Books with title Living Wild: Wild Horses

Animals facing threats from human encroachment are featured in these offerings from the Our Wild World series. Prairie Dogs looks at critters considered a keystone species by scientists, linked to the survival of about 40 other species. Horse-lovers will gravitate to the doe-eyed bays on the cover of Wild Horses, which introduces readers to the scattered herds of mustangs still roaming the U.S. Both books spend a great deal of time on these animals' fascinating social systems, from the bands of mares led by a single stallion to prairie dog towns subdivided into coteries. The prose is consistently clear and lively, although Lorbiecki's breathless marveling at prairie dogs' language of chirks, yips, and other vocalizations may lead children to anthropomorphize more than is warranted.

Herds of feral horses such as the mustangs of America, Australian brumbies, and the white horses of the Carmargue in France, roam free on the world's grasslands. Wild horses are tough and hardy, with keen senses, and strong community bonds. Their beauty, speed, and power evoke everything that people love about horses. Nature Watch Wild Horses investigates the lives of these graceful creatures and their close relatives such as wild asses and zebras. Amazing wildlife photography takes you to the center of the herd while the text explains clearly what is going on -and why. There are special features on particular aspects of horse life, such as the birth of a foal or the migration of a herd of zebras, while myth boxes introduce folk tales and legends about horses from diverse cultures.

Descended from domesticated animals, herds of wild horses roam plains, deserts, and wetlands around the world. Readers will learn how these feral populations came to exist, how they are different from domestic horses, and how they form complex social bonds. They will also learn about the long relationship between humans and horses and find out why many farmers consider feral horses to be a nuisance.