Pam Munoz Ryan loved reading about horses when she was young. Among her favorites were "Misty of Chincoteague" and "King of the Wind" by Marguerite Henry.

Ryan's family couldn't afford to get her a horse, or even riding lessons. So when she decided to write this book about horses, she went out of her way to learn about them. She spent hundreds of hours taking lessons and being around horses so that "Paint the Wind" would seem real.

You might be familiar with Ryan's earlier book "Esperanza Rising," about a spoiled rich girl forced from a life of luxury in Mexico to a farm laborer camp in California. "Paint the Wind" is also about a young girl from a wealthy family whose life takes a sudden twist.

Maya's parents died in an accident. She lives a very isolated life with her strict, nervous grandmother. Housekeepers watch her constantly. She is not allowed to have friends or many toys. Even so, in some ways Maya is not a very sympathetic character. She lies and takes advantage of people sometimes.

When her grandmother dies, Maya is sent to live with relatives in Wyoming, where she falls in love with the horses -- especially the wild ones. A mare called Artemisia holds special meaning because it has ties to Maya's mother and is a symbol of the freedom Maya craves. Ensuring that freedom for the horse and herself proves to be a dangerous task.

This is not a great horse story like "National Velvet" or "The Red Pony," but for kids who love horses it is a fun adventure.

-- The Washington Post