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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian by Marguerite Henry

Genre: Fiction, Youth, Horses
Length: 173 pages

Reviewed by: Kris Ryder

“The boy watched in fear that if he took his eyes away the whole scene might vanish into the mist of the morning. Oh, how tiny the foal was! And so wet there was no telling what its color would be. But its eyes were open. And they were full of curiosity.”

King of the Wind is the story of a young Moroccan boy and his best friend, a horse. Agba, a mute horse boy who works in the Sultan’s stable, is in charge of ten horses. But of these horses, Agba only bonds with one. That horse is Sham, a pure gold stallion who can outrace any other horse in the stable. And when the sultan orders that Sham be sent to France as a gift for King Louis XV, Agba goes with him. This book traces the friendship and loyalty Agba and Sham have for each other as they travel from Morocco to France, and then from there to England and the horse races.

Marguerite Henry is a familiar name among horse lovers. She skillfully describes first the hot Moroccan stables, then the unfriendly and pompous French court, and the muddy, hard streets of England. And, much to every girl’s delight, she captures every warm, alive, and beautiful aspect of the horses she writes about. Henry is capable of plunging the reader right into the scenes with her characters, whether it be breathlessly waiting for the end of the Fast of Ramadan, meeting the French king, or slipping on muddy cobblestones.

Although Agba has a Muslim background, no religion is really put forward in this book. The beginning is immersed in Arab culture, and because of this there are many references to Islam and Mohammad. But that is definitely one of the peripheral aspects of the book, and it is not central to the story line. Agba meets both kind and awful men, but good is always shown to be good.

This book has remained one of my personal favorites since I first read it. Although realists might have trouble accepting the all-too-perfect ending, the majority of the book is very believable. It is an easy, enjoyable read, and I would especially recommend it to girls ages eight through fourteen. It is a good book for people who love to read about horses, perseverance, and friendships.

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