Farley,
Terri. Wild
At Heart. Houghton Mifflin/Harcourt Brace
2015
196p
$19.99
ISBN 978-0-544-39294-6 ms/hs
Nonfiction E-BN
Terri Farley has always loved horses. In this brilliant study of wild horses in North America, she
examines the history of this species as well as the history of their treatment
by humans. She begins with the
story of Velma Johnston, who fought for the rights of wild horses in the
post-World War II era and succeeded in getting legislation passed by Congress
to protect them. She then discusses
the prehistoric origins of the species, the disappearance of wild horses from
the landscape, and their more modern return to the North American continent. The photographic
illustrations by Melissa Farlow are absolutely breathtaking. The second half of
the book concerns the current sorry state of wild horses, who are regularly
rounded up by the Bureau of Land Management and destroyed. With unsparing
detail, she chronicles the cruelty visited upon these noble beasts and the
futility of it all. But then she finishes
with the efforts of various individuals and groups, including many young
people, to save the wild horses and reverse the terrible practices that are now
in place. Thus her book ends on
a note of hope despite the grim reality. She includes an extensive bibliography, chapter notes, a glossary
and a good index.
Originally I was going to recommend this book for all ages, but upon closer examination I recommend it for older teens because of the scenes of cruelty toward the animals that the author decries. These scenes may be a bit rough for younger children and those in their early teens.
Originally I was going to recommend this book for all ages, but upon closer examination I recommend it for older teens because of the scenes of cruelty toward the animals that the author decries. These scenes may be a bit rough for younger children and those in their early teens.
Summary: In this excellent book, author Farley discusses wild horses in the
U.S. and their ongoing threats from humans through history. The illustrations and
wealth of information make this book a must-have for public and school
collections.
Wild horses --Carol Kennedy
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