Wild Blue: The Story of a Mustang Appaloosa

Breyer Horse Portrait Collection

by Annie Wedekind

Born Free!Among a patterned herd of wild Appaloosa mustangs running free in the Idaho wilderness lives Blue, a spirited filly the color of rain. Surrounded by her family, including her gentle sister Doe, and protected by her father, the band stallion, Blue lives a life both harsh and beautiful in the rugged terrain of an undiscovered habitat. That all changes, though, when Blue and Doe are captured by rogue cowboys, setting in motion a chain of events that threatens the very survival of their hidden, secret herd.

Genres: Horses, Childrens, Middle Grade, Contemporary, Young Adult, Animals

92 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Annie Wedekind grew up riding horses in Louisville, Kentucky. Since then, she’s been in the saddle in every place she’s lived, from Rhode Island to New Orleans, South Africa to New York. Her first novel, A Horse of Her Own, was praised by Kirkus as “possibly the most honest horse book since National Velvet . . . A champion.” She is also the author of The Breyer Horse Collection books, including Wild Blue, Little Prince, Samirah’s Ride, and Mercury’s Flight. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/anniew...

Reviews

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good but was sad at some parts. I can't really say anything about it because of spoilers, but she gets taken by some people with her sister and almost gets sold. Somehow she gets out and it's pretty much about how she gets back to her home.

[Sarah Ryder · Rating 3 out of 5]

****Nostalgia Rating 4 Stars****

A book I read and enjoyed a lot when I was younger with a beautiful cover. I still think it’s a good and well written tale told from a horse’s POV however I just found it a bit more…dry I guess then what I remembered it being before. Or my tastes have just changed—not sure. 🤷🏼‍♀️

It’s still good especially for a younger reader, just not great.


‼️Content‼️

Language: durn

Violence: horses are trapped and captured; injuries and blood (not detailed); a horse is swept away by a river

Drug/Alcohol: a man smokes


[Read as one of my 2023 Specific Rereads goal]

[Jill Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Born Free! This is the tale of a Mustang Appaloosa with particular markings. Blue was born wild in the mountains with her herd and she is strong-willed and courageous. Protective of her younger half-blood siblings she would not leave the ailing Shadow when he was caught in a human trap. Little did Blue know that the trap was set so that she and her sister Doe would be taken from their home. The two were inseparable since Doe's birth. They would be snared by two red-neck cowboys who had no idea how to care for the animals they'd captured.

This book is wonderfully written from the horses' point of view with the aid of Native American Indians helping return the bruised and weary animal to her mountain home. It makes the story all the more beautiful when I think of the culling of Australia's mountain mustangs. I hope that many survived to roam free in the Snowy mountains.

[Mikaela McGhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Choice book #1 Quarter#3 Wild Blue: The Story of a Mustang Appaloosa By Annie Wedekind
Wild Blue is a fiction realistic fiction book.
The main characters are Blue and her sister Doe.
The main problem is that Blue and her younger half sister Doe are caught and have to travel many places in a trailer. They arrive at many different pens and corals.
The book is about a Appaloosa filly named Blue and her sister Doe living free. But then their new half sister is caught in a tight snare. Their father waits for them but then they urge him to take the thirsty to go quench their thirst at the fresh water hole. Blue and her sister Doe wait and wait anxiously. It starts to thunder storm. They stay by their younger sisters side. But then a truck comes and Doe startles and runs but then also gets caught by a snare attached to a large rock. Blue and Doe are taken away from their home and into a trailer. They stop at many pens and corals. Will they ever get home?
I think the book is fantastic. It's really realistic and makes you feel that your really right there with Blue and Doe. Also it feels like your right there with their struggles and their feelings and you kinda develop a bond with the characters. I almost thought that it was based on a documentary. I think it's the best realistic fiction about horses. It was super good. It was the best.
I enjoyed it because it brought you close to the horses and how they feel.
My favorite part was in the beginning of the book.
I does engage my emotions because it was really kind of sad near the end.
It felt complete
I can compare it to a book i just can't think of it. It's about Pegasus.
It is perfect the way it is.

[Emory Ivie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so touching and inspirational! I received it for Christmas when I was just a little kid, and it sat on my shelf for a small amount of time before I read it. Years later, I decided to read it again, as I had forgotten what happened within its pages and was ready to delve in once more. I actually had thought I outgrew the book, but I can tell you that even now, at 14 years old, I found such pleasure in this heartwarming story. In this second person, omniscient narrative, Blue is an Appaloosa mustang with a beautiful, black roan coat which gives her the color of rain. After she is captured by cowboys, she is determined to rescue herself and her sister Doe and return to their secret herd in the wild.

I was touched by how these fictional characters seemed so real, almost touchable. The way Wedekind describes the bravery and courage in Blue's heart as the horse faces trial after trial is phenomenal, and the description of the scenery is on-point. Wedekind's use of metaphors and personification really make the landscape and the uniqueness of the terrain come alive. My only problem is that the book started really slowly (which is why I put the book down so many times as a little kid and never actually got to the story), but it ended kind of abruptly, compared to the first chapters, with much less description. There was one horse anatomy mistake but I doubt fast readers will catch it. Apart from these, the book was great and I'll be keeping it on my shelf! It seems best suited for readers in the 8 to 12 age range, but I'm 14 and devoured it. Thanks, Wedekind, for another awesome horse book! I'll be reading it again!

