Tall and Proud

By Vian Smith

Book Overview

A girl stricken by polio will not make the painful effort to regain use of her leg until a lame horse provides the necessary incentive. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• ISBN: B000ILHRPW
• Release Date: January 1973
• Weight: 0.28 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Fond Memories of a Happy Childhood

I love this story. When I was quite young, in the mid 70's - I used to read all of the time (still do). Even when I was suppose to be doing something else, I couldn't resist a book that was just lying there screaming at me to pick it up. One day I was outside helping my parents do farming chores. We were, among other things, burning brush. My mother told me to run up to the house to get a shovel and I made a detour and got a book too. Of course a 2 minute task turned into a 15 - 20 minute one. When I brought my mom the shovel she realized that I had gotten distracted by a book - yet again - and burned my "Tall and Proud" book. With that seemingly terrible event, I learned prioritizing, responsibility and obedience. Since that day, this book has been very special to me, not just for the wonderful story, but for the lessons learned.

I've loved this book since I was a little girl ...

I can't believe there are others who, like me, have searched for Vian Smith's "Tall and Proud" for years. I now look forward to sharing this triumphant story of a girl and her horse with my own 10 year old daughter! "Tall and Proud" is well-written and a timeless classic - I used to read it again and again! It is sure to be treasured by any young girl (or boy) who is lucky enough to receive it!

Tall and Proud

I have never forgotten this book from when I was a kid. My sister gave it to me and unfortunately I have lost my copy in the many moves. I'm so happy to have found a copy again and will try and find others from my students that I teach riding lessons. It's a wonderful story and gives a young girl who wants a horse some hope that there is the perfect horse out there for her. Great story, great plot and great for young readers!

I've been hunting for this childhood favorite for ten years

I recall really enjoying this book as a young adult, but all I could remember about it was the cover illustration, basics of the plot -- a girl stricken by polio for whom her parents buy a recovering racehorse -- and the back flap copy: "There he stood, tall and proud, like a king on a hill." For ten years I have been hunting for this book under the title of "King on a Hill"! Terrific story of perseverance, of both the girl's struggle with her affliction, and of the petrified parents, to whom most of the well-horse care falls until the girl can perform the tasks herself. Ably accompanied by an estimable equestrian artist with pen-and-ink illustrations. Ultimate heroic ending!