Wild Horse Annie: Friend of the Mustangs

Gr 2–5—Velma Bronn Johnston's efforts to protect the wild mustangs of the western United States began in 1950, when she happened upon a truck full of wounded horses bound for the slaughterhouse. Upon learning of the burgeoning practice of rounding up the wild horses for profit or sport, she decided to speak out against the unethical treatment of the animals whose overpopulation was becoming a nuisance to ranchers. Over the course of two decades, Velma, who became known as Wild Horse Annie, tirelessly campaigned for the horses' right to roam free. Fern's account of Bronn Johnston's life and work is fast paced and on point. Readers will be captivated by the story of a Nevada ranch girl who learned to love horses at a young age and spent all of her time around them until she contracted polio at the age of 11 and was unable to ride or even walk. "When Annie left the hospital, her spine was bent and her face was twisted. Everything ached all the time. Part of Annie just wanted to hide inside her house. Instead, she got on a horse." As a member of Wild Horse Annie's pencil brigade 50 years ago, the author brings personal experience to the fascinating account of the dedication that led to the eventual passage of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. Salerno's full-page mixed-media illustrations exude the expanse of the West and invite intimacy with Annie all while maintaining a playful air of adventure. Readers will root for Annie and the mustangs she fought to protect. Teachers can use the book as a springboard for discussions about activism or the impact of habitat loss on wild animals.