Paint the Wind (Scholastic Gold)

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Overview

Children’s Literature Legacy Award Winner

A sheltered girl. A wild horse. An unforgettable journey. This riveting story from Newbery honoree and New York Times bestseller Pam Muñoz Ryan is perfect for fans of Marguerite Henry, Sara Pennypacker, and Rosanne Parry.

Maya lives like a captive.

At Grandmother's house in California, everything is forbidden: friends, fun, even memories. And her life is built on lies—lies Grandmother tells about her dead mother, and lies Maya tells to impress or manipulate. But then she moves to the vast Wyoming wilderness where her mother's family awaits — kind, rugged people who have no tolerance for lies. They challenge Maya to confront the truth about who she is. And a mysterious mustang called Artemisia waits, too. She holds the key to Maya's freedom. But to find it, Maya will have to risk everything. . . including her life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545101769
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	02/01/2009
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	59,261
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.70(d)
Lexile:	780L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Pam Muñoz Ryan is the recipient the NEA's Human and Civil Rights Award, the PEN America Award, and the 2024 Children’s Literature Legacy Award for her body of work. She was the 2018 U.S. nominee for the international Hans Christian Andersen Award. She received a Newbery Honor Medal and the Kirkus Prize for her New York Times bestselling novel, Echo. Her other celebrated novels, Esperanza Rising, The Dreamer, Riding Freedom, Becoming Naomi Léon, Paint the Wind, and Mañanaland, have received countless accolades, among them the Pura Belpré Award, the Jane Addams Children's Book Award, and the Américas Award. Her acclaimed picture books include Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride and the Sibert Honor book When Marian Sang, both illustrated by Brian Selznick, Mice and Beans illustrated by Joe Cepeda, and Tony Baloney illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham, as well as a beginning reader series featuring Tony Baloney. Ryan lives near San Diego, California, with her family.

Editorial Reviews

Awards and Praise for Paint the Wind:A Cybils Awards NomineeKeystone to Reading Book Award WinnerNautilus Book Award Silver Medal"A fun adventure." — The Washington Post"A breathtaking horse story in the enduring tradition of Marguerite Henry." — Ann M. Martin"Readers will learn much about horses, and even those who know nothing about them will cheer as Maya learns to walk, jog, lope and gallop." — Kirkus Reviews"There’s lots of adventure here (both human and equine), and the pace never lags for an instant." — Booklist"It is a story about the connection of all living things, and one can be thankful for the writers who recognize the importance of actualizing that concept." — VOYA

From the Publisher

When her imperious grandmother dies suddenly, 11-year-old Maya, an orphan, is sent to Wyoming to live with her mother's family-strangers to her, thanks to her grandmother's high-handed notions. There Maya discovers a love of horses, especially those raised and trained by her great-aunt Vi. A skilled actress, McInerney captures Maya's longings and her growing confidence. The narration adroitly shifts from childlike to a more serious tone as segments are told from the perspective of the wild mare, Artemisia, whose path will intertwine with Maya's. Others of Maya's relatives, such as her grandfather Moose and great-uncle Fig, speak with a twang that firmly places the story "out west." As a bonus, Ryan reads from the trail diary that inspired the book. Ages 10-up. Simultaneous release with the Scholastic hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 20). (Oct.)

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Publishers Weekly

Gr 4-8 Maya, an orphan, copes with her strict grandmother's harsh rules by lying and sabotaging a revolving stream of housekeepers. Upon her grandmother's sudden death, the 11-year-old is sent to Wyoming to live with her mother's family, strangers whom she has been told are wild and worthless. Maya soon discovers that she was badly misled and that her relatives are warm and loving, teaching her not only about their remuda horses but also about the wild mustangs of the surrounding hills and plains. One mare in particular attracts her attention, for it was the horse tamed and loved by her mother before it was returned to the wild. When disaster strikes, the bond between the girl and the horse is tested, and at this point the book morphs into a survival story. Against enormous odds, Maya makes it to safety with the help of Artemisia, and through these experiences her connection to her family and to the natural world are secured. Both the descriptions of the mustangs' life and of Maya's growth from an angry self-centered liar into a kind and honest girl capable of making difficult decisions are handled with skill and realism. Admirers of Ginger Kathrens's Cloud: Wild Stallion of the Rockies (BowTie, 2001) and others of its ilk will love this exciting horse tale.-Ann Robinson, formerly at Moultonborough Academy Library, NH

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