I definitely had a big "horse books & dog books" phase in elementary school. I loved Farley's books. Now I love how they got crazier and crazier, with aliens and voodoo gods and the apocalypse. In retrospect, I worry about him a little.
I remember Kavik the Wolf-Dog. Dimly, but I definitely read it a few times. Was it sort of The Incredible Journey, with a little Jack London thrown in?
Well, and I still love White Fang.
aliens and voodoo gods
clearly I shouldn't have stopped at
The Black Stallion and the Girl.
That seemed like the logical end of the story. I didn't realize they kept going after that.
remember Kavik the Wolf-Dog. Dimly, but I definitely read it a few times. Was it sort of The Incredible Journey, with a little Jack London thrown in?
Yes, I believe so.
Black Stallion and the Girl was one the later books. The aliens were part of the short "Island Stallion" books.
I read the Island Stallion first and was a little bummed when it lost to the Black in the match race.
hmm how did I miss them? I was kind of irrationally scared of aliens as a kid. I shouldn't have read Whitley Streiber so soon. It's possible I read one one of the Island Stallion books and forgot about it on purpose. On the other hand I was very focused on The Black so if he wasn't in them I might never have bought one.
Heh. I was reading Roots in fifth grade and Rosemary Rogers' bodice rippers in sixth, and I'm not damaged! (Much.)
I read The Thorn Birds I think when I was in sixth grade. I still remember my mom asking me what it was about and I answered, "a priest in Australia."
Walter Farley also wrote a nice biography of Man O'War (well, I remember it as nice - I haven't read it in years.)
People! has no one mentioned the Oz books? I loved those books, even when they (finally) let me into the adult section of the public library, I'd go back and read them.
I loved the Oz books. Though they're very uneven from book to book. Still, my favorite was the Patchwork Girl which I think Kara would adore. I also really liked Baum's books on the Sea Fairies and Sky Island (which was super creepy).
I can't believe I forgot the Oz books. I thought they were all wonderful, but I think the Patchwork Girl was my favorite, too.