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Across the Ice: How We Saved the Ojibwe Horse
CCBC Review:
A moving fictional narrative tells of the real-life efforts to rescue and revitalize a nearly extinct horse breed. At Lac La Croix First Nation in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, two siblings are awake past their bedtime on “a special night.” As they anticipate an arrival, Nookomis offers to tell them the story of the Ojibwe horses, a pony native to—but now absent from—the land. Long ago, these “curious and friendly” ponies were captured by Indigenous people, who trained them to assist with manual labor in the fall and winter and let them roam free in the spring and summer so that they could have foals. By the time Nookomis was born, most ponies had been rounded up and killed by the government. The four that remained (all mares) were caught by the Indigenous community and transported across the frozen lake to Minnesota, where they would be safe. To preserve the breed, the farmer who took them in bred them with a mustang stallion, which continued the line and slowly increased the size of the herd. On this night, the siblings and other family members are awaiting the arrival of six Ojibwe horses, the first of the breed to return home. “Now you are part of the story, too,” Nookomis tells her grandchildren as they joyfully greet the animals. An Afterword provides additional interesting information about this unique breed and its importance to the Ojibwe people. ©2026 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Natasha Donovan
CCBC Age Recommendation: 5-8
Age Range:
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
Animals (Fiction)
First/Native Nations
Ojibwe People
Diversity subject:
Indigenous
Publisher:
Candlewick
Publish Year: 2025
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9781536229455
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Whitecrow