The Perfect Horse: The Daring Rescue of Horses Kidnapped During World War II

by Elizabeth Letts (Author)

Reading Level: 6th − 7th Grade
In this inspiring young readers adaptation of the New York Times bestseller, one American troop will save the world's most precious horses during the final stretch of World War II. When American Colonel Hank Reed and his soldiers captures a German spy, they uncover an unexpected secret: Hitler has kidnapped the world's finest purebred horses and hidden them in a secret Czechoslovakian breeding farm. But, starving Russian troops are drawing closer and the horses face the danger of becoming food instead. With little time to spare, the small American troop cross enemy lines to heroically save some of the world's most treasured animals. Elizabeth Letts details the terrifying truth of Hitler's eugenics program during World War II and shares the story of the courageous American troop dedicated to stopping it. Highlighting bravery in the face of incredible odds, this tale will shed light on a little-known piece of our past and speak to history fans and animal lovers of every age. ★ Spellbinding...a must-read. --Booklist, Starred review A Junior Library Guild Selection
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Review quotes

This account of the heroism and cooperation of unlikely people to protect these horses is spellbinding. The author's impeccable attention to detail and exhaustive sources make this a must-read.—Booklist, starred review

Well researched...A fine addition to middle and high school collections where history titles are in demand. —School Library Journal

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Praise for the Adult Edition of The Perfect Horse:

Winner of the PEN Award for Research Nonfiction
A New York Times Bestseller

"Winningly readable . . . The right director could make a Hollywood classic out of this fairy tale."—The Christian Science Monitor

"Hard to put down . . . One need not be an equestrian or horse lover in order to appreciate this story."—New York Journal of Books

"The Perfect Horse raises the narrative bar...Letts provides context that makes this account spellbinding."—Culturess

"A fascinating story of bravery and benevolence...Full of action, heartbreak and well-developed characters, it has everything needed to be adapted into an outstanding war movie...an instant favorite."—Bookreporter

"An absorbing history of an unusual rescue mission in the closing days of the war in Europe . . . Letts does an excellent job of bringing the various players to life."—BookPage

"A truly fascinating chronicle...I was hooked from start to finish."—Horse Nation

"[Elizabeth] Letts, a lifelong equestrienne, eloquently brings together the many facets of this unlikely, poignant story underscoring the love and respect of man for horses."—Kirkus Reviews
Elizabeth Letts
Elizabeth Letts is the award-winning author of two novels, Quality of Care and Family Planning, and one children's book, The Butter Man. Quality of Care was a Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club, and Books-A-Million Book Club selection. An equestrian from childhood, Letts represented California as a junior equestrian, and was runner-up in the California Horse and Rider of the Year competition. She currently lives with her husband and four children in Baltimore, Maryland.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9780525644774
Lexile Measure
1080
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Yearling Books
Publication date
February 20, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF025130 - Juvenile Nonfiction | History | Military & Wars
JNF003110 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Horses
JNF025090 - Juvenile Nonfiction | History | Holocaust
Library of Congress categories
-

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