Crazy for Horses

Nikki Tate-Stratton writes novels for pre-teens; her latest books are
Jessa Be Nimble, Rebel Be Quick; Raven’s Revenge; and Tarragon Island.

Crazy for Horses consists primarily of a series of profiles of 16 horse
breeds. Each profile includes two color photos (one of which is a
full-page image), a general description of the breed’s appearance, a
brief history of the breed, current uses, as well as a “Fast Fact”
(a piece of related trivia). Well-written, these profiles find a good
balance between hard facts and interesting narrative that is sure to
satisfy young horse lovers.

Additional information in black-and-white sections at the front and
back of the book includes a description of the Przwalski’s Horse
(strangely enough, the only breed discussed that doesn’t include a
photo), general horse facts (e.g., “How big is the unit of measurement
know as the ‘hand’?”; “What are the points of a horse?”), a
brief description of some activities horse lovers may compete in (e.g.,
western pleasure, eventing, polo), a list of terms used to describe
horse colors (e.g., liver chestnut, grulla, perlino), and a discussion
of hot-, warm-, and cold-blooded breeds. A list of Web sites and
addresses for publications and organizations where horse enthusiasts can
go for additional breed information is also provided.

The color photographs by Shawn Hamilton are of high quality and capture
the grace and majesty of the horse in action. Recommended.