I read this for school quite a few years ago, and loved it! Rich with Italian history, I soaked up every word! And being a horse lover, it was just even better! ( )

After witnessing the pageantry of the equally ancient but lesser-known festival of the contradas of Nepi, in Lazio, I can appreciate how well Marguerite Henry depicts the background to the story. The plot is well-crafted and intensely interesting. But I frequently wondered what Ms. Henry was trying to convey by having characters speak bad English: "All this you got to see." It seemed jarring, pointless, and unlike the rhythm of the Italian language. Just a quibble, but it kept pulling me out of the enchantment of the story. ( )

A delightful children's book about a boy and the horse he loved and the most famous horse race in Italy - the Palio. Engaging and aspirational, this is a lovely little book I remember from my childhood. Thanks to my local used bookseller, I was able to enjoy it all over again. Recommended for 6-9 year olds. ( )

Not the most famous, but my favorite of Ms. Henry's books. ( )

A story, based on real events, about a boy and a half-Arabian mare who enter the Palio, an annual race in Siena, Italy with all the pageantry of a medieval contest.