Beauty - Hardcover

Wallace, Bill

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0823407152 ISBN 13: 9780823407156

Publisher: Holiday House, 1988

Synopsis

She was an old horse, but she could still run like a champ. Grampa warned him to be careful with Beauty, but Luke didn't listen.

He'd told her all about his hopes, dreams, and fears -- secrets Beauty would never reveal. She was his pal, who went skinny dipping with him in forbidden ponds and galloping after cattle in dangerous cowboy games he knew he shouldn't play. Until the night of the wild storm, when Beauty raced through the barn doors he'd forgotten to close into a terrible trap, and Luke ran into the blinding rain desperate to save the best friend he'd ever have...

About this title

About the Author

Award-winning author Bill Wallace started writing after a tough year of teaching fourth graders. As he says, “Trying to read to a class of 25 kids who aren't listening is downright MISERABLE. Finally, students asked me to tell stories about when I was growing up. I soon ran out of these, so they decided I should make up new stories. I became a writer so I could survive my first year as a teacher. The class loved the stories I wrote for them and persuaded me to get somebody to make us a real book.” Shadow on the Snow, Trapped in Death Cave, and A Dog Called Kitty all started out as books for his students. However, it took ten long years for his first book (A Dog Called Kitty) to be accepted for publication. Since then, this former elementary-school teacher has written over 25 books and won numerous awards. Other favorites include: Red Dog, Buffalo Gal, Danger in Quicksand Swamp, Beauty, Aloha Summer, Watchdog and the Coyotes, and Coyote Autumn.

Wallace was born on August 1, 1947 in Chickasha, Oklahoma. He is married to Carol Ann Priddle (who also taught elementary school) and has three children, Laurie Beth, Amanda Nicole, and Justin Keith. He attended university and graduate school in Oklahoma. 

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6His mother's failed marriage and a forced move to his grandfather's Oklahoma farm infuriate 11-year-old Luke. Beauty, an elderly mare, be comes his confidante as he adjusts to a rural lifestyle. Beauty also functions as a lovable equine counterpart to cranky Grampa. Grampa teaches Luke resil ience and determination, while the horse teaches him horsemanship skills. In this first-person narrative, Luke comes across as a believable character, who's impulsive, obstinate, and nar row-minded. Wrapped up in his own problems, he's slow to accept the teachings of Grampa and Beauty. How ever, when Beauty suffers a tragic acci dent, Luke proves himself man enough to put her out of her misery. Wallace's ``life goes on'' theme makes this a time less story, its mood somewhat reminis cent of the boy/animal relationships in Mary O'Hara's My Friend Flicka (Harper, 1973) and Wilson Rawls' Where the Red Fern Grows (Double day, 1986). Despite Beauty's death, a happy ending matches Luke with the mare's young granddaughter. Wal lace's smooth writing effectively bal ances action scenes with Luke's thoughts to involve readers. The short, cinematic chapters might attract reluc tant readers.Charlene Strickland, formerly at Albuquerque Public Li brary, N.M.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Holiday House
• Publication date: 1988
• ISBN 10: 0823407152
• ISBN 13: 9780823407156
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 177