Gaudenzia, Pride of the Palio

After witnessing the pageantry of the smaller and lesser-known festival of the contradas of the (smaller and lesser-known) city of Nepi, in Lazio, I can appreciate how well Marguerite Henry depicts the background to the story. The plot is well-crafted and intensely interesting. But I frequently wondered what Ms. Henry was trying to convey by having characters speak bad English: "All this you got to see." It seemed jarring, pointless, and unlike the rhythm of the Italian language. Just a quibble, but it kept pulling me out of the enchantment of the story and contributed to my regretful decision that this book did not deserve a permanent place on my extremely overcrowded shelves. Although I really wanted my Italian grandchildren to enjoy show more the milieu, the mildly offensive depiction of Italians as unable to speak their own language was not something I wanted to expose them to. show less

I read this for school quite a few years ago, and loved it! Rich with Italian history, I soaked up every word! And being a horse lover, it was just even better!

A delightful children's book about a boy and the horse he loved and the most famous horse race in Italy - the Palio. Engaging and aspirational, this is a lovely little book I remember from my childhood. Thanks to my local used bookseller, I was able to enjoy it all over again. Recommended for 6-9 year olds.

A story, based on real events, about a boy and a half-Arabian mare who enter the Palio, an annual race in Siena, Italy with all the pageantry of a medieval contest.

Not the most famous, but my favorite of Ms. Henry's books.