SIG IS A boy in a coastal tribe, the Storn, long ago in a Northern land. On the day of the wolf hunt, the life of the tribe changes forever, for Sig rescues a small girl, more like the wolves who shelter her than a human. Sig’s family adopts her and names her Mouse, and he becomes a loyal brother to this girl with mysterious powers and a secret past. The shocking discovery of Mouse’s true identity brings to life a terrifying legend and leads to war, betrayal, and Sig’s coming of age as he finds the wit and courage to save his tribe. “Like an ancient cave painting come to life, Sedgwick’s tale of dark enchantment depicts a primitive tribe in a north country.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred “Will . . . find a solid readership among historical fiction fans, thanks to the fast pace, hint of magic, and satisfyingly enigmatic conclusion.”—Booklist “Employing a lean narrative voice and writing in short chapters that encourage page turning, Sedgwick draws readers along . . . rich, involving, and vivifying.”—School Librabry Journal, Starred From the Hardcover edition.From School Library JournalGrade 6-10-Like the first-rate historical fiction of Rosemary Sutcliff, The Dark Horse finds its focus not in the grand events of history, but rather in the lives of ordinary people. In this way, Sedgwick, like Sutcliff, creates rounded and complex characters who are weak and strong, venial and high-minded. Often harsh and unflinching, the story plunges readers into a pivotal moment in the life of a small, apparently Nordic tribe, isolated from other peoples except through its contact with itinerant traders. Rumor of a vicious, horse-riding people, the Dark Horse, troubles their lonely existence, and the appearance of a stranger with blond hair and black palms brings death into the closed society. Sedgwick weaves a double tale-a third-person narration set in the story's present, when the violence and disruption are first imminent and then present, and the first-person recounting of Sigurd, the book's protagonist. He begins several years earlier, telling how he came to have an adopted sister, Mouse, from an unknown people, with the ability to communicate with animals, and moving forward from there until both narrations coincide in time. Mouse's identity becomes central to the novel's events and perhaps even explains the Dark Horse's marauding. Employing a lean narrative voice and writing in short chapters that encourage page turning, Sedgwick draws readers along, allowing them to make sense of the unexplained connections, to puzzle out the characters' motivations, to decide who is hero and who villain. Making no concessions to moralizing or romanticizing, Sedgwick's tale is rich, involving, and vivifying. Coop Renner, Blackshear Elementary School, Austin, TX Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. From BooklistGr. 5-8. In ancient Britain, the coastal Storn tribe must face the onslaught of the violent invaders known as the Dark Horse. The story is told in part through the perspective of 16-year-old Sigurd, who describes current and past events, and in part through a third-person narrative. Five years before the story begins, the Storn took in a foundling, a young girl they named Mouse for her shy ways. Later a mysterious stranger, bearing a box with magical powers, approaches the Storn. His coming, which brings death and confusion to the people, is the catalyst for the revelation of Mouse's real identity. His arrival is also ultimately responsible for Sigurd's becoming leader of the Storn, a role that requires the young man to rally his people against the violent attack of the marauding enemy. Although the splintered telling may confuse some readers, and the novel isn't as strong as Henrietta Branford's The Fated Sky (1999), the book will still find a solid readership among historical fiction fans, thanks to the fast pace, hint of magic, and satisfyingly enigmatic conclusion. Debbie Carton Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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