Review by Booklist Review
Seabiscuit-itis is a rare topic for children's books, but the saga of this underdog, er, horse, makes a compelling story for kids. Here, McCarthy provides a lively if diffuse introduction to the famous animal; his owner, trainer, and jockey; and the excitement he gave to Americans during the Great Depression. McCarthy's stylized acrylic art is less successful here than in previous offerings, often appearing too static for illustrations about racing. Regardless, young horse lovers will be attracted to the visual caricature of Seabiscuit and cheer him on through this courageous triumph-over-adversity tale. The book's climax is, naturally, the big race against War Admiral, and the happy ending is followed by extensive author notes and a list of sources that includes a link to a video of this 70-year-old battle full of drama and exhilaration.--Medlar, Andrew Copyright 2008 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-McCarthy tells one of the most famous stories in horse-racing history through stylized cartoon illustrations that convey the excitement of the track. Many of the oil paintings are made to look like snapshots in a photograph album with sepia-tinged backgrounds and black corner mounts. The easy-to-read text delivers facts about Seabiscuit's "family"-his owner, trainer, and jockey-and about the big race. An author's note provides interesting anecdotes about each person involved in Seabiscuit's success and demonstrates how the underdog became a champion. This dynamic book is ideal for social-studies units on the Great Depression, and, as an engaging read-aloud, it could generate discussion on perseverance, kindness toward animals, and determination. While perhaps not a must-have, it will be enjoyed by a wide audience.-Nancy Baumann, Indian Paintbrush Elementary, Laramie, WY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In the late 1930s, when times were tough and people went to the races to escape, they fell in love with a small, funny-looking, underdog horse gentled and trained so well he beat the elegant War Admiral with an unfamiliar jockey in the saddle. The relatively simple text is characteristically and humorously illustrated by the author in cartoon-style, double-page acrylic paintings in muted colors; equally pop-eyed people and horses are emphasized with heavy black outlines. A short section describing Seabiscuit's training is set up as a photo album, with black-and-white pictures against faux-yellowed paper and short descriptions of the major figures: owner Charles Howard, trainer "Silent Tom" Smith and John "Red" Pollard, his usual jockey. McCarthy develops Seabiscuit's character in hoofbeat-like staccato sentences"Seabiscuit was wild...Seabiscuit was lazy...Seabiscuit was angry and stubborn"and explicitly draws the connection between the underdog racehorse and the down-on-its-luck public. An ample author's note and sources fill in the story and point to further information. A winning introduction to the sport of kings for the read-aloud set. (Informational picture book. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
