Spirit: Stallion on the Cimarron

by David Clement-Davies, William Maughan (Illustrator)

Here is a rousingly told and sumptuously illustrated picture book featuring the stunning vistas of the American West, as seen through the eyes of its most heroic animal, the horse.

Spirit is the leader of a herd of wild mustangs. Rustlers, soldiers, and railroad builders capture and attempt to tame the stallion just as they are taming the land, but the mustang has a determination and a need for freedom that cannot be contained. Through bravery, cunning, and an unexpected friendship with a Native American boy, Spirit finds his way home again.

Genres: Picture Books

40 pages, Hardcover

First published April 29, 2002

About the author

David was born in 1964 and went to Westminster School and Edinburgh University. There, Clement-Davies read History and English Literature, specializing in the Italian Renaissance, and Russian Literature and Society. For many years, he dreamed of one day becoming an actor taking a drama course and working in theater. However, he was also interested in writing and soon became a freelance travel journalist.

Clement-Davies lived in a little mountain home in Andalusia region of Spain to write The Sight, has traveled the world and now also lives in London. He has also written a musical, two adult novels, and a play, set in the present and the 17th century, called Startled Anatomies, alongside his children’s books. His online publishing website is phoeniarkpress.com and from there he is trying to create a grass roots publisher.

Reviews

[Hannah Heverling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up as a horse fan, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As a child, I also enjoyed the major motion picture version of the story. This book is based off of the movie. However, this story teaches love, compassion, friendship, trust, and integrity to young readers. It will also result in a strong connection between the parent and child if read together, loads of laughs and smiles on this adventure!

[PumpkinParker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wouldn't recommend this to someone who hasn't seen the movie, but the art is GORGEOUS and the writing style goes beyond what you would typically see in a picture book, which makes the emotions really shine through