Blackie, The Horse Who Stood Still

by Christopher Cerf, Paige Peterson

In a pasture in Kansas one early spring morn
A horse quite unlike other horses was born.
His coat was coal black so they named the horse “Blackie,”
And before very long folks found out he was wacky!

Meet Blackie, the stubbornly motionless equine hero of Christopher Cerf and Paige Peterson’s delightful and touching biography-in-verse, Blackie, The Horse Who Stood Still.

See, most colts are frisky but Blackie was not.
Blackie liked standing still! Yes, he liked it a lot!
“What’s the hurry?” thought Blackie. “There’s so much to see
Standing here in the shade of a juniper tree…..

This (mostly) true tale tells the heart-warming story of a horse who made standing stock-still a lifelong endeavor—while becoming a champion rodeo horse, a tourist favorite at Yosemite Park, a legendary environmental crusader, and the beloved mascot of one of America’s most beautiful towns, Tiburon, California, on the shores of San Francisco Bay.

The word quickly spread ‘bout the new horse in town
And from all ‘round the county young kids headed down
To the pasture where Blackie could always be found
Standing still, like a rock, on the same patch of ground.

Magically illustrated by Peterson’s lyrical paintings, Blackie is destined to become a children’s classic in the tradition of Munro Leaf’s Ferdinand the Bull and Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, The playful, clever, rhyming text will charm adults and children alike as it delivers an important message about appreciating and preserving the natural beauty around us.

“What a beautiful place!” Blackie thought when they got there,
“I simply can’t wait just to stand in one spot there
And watch a gull soar, or a tree gently sway,
Or the fog rolling in from the hills ‘cross the bay…

Genres: Picture Books, Horses, Childrens, Nonfiction

64 pages, Hardcover

First published September 19, 2006

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this true story written in verse about a wonder of a horse, who was quiet and had the knack, and love, of standing still. This isn’t the usual positive attribute of a horse, so you’ll need to read all the ways that “worked” positively only because Blackie stood still. He was so beloved that a memorial can be found where his final days were spent, a memorial to the horse that was always there, the friendly greeter to hundreds who saw and visited him.

[Reagan Fulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was given to me when I was 6 years old by my great-aunt and I loved reading it as a kid. I hadn't read it in 10 plus years, so I figured this would be a good one to re-read as an adult. It is based on a true story about a horse named Blackie who lived for 40 years, 28 of those years were spent in the San Francisco Bay area, which is where my great-aunt lives. It is a great book for kids who love horses, and it is also written in poetry form, which exposes kids to another type of writing. The illustrations are also beautiful and captivating. Although, it is a little long so it would be better suited as a read-aloud book or for upper elementary schoolers.

[Claudia Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting true story about a very unique horse. Blackie was truly unique.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

These paintings, fat and tacky with paint and ink, are terrific. But the AABB rhyme is TOO LONG!