From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6–This beautifully illustrated book takes youngsters into the world of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and their traveling "Musical Ride" show. The Mounties have entertained crowds across Canada, performing with their expertly groomed and trained horses. Newhouse captures the spirit of the Ride through an interesting narrative and elaborately detailed panoramic folk-art paintings. Done in oil on canvas, the pictures show horses and riders maneuvering against different Canadian backdrops. Additional line drawings further clarify the text, which provides historical context, details on training and equipment, and information on what happens during a performance. Readers will be interested in the finer points, such as the fact that all foals born in a single year have names beginning with the same letter, that the riders are all trained police officers, and that maple leaves are stenciled on the horses' rumps before each outing. This title makes a good recreational or educational read.–Corrina Austin, Locke's Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From the Inside Flap
The pageantry of the sleek black horses, their intricate dancelike steps, and the thrilling play of lances make the Musical Ride of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police an unforgettable experience. Rooted in the cavalry drills of the Great March West of 1874, the modern-day Musical Ride now represents the best in horsemanship.
In this loving homage to the Ride, Maxwell Newhouse captures its spirit from the riders to the equipment, the training, and the horses in words and art.
The story of the Ride and its spectacular horses is told through black and white drawings and wonderful full-color art that presents performances from the plains to the mountains and all over North America.
This book is a perfect gift for anyone who loves horses, and a perfect introduction to a national treasure that represents Canada around the world.
About the Author
Maxwell Newhouse is one of Canada’s most accomplished folk artists. His work is exhibited in galleries across Canada. He is well known for his paintings of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride, which are gathered together for the first time in this book. He has illustrated three books for Tundra, including Emily Carr: At the Edge of the World, written by Jo Ellen Bogart. He lives in Cultus Lake, British Columbia.
