FIRST REVIEW OF ELSKA!

Horse Diaries: Elska.
Hapka, Catherine (Author) , Sanderson, Ruth (Illustrator)
Apr 2009. 144 p. Random, hardcover, $11.99. (9780375946776 ). paperback,
$5.99. (9780375847325 ).

"The first in the Horse Diaries series, this lively chapter book is set in
Iceland around 1000 BCE, where the filly named Elska tells of her life,
from her birth in the short summer months to her fun with the herd,
running and playing through the long, cold, dark winter, and
then her pride as she grows bigger and works, circling around to gather up
all the sheep. The setting is always a dynamic part of the novel, and there
are photos and notes at the back about the Icelandic horse and its
cultural significance. But there is a real story, too, as Elska bonds with
a young girl and then is wrenched away.

Sanderson's occasional, beautiful drawings add to the drama.

A must for horse lovers, the cozy and exciting adventure will draw a wide audience."

- Hazel Rochman
-BOOKLIST 2/15/09