Calico the Wonder Horse, or the Saga of Stewy Stinker

by Virginia Lee Burton

Overview

In comic-strip format, this action-packed western drama is complete with cattle rustling and kidnapping, a stampede, a holdup, and a thrilling chase. From start to bang-up finish, Calico the Wonder Horse outruns and outsmarts the double-dyed villains—and, of course, saves the day!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780395845417
Publisher:	Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date:	09/28/1996
Edition description:	None
Pages:	64
Product dimensions:	8.18(w) x 5.75(h) x 0.32(d)
Lexile:	720L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Virginia Lee Burton (1909-1968) was the talented author and illustrator of some of the most enduring books ever written for children. The winner of the 1942 Caldecott Medal for THE LITTLE HOUSE, Burton's books include heroes and happy endings, lively illustrations, and a dash of nostalgia. She lived with her two sons, Aristides and Michael, and her husband George Demetrios, the sculptor, in a section of Gloucester, Massachusetts, called Folly Cove. Here she taught a class in design and from it emerged the Folly Cove designers, a group of internationally known professional artisans. She is the author of many classic children's picture books, including MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL and KATY AND THE BIG SNOW.

Editorial Reviews

"Complete with lightening bolt and clouds of churned-up dust, for its tale of good and evil in the wild West." Publishers Weekly

"Burton's rootin'-tootin' comic-book-style Western was and still is completely original, with its varied-colored pages and experimental graphic design. i! Yi! Whoopee!to the publishers for reissuing this progressive and energetic classic—with the villain's name properly and alliteratively restored to boot." Horn Book, Fanfare

From the Publisher

Calico, a horse with a “long and sensitive nose,” zips and bucks all around the cactus country. A cowboy, Hank, saved her from wolves when she was very little; and the two are devoted to each other. They live in a safe cactus country where everyone is happy; but not far from them, across the river, are the Badlands where Stewy Stinker and his gang live. Stinker always looks for trouble and he takes to rustling cattle from the good side of Cactus County. Coming up with a solution to stop the trouble is not easy. However, Calico has the best idea and disguises herself to help Hank catch Stewy, who still has more bad ideas in mind that he put into practice when he escapes. Again Calico takes over and solves the problem for good. This book is a Christmas classic, first published in 1949. The quick moving tale’s clear themes of good over evil and also how working together can be beneficial still holds appeal for readers/listeners. The use of green pages for the good guys and red for the bad creates an ease of knowing about the two. Black-and-white illustrations showing action extend the text and add to the pace. This is a particularly enticing tale to use with a whole class around Christmas time. Reviewer: Nancy Garhan Attebury; Ages 4 to 7.

Children's Literature - Nancy Garhan Attebury

Calico isn't a very pretty horse but she is a very smart horse. Some say she is the smartest, fastest horse in the entire county. Calico belongs to a cowboy named Hank who saved her from the wolves when she was just a baby colt. Calico and Hank work the trails together, rounding up cattle in the spring and the fall. In Cactus County, everybody is happy and nobody locks up anything. Everybody is eager to share what he or she has with everybody else. The bad guys from the Badlands come to steal the cattle that belong to Hank, and Calico must save the day, using her keen sense of smell and her lightning speed. This title from the Caldecott winning author will appeal to the elementary reader because of its comic book format and a straightforward tale where the good guys win and the bad guys are reformed. Text on each page is limited and the pictures are all in black and white. A recommended selection for reading aloud to kindergarten through third grade kids. 1997 (orig.

Children's Literature - Joyce Rice