Across the Ice: How We Saved the Ojibwe Horse

Gr 2-4–The Ojibwe horse is a wild breed once reduced to only four horses in Canada’s Lac La Croix First Nation. When their horses faced extermination by the Canadian government, they smuggled them across the border into Minnesota. The story is told from the first-person perspective of a child listening to their grandmother tell this true story of a daring operation towing a trailer full of horses across a frozen lake. Readers have to take in the action secondhand. The first-person narrative style muddles the fact-based aspects of the story. It is unclear if the conversation actually happened or if this family exists. Furthermore, the story is cluttered with unnecessary dialogue. The horses and people are lovingly illustrated, although some spreads feature awkward proportions and simplistic, flat backdrops. The artist has a strong talent for lighting compositions—the light of the moon, interior lighting, and sun on the snow all glimmer on the page. Back matter includes additional information about the Ojibwe horse and current conservation efforts.