December 3, 2006

 

Jolly good children's books
BY SHERRYL CONNELLY

Blackie, The Horse Who Stood Still by Christopher Cerf and Paige Peterson.
This thoroughly charming tale of a horse who stood his ground-did he ever!-is told in verse and graphically illuminated by its glowing paintings. Based on a true story, Blackie discovers early in life that his passion is for standing still, yet he becomes a rodeo star and then a tourist attraction at Yosemite Park before finding his true calling as a beloved town mascot grazing on his own pasture overlooking San Francisco Bay for nearly 30 years. It seems in his reluctance to change his ways, Blackie truly stood for something after all. (Ages 9 to 12)