The Island of Horses Book

When this book arrived in the mail, I didn't mean to read it just then; I only stuck my nose in to take a peek. Hours later I emerged, well satisfied at an enthralling read. Originally published in 1956, this book was reissued in 2004 by the New York Review Children's Collection. The author, Eilis Dillon, was a highly respected Irish writer for whom there is now an award in her honor for a First Children's Book, presented annually in the Republic of Ireland by the Children's Books Ireland (CBI).
This story takes place in the islands off the western coast of Ireland and offers a real feel for village life there in the first half of the 20th century. It was a life thoroughly connected to the sea, so the two teenaged boys spend a lot of time on their own, in boats. The story is so well-told, you feel as though you are walking the village paths with the boys, meeting the quirky individuals who live there, There are some bad guys, of course, but you will have to solve the mystery of the Island of Horses along with the boys to realize who they are. Although the protagonists are teen boys, I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't get caught up in this exciting tale. If you've had a rough week and just need to sail away in the pages of a good book, here is the very one for you.