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Summary
Summary
Prince, a little Icelandic pony, is Anna's best friend. She has nurtured him since he was born and loves him very much. But Prince is a winter pony, so now that summer is here, he must take his place among the herd and leave Anna behind. Touches of Norse mythology add magic and mystery to this heartwarming horse story.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-Anna has raised Prince since he was a foal, and knows that he must go to the high pasture with the rest of the horses now that summer is coming. When the day arrives, she watches him gallop off with the herd, where he is bullied by a stallion and has a dangerous fall from a cliff. Anna senses this danger but is reassured by her grandmother that Prince is strong enough to survive whatever may happen. As the cool weather returns, the child rides with the other farmers to round up the animals and finds a stronger and larger Prince, who is as pleased to see her as she is to see him. This is a pleasant but slight girl-and-her-horse story with lovely illustrations that capture the rugged beauty of the Icelandic countryside and these unique, sturdy equines. In borderless spreads and full-page art, the story's action unfolds in muted hues of gray, brown, blue, and green. The stormy weather is captured in the horses' wildly blowing manes while cascading waterfalls and steep, rocky cliffs depict the vast beauty of the landscape. Bruce McMillan's My Horse of the North (Scholastic, 1997) provides a breathtaking and accurate look at these horses, making this rather romanticized story an additional purchase.-Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
In Iceland, a young girl's pony makes an awe-inspiring recovery when, after being turned loose in the hills with the herd for the summer, he is chased over a cliff by a stallion and survives. The tale is absorbing, and the expansive paintings showcase the seasonal changes in both light and color--from all-encompassing grayish white to earthy golds, browns, and grays--that affect the craggy, majestic landscape. From HORN BOOK Spring 2003, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
With the cold months drawing to a close, it's time to take the horses up to the higher pastures, but Anna worries that her favorite pony, Prince, is too young to survive the summer without her. With a bond developed from months of nurturing, Prince and Anna have never been apart, but Anna's grandfather tells her that it's time for him to join the herd. Her grandmother attempts to soothe her worries by telling her that the mysterious and magical creatures that live in the mountains will help him through the long summer months, but Prince seems to be having a difficult time finding his place with the equine hierarchy. Things quickly take a turn for the worse when another horse attacks him, sending him sprawling over a cliff. Luckily, a ledge jutting out over a misty waterfall breaks his fall. Whether it is the warm air, the mist from the mountains, or something more magical, Prince eventually is able to rejoin the herd where he finds new respect in the older horses. It is an exciting reunion when Anna and her grandfather travel to retrieve the herd in the fall. Softly blended watercolors illustrate the harshly beautiful Icelandic landscape and their inhabitants. Lacking any true direction, however, this marginally interesting tale with unexceptional illustrations seems to find its only appeal in its hints of Nordic mythology and interest for lovers of horse stories. (Picture book. 4-6)
Booklist Review
K^-Gr. 3. Exquisite watercolors realistically depict the rugged terrain of northern Iceland where young Anna lives with Prince, the pony she raised from a foal. Anna is distressed to learn that Prince is to leave the farm and join the herd at the summer pasture. Despite reassurances that her pony will be fine and needs to run with the other horses, Anna worries about his safety away from her and the shelter of the farm. Her fears prove well founded when an older stallion challenges Prince and kicks him over a cliff. Miraculously, a soft, mossy ledge breaks Prince's fall. When the shaken, but unharmed, pony makes his way back to the herd, the formerly confrontational stallion accepts him with newly won respect. Horse-enamored youngsters will relish this spare, beautifully illustrated story that colors the plot of a girl's love for her horse with Icelandic mountain lore. --Ellen Mandel