Night Thunder and the Queen of the Wild Horses [Hardcover]

Lynn Reiser (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1995 | Age Level: 4 and up

A little girl is awakened one night by loud banging. Mounting the Queen of the Wild Horses, a figure she's painted, she sets off to find the source of the noise. They discover a crowd of dinosaurs, a herd of elephants, a gang of elk, a sloth of bears, a bunch of beavers, and one thumping bunny--all creating a ruckus because each has been awakened by another group. "This entertaining porquoi tale explains the why of thunder....A story that begs to be read aloud."--Publishers Weekly.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set "up and over the clouds" where "the night was not very dark, and not wet, not at all," this entertaining pourquoi tale explains the why of thunder-at least for this particular storm. After painting a rainbow-winged "Queen of Wild Horses," a very sleepy girl retires to bed only to be awakened by loud noises that also "wake" the Queen. Together, they fly beyond the clouds and encounter thrashing dinosaurs, jumping elephants, bumping elks, bouncing bears, slapping beavers and-the root of the problem-one thumping rabbit; all of whom are very sleepy, but are kept up by one another's noises. In a story that begs to be read aloud, Reiser (Bedtime Cat) uses repetition to lull listeners with a rhythm of words and sounds ("yes I will stop thumping. YES. I will stop thumping. Then yes, I will stop thumping right now"). The illustrations are equally as soothing, with cool evening hues and translucent animals that lend a dreamy air to this surrealistic adventure. Ages 4-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2?One rainy night a little girl and the Queen of the Wild Horses (a figure she has drawn) are awakened by loud sounds. When they fly above the thunderclouds they discover dinosaurs, elephants, elk, and the like all crashing and banging about because still other animals (and their noises) are keeping them up. The final disturber of the peace turns out to be a small rabbit who has been thumping in order to stay awake with all the other creatures. When finally persuaded to sleep (on the condition that everyone else does too), the night is at last quiet, and the little girl and her companion can return to their beds. Several issues of concern to young children are addressed in this story: the creation of an imaginary (and powerful) friend to overcome loneliness, the mystery of thunder, the cranky noisiness of overtired creatures, the determination to stay awake with everyone else, the cooperation necessary to achieve harmony, and the calm that comes after a storm. Text and illustrations both reflect the progress of the storm, from letters and animals that crash through the pages to the lulling words and sleeping animal-shaped clouds that the little girls flies through on her way home. A lilting alternative to other explanations of thunder, and a creative look at finding power within oneself to impose order on an unruly world.?Meg Stackpole, Rye Free Reading Room, NY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books; 1st edition (September 15, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688117910
• ISBN-13: 978-0688117917
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,710,216 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thunderously good bedtime story!, May 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Night Thunder and the Queen of the Wild Horses (Hardcover)

I am always in search of good bed time stories. Night Thunderis an especially wonderful one, combining elements of night timedreams and fantasies with night time fears conquered. I love both the rollicking text and joyful illustrations. Now if I could only find a wild horse like the one in the book and ride through the night skies!