As a busy working mom, I found Wild Horses Running Free by Linda L. Richards to be a captivating and beautifully illustrated children’s book that celebrates the spirit of wild horses. This enchanting story takes young readers on an adventure through open landscapes, showcasing the beauty and freedom of these magnificent creatures.

The vibrant illustrations bring the horses to life, while the rhythmic text makes it a joy to read aloud. My little one was mesmerized by the imagery and loved learning about the wild horses’ lives. The themes of freedom and the importance of respecting nature resonate well, making it an engaging and educational experience.

Final Thoughts:
Wild Horses Running Free is a delightful addition to any child’s bookshelf, perfect for fostering a love of nature and animals. It’s a wonderful reminder of the beauty of freedom and the importance of preserving our wildlife, making it a must-read for families looking to inspire young hearts and minds!

As it turned out, I'd barely gotten into this book when a news article on efforts to remove the wild horses that run free in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park popped up on my computer screen. Much of what this book covers in the impact and conservation efforts surrounding the controversial program is echoed in the article, making this book all the more timely. I won't detail the article other than, for those interested in looking it up, to say it was out of Bismarck, N.D., by Jack Dura, of the Associated Press. One thing I did note, however, was something that I was curious about, the efforts to use sterilization as a means of control, which is also covered in the book. So, author Richards has done her homework, which is nicely reflected by the extensive index, glossary, and list of resources both on and offline, at the end.

As for the book, while I've got to admit that sections demanded thought, it was actually a relatively quick, easy read. The photos are wonderful, food for this one-time horse-crazy girl's heart. In fact, the author's intro could have been written by me, including trying to adopt a stray horse, in both our cases a neighbor's wayward equine. The book is organized in five sections, with smaller sections within each. There's a wealth of info within, much of it maybe vaguely familiar to me now but nice to see made available in a shorter, more succinct manner than often rendered. The author's love of horses is obvious and she frequently gushes that everyone loves horses, which may be true in theory but, well, competing groups always prioritize and horses don't rank number one with everyone. As she says, however, it isn't that they don't like horses. They simply want to do different things with the land they now inhabit, whether grazing cattle herds, building homes, or drilling for oil, etc. It's obvious who's side she's on.

As a girl who read everything horse, while I might have struggled with some aspects of the info shared depending upon the age I encountered it, overall it was well laid-out and understandable. I particularly enjoyed the look at some lesser known types of horses. We're all surely familiar with the Chincoteague Pony (see, there I go assuming everyone reading this has read "Misty of Chincoteague") and perhaps the Brumby horses of Australia or Queen Elizabeth's favorite ponies in England, but some of the lesser known ones are fascinating. Heck, you'll also discover how horses see and why (probably) zebras have stripes. So, part fun, part history, and part conservative, an interesting combination that resulted in an intriguing read...all richly illustrated with color photos, many taken by the author herself. Thanks #NetGalley and #OrcaBookPublishers for letting me dive back into my horse-crazy days. This one would be an excellent gift for any horse crazy kid or adult out there, even more so if they have a desire to help preserve the legacy of the wild horse.

I got this to read with my animal-loving kiddo (9). My initial impression upon first reading it was that he was not going to be interested in it as it seemed aimed at people who are *really* into horses. But when I showed it to him he actually was interested, so we'll be reading it soon. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. He got to meet and feed a horse while camping recently and seems fascinated by them.

This book has a lot of interesting information on the history and evolution of wild horses, the challenges they face, and the many different kinds of wild horses found around the world. The pictures are gorgeous and the text very informative, if a bit dry. It reads more like a textbook than a casual information book. Then again, that's what my kiddo tends to enjoy.

Horse lovers will most likely love this book. Animal lovers of all kinds will probably enjoy it, although if they're not horse lovers their interest may wane a bit in the drier sections.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Orca Books for providing an early copy for review.

Cute children’s book about wild horses and some personal stories for, author. Liked the pics and fun facts. A horse girl would like this book like me haha.

Thank you NetGalley and Orca Book Publishing for this eARC.

I clicked on this book in the read now section bc I have a weakness for wild horses. When I see videos or pics of them, I tear up. The end of “ Hidalgo”? Like Bruno, we don’t talk about it.

I was hoping for a lot more pictures. The ones featured were beautiful. I was expecting more. The history lessons provided were good. Overall, enjoyable and young horse lovers will devour this book.