Chucaro, Wild Pony of the Pampa by Kalnay, Francis - 1958

New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1958. Hardbound . 9th Printing. BINDING/CONDITION: brick-colored cloth with black; this is an EX-LIBRARY copy with all the usual markings; other than library markings, the book is in Very Good condition, with a Very Good+ dust jacket; publisher's price on the jacket flap is intact. Dust jacket art and interior black and white illustrations by Julian de Miskey. This story was the 1959 Newberry Medal winner. Twelve year old Pedro finds a wild pony one day when it wanders in to graze on alfalfa on the ranch where he lives. His gaucho friend, Juan lassoes the pony for him and helps Pedro to gentle the colt and train him. But when the ranch owner hears of the pony, his spoiled son wants the pony for his own. A story of a boy and his love for a pony and of the Argentine Pampa where they live. Author Francis Kalnay began telling stories as a small boy in Hungary. He attended a boarding school where there was never quite enough to eat, and where stories were in demand. Good story tellers became ''professionals'', and were paid in ''both food and services''. The author says, ''my boots were polished every morning and I had an extra slice of bread occasionally.'' about 8.25 inches tall by 6 inches wide 126 pages.