A Horse Came Running

by Meindert De Jong, Paul Sagsoorian (Illustrator)

Mark returned to consciousness on the floor of the cellar. His parents were in town and he had no way of knowing whether the tornado had spared them as it had spared him. All he knew was that he must find Colonel, the ancient horse who was his friend. He had seen Colonel plunging ahead of the whirling black funnel, trying to outrun it. He must find Colonel, for Colonel would need him. But the old horse was not alone in his need for Mark. There was the strange horse with the cut leg, standing in the creek. And there were the neighbours, Mr. and Mrs. Sayers. "Everything's hurt tonight," said Mr. Sayers, "and what's least hurt has got to help what's really hurt." In the days that followed, Mark had to face up to the real meaning of love and responsibility - and death. "A Horse Came Running" is a warm and abiding affirmation of life, made unforgettable by the genius of Meindert DeJong.

Genres: Childrens

160 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1970

About the author

Meindert De Jong was an award-winning author of children's books. He was born in the village of Wierum, of the province of Friesland, in the Netherlands.

De Jong immigrated to the United States with his family in 1914. He attended Dutch Calvinist secondary schools and Calvin College, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and entered the University of Chicago, but left without graduating.

He held various jobs during the Great Depression, and it was at the suggestion of a local librarian that he began writing children's books. His first book The Big Goose and the Little White Duck was published in 1938.

He wrote several more books before joining the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, serving in China. After the war he resumed writing, and for several years resided in Mexico. He returned for a time to Michigan. After settling in North Carolina, he returned to Michigan for the final years of his life.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much about horses, but even more the exciting adventure of trying to survive the aftermath of a tornado. Wouldn't really be my kind of story, but DeJong is such a good writer, and so good at showing us how kids think & feel, that it's magical.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I sat down to start this book over coffee this morning and finished it in a couple of short hours. It is a book written for children, but I didn’t want to put it down. Like in his other books, DeJong captures perfectly the mind of a child. This is a very exciting and heart-warming tale and I will be having my kids read it soon. Excellent book.

[E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all-time favorites from childhood. Re-read it as an adult and liked it almost as much. This one will always have a spot on my bookshelf.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book when I was about 8 or 9. Many of the scenes have stuck with me over the years, and it may be the reason why I have been fascinated by tornadoes all these years. Great book.

[Casey Hanning · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my all-time favorites from my childhood. I still have the old paperback in my daughter's room. I have been thinking of re-reading it soon. Such a great book.

[Ilona Ciller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling childhood read, though it was sad at times.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably my least favorite of the DeJong books I've read so far but still pretty good. There's the fear and excitement of a tornado, and a boy's love for an old horse and a new one. There's DeJong's gift of bringing generations together to work as a team. But it's a bit sadder than other DeJong books I've read and Mark and Mr. Sayer are really the only humans in the greater part of the book. I would've liked more of Mark's parents and Mama.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for the first time somewhere around 3 or 4th grade... I adored it. Possibly because it centered around horses and wasn't a Black Stallion novel, of which I knew all by heart... I cried every time The Colonel died but I could only imagine what it was like to have your best friend die... this time I cried when The Colonel died because it brought back vivid memories of sitting in the dirt and holding Buddy's head while he died. Two horses have died in my care over the years and my biggest regret was that I was unable to bury them.

A charming book, but... not as charming as I remembered it. I am still giving it four stars because it did such a beautiful job of bringing Buddy back to me. I'm sure I will re-read it in another 30 years.

[Michael Neely · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was happy to find this book again. I read this when I was young and my grandmother would take me during the Summer to the bi-weekly appearance of the bookmobile! It has always remained in my memory as one of my favorites!

[Lisa Stethem · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book slowly over the months. It was an easy read written with mid west improper grammar. I love horses and stories of those who love them. This book was sad but also happy.