Shadow: The Curious Morgan Horse

By: Ellen F. Feld 
Publisher: Willow Bend Publishing 
Publication Date: September 2012 
ISBN: 978-0970900265 
Review By: Deb Fowler 
Review Date: September 2012

Shadow was a curious young, Morgan foal. Rooster, a teller of tall tales, told Shadow about a magical pond in the woods and his encounter with a deer. The deer told him that if anyone drank from its magical waters he could fly Not to be outdone, the young foal grasped an opportunity to explore the woods when a sudden storm brought down a branch onto the pasture fence that created just the opening and the opportunity she had been waiting for.

Shadow's mother, Frosty, warned her not to take stock in such tales, but she couldn't resist the draw of adventure, a chance to meet other creatures and see the land beyond the pasture fence. She gingerly stepped through the opening in the fence and was off Shadow visited with nature beyond the bounds of the fence, got her nose stung by a nasty old bumblebee and ran into a smelly old skunk in her travels. Alas, in the end, a magical pond was not to be found, but Shadow did find the magic of new friendship with Willow, the Basset hound.

Shadow: The Curious Morgan Horse is the fifth Morgan horse book by author, Ellen F. Feld, two of which have received the coveted "Children's Choices" award. Other books in this enchanting series include Blackjack: Dreaming of a Morgan Horse, Frosty: The Adventures of a Morgan Horse, Rusty: The High-Flying Morgan Horse, Robin: The Lovable Morgan Horse, Annie: The Mysterious Morgan Horse and Rimfire: The Barrel Racing Morgan Horse. Jeanne Mellin, one of the finest equine artists in the world, has skillfully brought the story of Shadow and her adventures to life with 21 meritorious, full color illustrations.

I was as captivated by this little book as any youngster could possibly be! The story line and drawings created a smooth, gossamer and whimsical tale that any budding animal or horse lover would appreciate and treasure. This is the type of book that builds confidence and enjoyment in a child's reading skills and creates an ideal stepping stone from "learning to read" to "reading to learn." It is a magical little story worth adding to one's collection or to give as a gift to a child or grandchild (while you are at it I'd suggest acquiring copies of the other books in this series).

Quill says: Marguerite Henry look out...here comes Ellen F. Feld!

To learn more about Shadow: The Curious Morgan Horse, please visit the publishers website at: Willow Bend Publishing.