Friday, December 25, 2015

See A White Horse (1963)



See A White Horse
Miska Miles, il. Wesley Dennis
1963, Little, Brown and Company

The dog looked like a good farm dog, the kind that could single out a pony from the range, or bring in the cows without flustering them.  Henry felt a lump in his throat, for this dog reminded him of Old Tuck.

Henry Marshall is mourning his dog when a stranger on a white horse comes riding along, accompanied by a brown dog.  Henry’s attracted to the dog, but still not sure. The stranger, on his way East, sells the pony to a neighbor and the dog is left behind.

This is a brief, surprising book which I liked more than I’d expected.  The title and the presence of Wesley Dennis, an illustrator best known for horse stories, led me to believe it was a horse story.  Turns out, it’s a dog story and one with enormous appeal.  Henry and the dog, unnamed until the last page, are clearly a match, but Henry’s not quite ready when he first has the chance to acquire the dog.  It’s rare now to see this – the recent emphasis on rescue and saving dogs means there’s less attention given to whether a person is ready to take on another dog. 

About Miska Miles (1899-)
Patricia Miles Martin also wrote as Jerry Lane and Patricia A. Miles.


Other books by Miska Miles – dogs
Somebody’s Dog
The Dog And The Boat Boy
William’s Dog
The Birthday Present
Woody’s Big Trouble
One Special Dog

Other books by Miska Miles – equines
Kickapoo (about a mule)(il. Wesley Dennis)
Pony In The Schoolhouse
The Bony Pony (as Patricia Miles Martin)
The Broomtail Bronc (as Patricia Miles Martin)
Horse And The Bad Morning
Friend Of Miguel


Other books by Miska Miles – other
Dusty And The Fiddlers
Annie And The Old One
Aaron’s Door
Jenny’s Cat
Otter In the Cove
Small Rabbit
Swim, Little Duck
This Little Pig
Tree House Town
Calvin And The Cub Scouts
Jump Frog Jump
Trina (aka Trina’s Boxcar)
Little Two And The Peach Tree
The Rice Bowl
The Pumpkin Patch
Be Brave, Charlie
A Long Ago Christmas
 
Links
Her horse books at PonyMadBooklovers