Winged Colt of Casa Mia [Paperback]

Betsy Cromer Byars (Author)

Book Description

Charles thinks his holiday at Uncle Coot's farm will be pretty normal - until he sees the young colt that can fly. Mrs Minney wanted a proper horse that her grandchildren could ride. Uncle Coot couldn't turn down the offer of such an amazing beast.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Avon Books (Mm) (September 1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380002019
• ISBN-13: 978-0380002016
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,003,941 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Betsy Byars began her writing career rather late in life First, she married and started a family. The writing career didn't emerge until she was 28, a mother of two children, and living in a small place she called the barracks apartment, in Urbana, Illinois. She and her husband, Ed, had moved there in 1956 so he could attend graduate school at the University of Illinois. She was bored, had no friends, and so turned to writing to fill her time. Byars started writing articles for The Saturday Evening Post, Look,and other magazines. As her family grew and her children started to read, she began to write books for young people and, fortunately for her readers, discovered that there was more to being a writer than sitting in front of a typewriter. "Once a wanderer came by my house and showed me how to brush my teeth with a cherry twig; that went in The House of WingsThe Summer of the Swans." Since that time, Byars has written more than 45 books for young readers and has won numerous awards, including The American Book Award, which she received in 1981 for The Night Swimmers. The humor, compassion, and insight Byars brings to each of her books won her a large audience of admirers both in the United States and abroad. Six of her novels were presented on national television, and her books are translated into nine languages. Six of Byars' novels have been named ALA Notable Books, and in 1971, The Summer of the Swans -- a story about a 14-year-old girl and her mentally retarded brother -- won the Newbery Award as the most distinguished contribution to literature for children in the year of its publication. Byars was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 7, 1928. Unlike many of the characters in her books, Byars grew up in a normal, loving family. Her father was an engineer and worked as a bookkeeper in a cotton mill. He was stern and hardworking and had a strong sense of humor. Her mother was a lively woman who loved acting and music. Byars's sister, Nancy, two years older, was sometimes an inspiration and sometimes an evil nemesis. Byars has always been adventurous and never allows a few setbacks to prevent her from doing things she wants to experience, like petting a blacksnake and flying planes. The snake was named Moon and became the subject of her 1991 autobiography, The Moon and I. Betsy Byars and her husband live on an air strip in South Carolina, and have traveled widely throughout the United States in pursuit of their interest in gliding and antique airplanes. They have four grown children and seven grandchildren.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A DUDE EARNS HIS SPURS, June 4, 1998

By 

Plume45 "kitka12345" (Westchester, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Winged Colt of Casa Mia (Paperback)

A young boy is sent to live with his uncle--a former movie stunt man on a Texas ranch, by his irresponsible mother. Narrated in the first person by introspective Uncle Coot, this story introduces an unusual animal hero: a real but winged colt born to their neighbors. Young Charles grows to love the colt named ALADO (Winged One) and considers his uncle a true western hero.

Alado learns to fly of course, but he endangers himself and causes great trouble for the two humans who are trying to cope with a mythical creature (Pegasus). Charles, the bookworm, desperately wants to prove himself a cowboy like his uncle; they both must sort out their feelings for each other and for Alado. Can a freak of nature survive in this modern world of exploitation and greed? An interesting and enjoyable book for readers of all ages.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Love it, May 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Winged Colt of Casa Mia (Hardcover)

My favourite animal is dog, but anyway, this book is the best book I ever read. It is great story, I love the part when the colt flew up on the mesa, and Uncle Coot went to get it.