LitPick Review
In a small western town of Silverbrook lived a young boy named Hugo who was always so eager to try new things. In doing so, he found himself having issues concentrating on just one thing at a time. His thoughts would be like wild horses running all around without any organization or calm to them. He wanted to build a doghouse, learn how to paint, learn about the earth, and even plant a garden, but he couldn’t sit still long enough to complete any creative idea he came up with. This frustrated him to the point of asking his grandmother and cowboy uncle for help.
His grandmother explained that just like wild horses that are full of energy and life, they also need to eventually find a peace and calmness within themselves. She further emphasized that just like those wild horses, so too do Hugo’s thoughts. He needs to calm down his thoughts and process each one individually so he can take action on them in an orderly fashion. She further inspired him by telling him once his thoughts were tamed and controlled, that’s when new knowledge can be learned and processed.
His cowboy uncle further advised Hugo that you have to be patient with every wild horse and let them learn how to calm themselves enough to trust and learn how to be around people. He told Hugo that people are very similar to horses in that they have to calm themselves, take in their surroundings, and then make calm decisions what to do next.
Did Hugo take the wonderful advice offered by his grandmother and uncle?
Opinion:
I absolutely loved this children’s story because it set out to teach children that you need organized thoughts in order to think calmly and clearly. If you run around with a million uncontrolled thoughts all the time, you won’t have the energy to fulfill any dreams, hopes, or desires you might have for yourself. The idea of comparing Hugo’s untamed thoughts to that of untamed wild horses was an ingenious idea that carried throughout this entertaining children’s story.
I also loved the fact that Christian Ferguson Pierre and John Burnett Bing wrote about how Hugo felt he needed guidance so he went to his grandmother and cowboy uncle to seek the knowledge he lacked at that time. This teaches children that when they find themselves needing assistance, the best situation is to go to a grownup and ask for help in whatever they are trying to accomplish. I feel this is wonderful advice to offer children so they know that seeking help from an adult isn’t anything to be frowned upon because they can help direct you the proper way to eventually achieve whatever goal the child has set in their mind.
The illustrations provided by both Christian Ferguson Pierre and John Burnett Bing were uniquely hand-drawn, while being filled in with vibrant watercolors. I loved the intricate details included in each illustration, showcasing what cowboy life encompassed. As you turn the pages and read along, the illustrations perfectly reflected the story that was told in written word. Every nuance of the story could be found in the beautifully detailed illustrations. I couldn’t help but pause to thoroughly take in each picture as if it was its own story being told in picture format. One bonus I would be remiss if I didn’t mention was that the illustrations were found on every single page of this children’s book. Each illustration was rich in details for the readers to enjoy while reading along.
One fun tidbit of information I would love to share was that both Pierre and Bing live in Colorado where they both enjoy nature, art, mountains, and city life. They love traveling and it is because of their travels that they were inspired to write this children’s book together.
Overall, Taming Wild Horses is the perfect children’s book to read to your child or have them read it themselves because it teaches children that in order to achieve any goal they set for themselves, they must have calm and control thoughts in order to follow through. Plus, the lesson taught that a child shouldn’t frown upon seeking assistance from an adult to help them achieve those goals is a valuable one. This book was a delight to read and I highly recommend it!
