White Face is ever-present: He's alert to danger, and protective of the entire herd. Unlike Bambi's father, Old White Face is ever-present.)

The book has three core action scenes, and Old White Face has a prominent role in each of them. He battles a "magnificent red-sorrel stallion," as he "screams, lashing out with his sharp hoofs like whip snaps of lightning..." Later, a low-flying place approaches, and Old White Face (remembering that "planes have come before--to round up mustangs,") stands on his hind legs, and warns the other horses. As the horses run off, Little Pinto falls into the rushing river: "He skims off boulders and is swept thrashing around holes in the rapids, haystacks of white powder...all the way to the far side," where he pulls himself out to the relief of his father, Old White Face, and his mother.

The powerful images of Jonathan London's non-rhyming, poetry-shaped text but non-rhyming text beautiful complements San Souci's spectacular pictures, all of them 2-page spreads. You can feel the love these two have for their subject, and words and text celebrate their individuality and love of freedom. London (who lives in the beautiful California town of Graton) and Sans Souci (www.danielsancouci.com) include a heartfelt afterward about the origins of the mustangs, as well as a combined glossary and key to different horse breeds. You also gotta love an author who holds an annual "Big Night" (the great film about an Italian restaurant) screening with potluck dishes from the movie. Publisher Candlewick once again sets the standard for production values; this apparently overlooked treasure will appeal to most children, whether horse-lovers or not.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, April 27, 2011

By 

K. Rhoades "Mom's School" (Georgia) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mustang Canyon (Hardcover)

My 6 year old daughter loves this book! She checked it out several times from the library before I purchased it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars For Little Horse Lovers, October 16, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Mustang Canyon (Hardcover)

If your child is a horse lover, she is sure to enjoy the lovely illustrations found in this book: wild mustangs galloping through the canyon, Little Pinto being nuzzled by his mother, a fierce encounter between the herd's leader and an intruder stallion. The pictures have more action in them than the plot actually does. There isn't much of a story. What was nice, though, was the glossary of equestrian terms at the back of the book. The author uses "grown-up" words such as "roan" in the story, and the reader can flip to the back to look up the meaning of unfamiliar words. It's a good way for a child to become more educated about basic horse terms. Overall, I'd say this book is a pleasant book with wonderful pictures of the amazing creatures that wild horses are.