Children's Literature Analysis - Reading to Children

Title: The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses
Author: Paul Goble
Illustrator: Paul Goble
Copyright Date: 1993
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks
Summary: This is the story of a Native American girl who loves horses. During a storm, she is carried off by the frightened horses and starts a new life living with a band of wild horses. She returns home but finds that being with the horses is what truly makes her happy. She returns to the wild horses and lives the rest of her life with them.
Keywords:
-Myth, folktale
-Native American Fiction
-Horses
Children’s Reactions:
I read this story to my second grade class during our read-aloud time. In our classroom, we use our read-aloud time to read books about Social Studies and History. We often read about other cultures and places. My students had some difficulty understanding this book. At the end of story, the book hints that the girl turns into a horse. This is the area my students had the most trouble with. We discussed what a folktale is (they have only had a little experience with these) and I had them sequence the story for me. In the future, I would build additional background with the students before reading the story. Despite the students having a difficult time pulling what they learned out of the book, they expressed how much they enjoyed it. They loved the uniqueness of the illustrations. They all seemed to relate to the girl and the idea of liking horses.
Teaching Suggestions:
This book is at a reading level that is most appropriate for a 3rd grade class. However, it ties in best with the Boise School District standards for 2nd and /or 4th grade. Background information is needed before reading this story to a 2nd grade class. Having them practice sequencing and retell the story will help them further understand it.
Citation: Goble, Paul,The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses, 1993, Aladdin Paperbacks