Susan Williams (1) (1946–)

Susan Williams’s novel, Wind Rider is for readers 11 and up and tells the story of Fern, a girl child of the steppes who stumbles across the idea that horses might be useful for purposes other than hearty dinners. A well-crafted tale with a great ending, Williams captures perfectly the near-transcendent nature of the bond between human and horse.

An excellent story based on a young girl in the steppe some 6000 years ago. She tames a wild horse, the first of her tribe to do so. Fern provides a strong role model for young girls and the book has a strong message of strengh, courage and loyality. Highly recommended for middle school and early high school readers.

This middle-grades novel is an imagined history of the first people to domesticate the horse in the steppes of pre-historic Kazakhstan. Fern, a daughter of nomadic hunters, has always had an affinity for the wild horses her clan hunts for meat. She tames a filly, learns to ride, and the people come to value the horse as a tool and helper.