Jill Pinkwater

Cloud Horse

Lothrop, Lee & Shepherd, New York, 1983, illus Irene Brady, 236 pp.

“The horse flies across the Arctic plain. Its step is sure, its head held high. The billowing mane
and tail, cloudlike, are carried on the wind.  This is a horse of dreams.  The dreamers, Arnora,
a Viking girl of the distant past, and Kate, a modern American, are brought together through
the centuries by their love of the free-spirited horses of Iceland.  Arnora dreams of one day
sailing to Vinland, where the sun shines all winter.  Kate Dreams of strange and wonderful
horses racing across the sky.”

Jill Pinkwater has illustrated many books, particularly her husband Daniel’s.  She has written a few books herself, of which Cloud Horse is the only book about horses, though despite her career in illustration, she didn’t do the pictures for this book.  The story is based on real-life experiences; particularly on Derry, an Icelandic mare, who with her foal, Pferdeleh lived with Jill and her husband on their farm in upstate New York.  The couple are also keen dog owners, and have an Innuit dog. 

Many thanks to Susan Bourgeau for all the information in this section.

Finding the book:  easy to find; many copies are ex-library but good copies which haven’t been in a library are readily available. The book wasn’t published in the UK.  

Sources and links:

A website about Daniel and Jill Pinkwater.
More about Jill and Daniel Pinkwater’s dog.

Bibliography - horse books only