Text © 2012 Susan Hughes
Illustrations © 2012 Kids Can Press
ISBN 978-1-55453-994-9 (ePub)
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of Kids Can Press Ltd. or, in case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, a license from The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). For an Access Copyright license, visit www.accesscopyright.ca or call toll free to 1-800-893-5777.
This is a work of fiction and any resemblance of characters to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Kids Can Press acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Ontario, through the Ontario Media Development Corporationâs Ontario Book Initiative; the Ontario Arts Council; the Canada Council for the Arts; and the Government of Canada, through the BPIDP, for our publishing activity.
Published in Canada by
Kids Can Press Ltd.
25 Dockside Drive
Toronto, ON M5A 0B5
Published in the U.S. by
Kids Can Press Ltd.
2250 Military Road
Tonawanda, NY 14150
www.kidscanpress.com
Edited by Tara Walker
Designed by Marie Bartholomew
Illustrations by Alicia Quist
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Hughes, Susan, 1960â
The island horse / by Susan Hughes ; illustrations by Alicia Quist.
ISBN 978-1-55453-592-7
I. Quist, Alicia II. Title.
PS8565.U42I75 2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â jC813â.54Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â C2011-904470-6
To Barb Williams, my fellow horse-crazy childhood pal and riding buddy; and to Sheilagh Hale, Jane Helleiner, Beth Hunt and Miff Lysaght, wonderful neighborhood pals who agreed to take part in so many of our horse-obsessed activities, including both pretending to
ride
horses and
be
horses.
Chapter One
It was a gentle spring afternoon, and, Ellie realized with a smile, it was special.
Ellie was walking home from the village school with her best friend, Lizzie. She held her books, pencil box and slate in one arm. With her other hand, she swung her blue bonnet by its straps.
The day was special because it seemed so regular, so ordinary. The day was special because for the first time in many months, Ellie felt ⦠happy!
The road was in front. The sea was beside. And everywhere above was the sky.
They reached Lizzieâs little house. The girls were saying their good-byes when Lizzieâs mother came hurrying out with a smile and a warm loaf of bread. âFor you and your pa,â she told Ellie.
âThank you, Mrs. McQuarrie.â
Ellie turned up the path that led to her small cottage. It was halfway up the hill from the village on the coast of Nova Scotia.
Ellie had always lived here, and she always would. It was what Ellie and her mother used to say.
âThis is our lovely home.â That would be Ellieâs mother. Sheâd smile and spread her arms wide in the sunshine.
âFor always,â Ellie would reply.
When Ellie reached the cottage, she called, âHello, Pa!â But this afternoon, he wasnât there. So Ellie quickly did her chores. She pumped a bucketful of water. She counted the chickens in the yard and checked for eggs in the coop. Then she cut a slice of the fresh bread and ate it while she did her schoolwork at the kitchen table.
Now, finally, she was finished her tasks. She ran to her room and got her special wooden box. She brought it back to the table. The box was full of drawings. Drawings of horses that she had done and saved. Ellie looked at her favorites. One was a horse galloping. One was a horse rearing. One was a horse stamping its foot.
Ellie loved horses, but especially horses that were wild and free. Her family had never had a horse of any kind, and neither had Lizzieâs. There were a few ponies in the village, of course. But most were for pulling carts or dragging the boats up from the shore in winter. Only a few were for riding.
Ellie had never
Illustrations © 2012 Kids Can Press
ISBN 978-1-55453-994-9 (ePub)
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of Kids Can Press Ltd. or, in case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, a license from The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). For an Access Copyright license, visit www.accesscopyright.ca or call toll free to 1-800-893-5777.
This is a work of fiction and any resemblance of characters to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Kids Can Press acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Ontario, through the Ontario Media Development Corporationâs Ontario Book Initiative; the Ontario Arts Council; the Canada Council for the Arts; and the Government of Canada, through the BPIDP, for our publishing activity.
Published in Canada by
Kids Can Press Ltd.
25 Dockside Drive
Toronto, ON M5A 0B5
Published in the U.S. by
Kids Can Press Ltd.
2250 Military Road
Tonawanda, NY 14150
www.kidscanpress.com
Edited by Tara Walker
Designed by Marie Bartholomew
Illustrations by Alicia Quist
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Hughes, Susan, 1960â
The island horse / by Susan Hughes ; illustrations by Alicia Quist.
ISBN 978-1-55453-592-7
I. Quist, Alicia II. Title.
PS8565.U42I75 2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â jC813â.54Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â C2011-904470-6
To Barb Williams, my fellow horse-crazy childhood pal and riding buddy; and to Sheilagh Hale, Jane Helleiner, Beth Hunt and Miff Lysaght, wonderful neighborhood pals who agreed to take part in so many of our horse-obsessed activities, including both pretending to
ride
horses and
be
horses.
Chapter One
It was a gentle spring afternoon, and, Ellie realized with a smile, it was special.
Ellie was walking home from the village school with her best friend, Lizzie. She held her books, pencil box and slate in one arm. With her other hand, she swung her blue bonnet by its straps.
The day was special because it seemed so regular, so ordinary. The day was special because for the first time in many months, Ellie felt ⦠happy!
The road was in front. The sea was beside. And everywhere above was the sky.
They reached Lizzieâs little house. The girls were saying their good-byes when Lizzieâs mother came hurrying out with a smile and a warm loaf of bread. âFor you and your pa,â she told Ellie.
âThank you, Mrs. McQuarrie.â
Ellie turned up the path that led to her small cottage. It was halfway up the hill from the village on the coast of Nova Scotia.
Ellie had always lived here, and she always would. It was what Ellie and her mother used to say.
âThis is our lovely home.â That would be Ellieâs mother. Sheâd smile and spread her arms wide in the sunshine.
âFor always,â Ellie would reply.
When Ellie reached the cottage, she called, âHello, Pa!â But this afternoon, he wasnât there. So Ellie quickly did her chores. She pumped a bucketful of water. She counted the chickens in the yard and checked for eggs in the coop. Then she cut a slice of the fresh bread and ate it while she did her schoolwork at the kitchen table.
Now, finally, she was finished her tasks. She ran to her room and got her special wooden box. She brought it back to the table. The box was full of drawings. Drawings of horses that she had done and saved. Ellie looked at her favorites. One was a horse galloping. One was a horse rearing. One was a horse stamping its foot.
Ellie loved horses, but especially horses that were wild and free. Her family had never had a horse of any kind, and neither had Lizzieâs. There were a few ponies in the village, of course. But most were for pulling carts or dragging the boats up from the shore in winter. Only a few were for riding.
Ellie had never
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