[Millie Blackman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Survivor

It outlines the desperate bid for freedom by a beautiful wild Spirit .
With the help of some of the best horsemen the world has ever known she wins her freedom.
If more people don't become enlightened we will have no Mustangs.
The herds are being destroyed by helicopter round ups. There are thousands in holding. Thousands more that "disappear" into the slaughter pipeline.
Why: MONEY, the Root of All Evil.
Grazing fees paid to the government by cattlemen that ship their beef out of Country.
Some herds need intervention due to drought, etc.
But if an animal that has lived in the Wilderness for hundreds of years can't live there what makes Man think weak domestic animals can.

[Mousie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvelous story

This sensitive, moving adventure of Blue and her kind brought tears to my eyes, and it brought back memories of a gentle Appaloosa I used to ride when I was young. Anyone who loves horses shouldn't miss this Breyer series of books, for its rare compassion and love for all animals.

[Lara Samuels · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoughtful editing in the beginning chapters particularly would have made this a stronger story and widened the audience in my opinion. It is a delightful history lesson if the reader can hang in there. Horse fans will find this a satisfactory tale.

[Carly King · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book and story. I liked how parts of the book were kinda in the horse's perspective, but not really. The book was in 3rd person, but it had all of the horse's feelings. Overall, I thought that this was a good book!

[Sally Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up reading horse books. The Black Stallion series, Misty of Chincoteague, etc. This story brought back those wonderful memories. Part of the Breyer Horse collection series, it is written from the viewpoint of the horse. I loved this book!

[Vivien Clement · Rating 5 out of 5]

1.who was your favrite character ( why ) Wild Blue (why) he's the character of the story 2. what suprised you (nothing realy) 3. would you change the ending (no) because i liked the ending.

[Mythical Mishmash · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the first third, but got bored quickly after Blue got captured. A bit of a slog to finish.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

WILD BLUE is one of the books in a new series called the Breyer Horse Collection. According to a letter that opens the book, this fiction series is designed to help readers learn about and appreciate different breeds of horses along with their history and characteristics. This collection is sure to be a success with middle grade readers who love horses or are just looking for an enjoyable wildlife adventure.

Blue is a wild mustang appaloosa. At two years old she has only known life in the wilds of Idaho. Living with her small band of wild horses, she is used to wide-open spaces and the freedom to roam without the interference of mankind.

One afternoon a pony is caught in a snare trap, and Blue and her sister, Doe, watch helplessly. A sudden thunderstorm and torrential rain complicate the situation, making escape impossible. Two cowboys show up, but instead of rescuing the struggling horse, they use ropes to capture Blue and her sister. The fear-stricken horses are loaded into a trailer and taken from the only home they've ever known.

What follows is a terrifying ordeal seen through the eyes of Blue the wild mustang. She experiences men for the first time, as well as captivity, the modern mechanical world, and things she never knew existed. No matter how frightening her world becomes, she stays focused on one thing only - escape. More than anything she wants to return to Idaho and life with her herd.

Annie Wedekind captures the essence of the wild mustang. In the beginning, she creates a vivid picture of the free life of the wild horse. Then her stirring descriptions take readers into the terrifying world of captivity, including all its sights and sounds and trembling fear. She shows both the good and the bad when it comes to people and their treatment of animals. Blue's story will touch the heart of even the most jaded reader.

[Renata Shura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually liked this much more than I expected to, especially since the first three chapters are really slow. Plus a couple other things like using italics for dialog instead of quotation marks and describing the colors so in detail, but that's really just a personal pet peeve.

It is a well-written book, with occasional flowery descriptions, but on the whole it's solid and not watered down "fluff."

The greatest strength is the point of view...she really gets into the head of the wild mustang, in a very believable way. It's obvious the author understands horses and their behavior. She also builds suspense throughout so that it really is hard to put down, since you want to know the outcome...which I'm glad to say is satisfying, though tinged with a bit of sadness.

It's nice to see Breyer team up with a talented author!

[Rachel Sours · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really sweet story for young lovers of horses. It is written almost entirely from the point of view of the horse Blue, a wild Appaloosa. The writer did a great job of making the world so visual and sensory driven. This is important as that is how our main character experiences much of the story. I read this to my three children; 2,4 and 5. The youngest couldn't draw anything from it and some very descriptive words were often lost on my 4 year old. My 5 year old was able to follow it fairly well though. Still made for older children though. There are some intense parts that for a sensitive child may be hard to hear. Injuries and such. Overall, I found this a wonderful story for young readers to get insight into how animals may see us.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

the book is for horse lovers! but it gets really boring at parts.

[Lillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

the book was great. It is tuching how blue and doe cant say away from ther family.

[Jennifer Priester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very realistically told. The author clearly knows something about horse behavior and language. It is also a good and well told story.