Customer Reviews

What's the Most Beautiful Thing You Know about Horses?

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It's forty below in the Northwest Territories of Canada - so cold the ravens won't fly & Richard can't go outside. He decides to ask his family & friends the question that became the title to this book. Their answers bring a whole other world into light. Brilliantly illustrated by George Littlechild from the Plains Cree Nation, this humorous quest of a youngster's mind during a long winter's day, brings out the silly & the insightful. Makes a lovely gift!

This book combines the gorgeous artwork of George Littlechild and the wonderful text by Richard van Camp, both of partial Canadian First Nations heritage. Because the book asks many questions, your students can be asked to respond either orally or in writing, making this book perfect for interactive learning. It is also a wonderful addition to North American culture studies at any grade. The Cree word for horse is written one way (mista'tim) and given a non-corresponding pronunciation hint (mistaim). My source (Meet Cree by H. C. Wolfart) writes horse as: misatim. Not a big deal, but one wonders why this wasn't caught by the editor. Another extended writing assignment would be to change the title to a different animal and have the students ask people to respond in a similar fashion.

A young Dogrib Indian boy in Northwest Canada wonders about horses and then asks his family and townspeople the question in the title. Their answers come from the heart and are both simple and poetic. The boy asks readers at the end to think of how they would answer the question and then asks, "What's the most beautiful thing that you know about you?" A truly special book that makes you think, filled with bright, bold and lively art that captures the spirit of horses.