Paint the Wind by Pam Muñoz Ryan
January 23, 2009 — Mary Childs
Maya is 11 and has been raised by her very overprotective grandmother in California since her parents were killed in a car accident. When her grandmother dies of a stroke, Maya goes to live with her mother’s family in Wyoming and discovers her love for horses and rediscovers her memories of her mother who was disliked by her grandmother. As she overcomes her fears and becomes acquainted with her grandfather, uncle and Aunt Vi, she learns about her mother’s love for horses and a particular horse by the name of Artemisia. A violent earthquake brings Maya and Artemisia together one day, forcing them to help each other to safety.
Chapters alternate between hearing the story from the point of view of both Maya and Artemisia. The reader gets to know Maya and struggles with her as she patiently survives her life with her domineering grandmother and then adjusts to her new life with her mother’s relatives. Animal lovers, especially those who like horses, will really enjoy this book, but so will anyone who just wants a good story.
