Joy Cowley

In 1805 Hunter is a young Maori slave who has the unique ability to see with his inner eye, allowing him to find game for the tribe. He is also plotting his escape and biding his time until the right opportunity reveals itself. While on a hunt for the elusive Moa bird that he sees in a vision, that opportunity arises. But he is also experiencing a new vision, seeing a flying canoe that holds three children, one, a young girl with golden hair and blue eyes. When the flying canoe crashes on show more the beach, Hunter finds he must stay close and risk re-capture in order to come to the aid of this “moon maiden” and her two younger brothers.

Flash forward to 2005 and Jordan and her two younger brothers are on their way home from spending some time with their aunt in Wellington. When their small charted plane crashes, she must learn how to survive and keep her brothers safe in the wilderness of Southern New Zealand. Listening and allowing an inner voice to guide her, they are able to sustain themselves and keep hope alive.

Hunter, the winner of the New Zealand Post Children’s Book of the Year 2006 is a riveting story by Joy Cowley that brings two worlds together and gives us an inspired message of how the human spirit can be connected through past generations. The author skilfully allows tension to mount in both stories as Hunter in turn becomes hunted yet cannot leave as the shadow children need his advice on food and medicine. As both a survival story and in introduction to Maori culture this book is highly readable. show less

New Zealand children's author Joy Cowley and American illustrator Layne Johnson team up in this lovely picture-book tribute to the wild horses of the American West in the late 20th century. Opening with a depiction of a fiery mare who attempts to lead her herd to safety, when government forces coral them with helicopters, the narrative follows the story of these beautiful equine creatures, who are captured and imprisoned. Considered 'useless' by many, they are slated for destruction until a show more retired cowboy steps in, creating a wild horse sanctuary in South Dakota's Black Hills. Here the horses find a home, including the mare, whose fire has all but gone out. Fortunately, the cowboy isn't ready to give up on her, and nurses her back to health...

I initially sought out Where Horses Run Free: A Dream for the American Mustang because it was illustrated by Layne Johnson, whose depiction of the beauty of the equine form in Race the Wild Wind: A Story of the Sable Island Horses so impressed me, that I wanted to see more of his work. While the illustrations here certainly lived up to my expectations - they were absolutely gorgeous! - I also enjoyed the story itself, and was interested to learn that it is based on the real-life tale of Dayton O. Hyde, a rancher, self-taught naturalist and author who opened the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary in 1988. After finishing this book, I was interested to learn more about Dayton, whose story is briefly summarized on this page of the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary's website. I think perhaps I will track down one of his memoirs or works of natural history. I do wish that Cowley had included a factual afterword about Dayton, or that someone would write a picture-book biography of him, but leaving that aside, I would recommend this one to young horse and nature lovers. It could pair nicely with other picture-books about wild horse herds, from Sandra Markle's Race the Wild Wind: A Story of the Sable Island Horses to Jim Arnosky's Wild Ponies. show less

Biddy Malone loved to dance and sing, although her talents in that direction were somewhat limited. She also had a heart full of love, although her temper was rather fierce. When her brothers' teasing sends her storming out of the house one day, and down to the riverside, she discovers a fairy village and finds herself attending a magical dance, where she meets a handsome "loveling." Asked by this handsome acorn-skinned stranger to name her three wishes, she mentions the ability to "sing as show more sweetly as a thrush, and to "dance as lightly as deer," as well as the ability to control her temper. Although only gone for half an hour by her own reckoning, Biddy discovers that she has been missing for two months when she rejoins her family. She also finds that although her wishes have not been granted outright, her time with the fairies has provided her with the inspiration to work on her goals, eventually going on to become one of the most talented singers and dancers in the country, as well as a kindhearted woman much sought after by multiple suitors. Will Biddy, having worked so hard to make her dreams a reality, find true happiness at last...?

I picked this lovely picture-book from New Zealand children's author Joy Cowley up on pure impulse this past weekend at the library, attracted by its beautiful cover artwork. I'd never heard of it before, but was struck by the subject matter and the illustrations, and decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did! The story was engaging, with a believably imperfect heroine whose good qualities (for all her flaws) will win over the reader. I appreciated the fact that Biddy must work toward making her wishes come true, rather than having them granted by an outside power. As the loveling says, "something gained for nothing has no value." I also appreciated the illustrations, done by Christopher Denise in acrylic and charcoal. The artist's palette is gorgeous - I particularly liked his use of blues and yellows - and his human characters expressive. All in all, this was a sweet little tale, one with a very satisfactory (and romantic) ending. Recommended to young readers who enjoy fairy-tales, and stories of The Little People. show less

Biddy Malone loved to sing and dance, but her voice was "like a rusty gate in a wild west wind" and her "great dundering feet fell over each other" when she danced - and then her temper was "a fine fierce thing." One day she stormed away from her parents and brothers and came upon the faerie, where a beautiful "loveling" with "skin like an acorn and hair as soft as midnight" asked her to name three wishes. Biddy wished to be able to sing and dance, and for a "loving heart." After dancing show more with the faerie, she returned home, where two months had passed, and her family thought she was dead. But over the next years, Biddy worked to become the best singer and dancer in the country, and to have a kind heart as well. Yet, she cannot make herself say yes to any proposal of marriage, still in love with the faerie boy, and eventually she returns to him in a temper, only to find that he did not grant her wishes, because "Something gained for nothing has no value." Now that she has returned, they can be together, for he loves her too. show less