Winnie and Thunderose – by Herman Franck – Book Review

A girl’s childhood adventure takes a turn for survival when she is forced to save her horses from a burning stable in Winnie and Thunderose: An Illustrated Story of Friendship by Herman Franck, Esq.

Elizabeth is an abnormally calm girl and was taken to a doctor for her condition. However, her parents, Henry and Alice, noted that Elizabeth is extraordinarily intrigued by horses, as she forms an innate bond when she is around a horse. Then, “under the doctor’s orders”, her parents are instructed to get her a horse.

This begins a journey from California to Kentucky and leads to the discovery of Winnie, an energetic young pony and Thunderose, a champion Thoroughbred with 6 major wins on her record. As money is not an issue for Elizabeth’s parents, who also have the acreage and stable to properly care for the horses, both horses are bought and brought home for Elizabeth to look after.

Intertwined throughout the story are beautiful charcoal illustrations by an extremely talented artist, Maria Byerley. Each drawing uniquely captures the greatness of the equestrian spirit, the sensitive love of the girl and her family, and the settings of the Southwest and Kentucky regions. The illustrations create a storyboard of imagination that symbiotically enhances the enjoyment of the plot; since the story in turn embellishes the appreciation of the drawings. In particular, a drawing of Winnie and Thunderose looking out from their stable window at night, with the “reverse use” of erased charcoal to bring out the stars against a dark sky, has an indelible artistic element in my memory. Another is a portrait of a Native American woman depicting the facial features of Arizona tribes, and it’s so beautifully illustrated that I couldn’t turn the page for minutes when I first saw it.

Friendship and love becomes the matrix of relationships. Winnie and Thunderose have an animal bond similar to love. Elizabeth loves each horse separately, and of course Henry and Alice’s love for their daughter is told in a wholesome and functional way. Emotions run high during a fierce crisis of survival when lightning strikes a tree and sets the adjacent barn on fire, endangering the lives of the horses and ultimately Elizabeth and a firefighter as well. The combination of learning about the personalities of the horses, seeing the special bonds with Elizabeth, and feeling the love of her family created a uniquely enjoyable story to read to young children, or have them read this book on their own once they can. do it. I was impressed by the eloquent way in which Herman Franck showed how working with beautiful animals inspired Elizabeth to come out of her shell.

This book is highly recommended for inclusion in school libraries, as well as in the personal collections of families raising their children. It would make a great birthday gift for any single digit annual party. It is a book to read over and over again, with illustrations to contemplate without haste, enjoying the delight of the images of a very well told story.