- Big Black Horse: A Storybook Version of The Black Stallion
- By Walter Farley
Illustrated by James Schucker
(Random House, $15)
Written in 1941, at a time when every kids' book seemed to be about the special relationship between a child and a horse, The Black Stallion stood out for its mix of breathless action and heartwarming tenderness. The story—of a shipwrecked boy and wild horse who must help each other survive—became a feature film in the '70s, but somehow this picture-book version (adopted from only the first half of the novel) remained out of print for 50 years. James Schucker's original 1957 paintings couldn't suit the adventure any better: Pure pulp, they're reminiscent of the art found on the covers of early Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books. — Ages 3 to 9
