The No More Night Mares: A Dream of Freedom (Paperback)

~ Dawn Van Zant (Author) "This book is dedicated to Buck, my first horse and one of the great loves of my life....." (more)
Key Phrases: wild herd, Golden Earth, Lucky Stars, Night Mares (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Beautifully written original legend of wild horses becoming stars. Geared to help children overcome fears of the dark and nightmares. -- Roxanne Sailors Taplett, editor, Simple Things, May 20, 2005,

Beautifully written original legend of wild horses becoming stars. Geared to help children overcome fears of the dark and nightmares. --Roxanne Sailors Taplett, editor, Simple Things, May 20, 2005,

Believe in the Night Mares, they will light up your imagination and heart. Never be afraid of the dark again. -- Bowker, Bookwire Reviews, December 2004

Believe in the Night Mares, they will light up your imagination and heart. Never be afraid of the dark again. --Bowker, Bookwire Reviews, December 2004

Zant vividly reveals their courage to survive amidst humans who seek to capture and tame their wild spirits. Highly recommended. -- Betsie, Betsie's Literary Page, June 26, 2005

Zant vividly reveals their courage to survive amidst humans who seek to capture and tame their wild spirits. Highly recommended. --Betsie, Betsie's Literary Page, June 26, 2005

Product Description

In this delightful children's book, readers will be captivated with the legend of Eclipse, a mighty stallion determined to protect his herd from capture. With the help of rival stallion Golden Earth, Eclipse deftly escapes man's grasp, valiantly leading his mares Comet, Moonbeam, and Lucky Stars into the night sky. "Night mares prance brilliantly against a background of a black sky and glowing stars to light our way to a time long-forgotten. Gaze up into their bright lights and they will fill you with a magical power. Listen to the call of the wild herd and remember… We don’t have to be afraid of the dark.”

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Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Wild Heart Ranch Inc. (April 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976176815
• ISBN-13: 978-0976176817
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,029,593 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a book to be treasured, March 30, 2006

By	Heather Froeschl (Callaway, Virginia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In honor of the once great herds of wild horses, the legend of Comet, Moonbeam and Lucky Stars - the night mares, is born. For all the magic and wonder that the herds instill in our hearts, the essence of the night mares shines down from the midnight sky granting wishes from the stars.

The beautifully illustrated, magical book, "The No More Night Mares," is an inspiration - but more than that, it is a dream weaver, a mind-expanding myth, and a mystical tale of moral guidance and love. What child doesn't dream of horses or wish upon a star?

Eclipse is the fastest and strongest stallion in his territory. He is the leader of his herd and is blessed by the protection of the night. He moves his herd of females and foals through the fog and darkness so that their greatest danger, man, does not detect them. Having been captured as a foal with his mother, Eclipse's escape has made him very wise. One night though, even he is unaware of lurking danger.

A friendly rival, Golden Earth, races to warn Eclipse of an approaching herd of two-legged hunters. Dividing the herd, sending the slowest of his mares and the foals to safety with Golden Earth, Eclipse gathers his fastest mares to draw the humans away. What happens next is the stuff legends are made of. The mares become guiding lights forever more.

Creating a legend is not easy, but Wild Heart Ranch, with author Dawn Van Zandt and illustrator Kim McElroy have done so, inspiringly. Appealing to horse lovers of all ages, and anyone who gazes at the stars in wonder, "The No More Night Mares" is a book to be treasured.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mayra Calvani -- TCM REVIEWS, December 3, 2006

By	Mayra Calvani "author/reviewer" (Brussels, Belgium) - See all my reviews

With this book, Wild Heart Ranch Books brings children another lovely, melancholic story about horses and their quest for freedom.

In this story the author draws a connection between the Pegasus Constellation and the time long ago when "the land was filled with wild horses thundering across vast plains."

It is the story of a noble, wild stallion named Eclipse, and his struggle to protect his herd from hunters. It is also a story of friendship. It is with the help of an enemy stallion named Golden Earth that Eclipse is able to save his herd from a wild chase. Besides Golden Earth, the earth and the moon also help in their own magical way, as these are the "Spirits of Freedom." The author uses myth, fantasy and even a bit of magical realism to add depth to the story.

Unlike I Sea Horses, a title with a similar theme by the same publisher which is aimed at younger children, The No More Night Mares has fewer illustrations and longer, more complex text. The illustrations, though, are photo-like and rich with detail, making the beauty and strength of these animals come alive across the pages.

This is a nice book for parents to read to children who love horses, or for those who wish for their children to understand the meaning of freedom and the harm that man has unwillingly done against these intelligent, magnificent creatures.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars (RAW Rating: 4.5) - Not All Nightmares are Bad..., June 13, 2006

By	The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

In NO MORE NIGHT MARES readers are taken on a journey led by a noble stallion by the name of Eclipse. Eclipse is said to have been born at the moment of a lunar eclipse with the moon itself shining in his eyes. In his younger days, he and other members of his herd were captured by men who wanted to make them tame. Eclipse manages to escape, and eventually becomes the strong leader of a herd of his own. Yet the threat of humans was relentless, and eventually he and some of his herd were cornered. That is until the forces of nature unite and make a stand for freedom.

Dawn VanZant has a unique voice that is reminiscent of the fairy tales we all heard as children. She has a gift for integrating fact with fantasy, and man with nature. In NO MORE NIGHT MARES, she has taken the abstract concept of freedom, and brought it to life through the stories of the wild horses. In addition, she uses the horses to teach messages of hope, perseverance, and courage. She also demonstrates the impact of man on nature and how not all change is good. The simple illustrations compliment the story well, while leaving room for the imagination of the reader. The author includes a collection of Internet resources so that readers can learn more about wild horse preservation efforts. NO MORE NIGHT MARES will be most enjoyed by those already familiar with horses, but it will likely ignite a passion in anyone who reads it. And while the book isn't explicitly political, this heartwarming story is sure to spark an interest in this cause with a new generation of readers.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers