A Horse's Tale: A Colonial Williamsburg Adventure
PreSchool-Grade 1—Several residents of Colonial Williamsburg do their best to find out what is ailing Garrick the Gardener's horse. In a rhyming text, the characters are introduced and briefly described in terms of how they try to help the animal. The blacksmith checks its shoes, the milliner sews a blanket, the apothecary makes a special brew, etc. Through it all, the town crier acts as narrator, summing up the action. A glossary goes into more detail about the jobs, items, and places found in this colonial settlement. The watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations depict all of the participants as cheerful cuddly animals who talk and dress as people. The two horses in the story, however, do not talk and do not have clothes. That lack of consistency probably will not bother the intended audience, nor will the conclusion that Lancer needs a friend and will be happier pulling the gardener's cart if Mary the mare comes along, too. This book would make a nice introduction to Williamsburg for very young visitors.—Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.