From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3?A fast-moving, powerful thunderstorm races through a mountain meadow where a herd of mustangs grazes. One horse senses the coming of the storm, and as it sweeps through, the wild animal runs as if pursued by the Thunder King and his Thunderherd. As quickly as it arrives, the storm departs, leaving behind the rain soaked horse shimmering on the green prairie. Using borderless, double-page spreads that vary from aerial perspectives to close-ups, the illustrator captures the vastness of the landscape surrounding this small herd. The Thunderherd gallops and lunges above the mountains. The colors subtly document the tumultuous change as sunlit greens are replaced by vibrant streaked purples and blues. The brief text tries to seize the high drama of the storm by invoking images of the conquistadors, the Blackfoot, and cowboys. Young children will not be familiar with many of the historical references alluded to in this free verse and may not be that swept away by this stormy moment. However, the soft-colored pastel illustrations may have considerable appeal to even the youngest imaginative horse lovers.?Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Booklist
Ages 4^-7. On a warm, summer afternoon a lone mustang in a grassy meadow watches the nearby mountains and waits. Meanwhile, the elusive and ethereal Thunder King gathers his silver mares and prancing foals in preparation for a precipitous and stormy descent into the valley below. As the thunderherd emerges amid crashing lightning and driving rain, the mustang races alongside in a vain attempt to join it. But, almost as quickly as it appears, the blustery band vanishes, leaving the lone mustang grazing with the rest of his real herd. Appelt's vivid yet lyrical prose meshes nicely with Sayles' dreamy pastel paintings. The comparisons between wild horses and a brewing thunderstorm are well developed, making this useful for creative writing courses as well as story hour presentations. Pair with Joyce Rossi's Gullywasher (1995) for another perspective on a summer storm. Kay Weisman
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