Dancing Brumby by Elyne Mitchell
I was in the library earlier this month and saw that both Dancing Brumby and Dancing Brumby’s Rainbow were available on the shelves. The decision was easy!
And so recently I was able to read all about little Choopa – a blue roan brumby, born a lot smaller than he should have been. Dancing Brumby looks at the birth of this dwarf foal, his mother’s concern for his welfare – especially as he doesn’t grow the way he should. He also isn’t accepted into the wild horses’ herds as many other brumbies would be.
As Choopa ages, his mother Dandaloo notices an unusual trait in her short colt. He dances. As if he has music in his head, the young horse will twist and turn, walk on his hind legs and sway to music only he can hear. This unusual skill that he has, draws many of the bush animals to him – wombats, echidnas, wallabies. Choopa may not fit in with other brumbies, but he has definitely found a close circle of friends.
Choopa’s dancing not only draws the attention of the other Australian wildlife. Stories soon travel around the high country about a dwarf, dancing brumby. And a man who is used to dancing horses, has grown up with the dancing breed, is drawn to the idea of having this dancing brumby.
Dandaloo isn’t sure if the other brumbies will cause danger for her unique son, the impending winter and harsh snow falls will risk his life or one of the many humans who have appeared throughout the months since his birth, will come and take him away. How can she keep her dancing brumby safe?
Dancing Brumby is a unique story that although it focuses on brumby life, seems so very different to the other books in this series.
Author: Elyne Mitchell
Fiction
In my library? I would be more than happy to add it to my collection of this series, but at this point it has been borrowed from the local library.
“A silver brumby is special… but he will be hunted by man and horse alike, and must be stronger than both…” – Elyne Mitchell