BIBLIOGRAPHY

Smith, Dick King. 1990. The water horse. Ill. by David Parkins. New York: Yearling. ISBN 978-375842313

PLOT SUMMARY

When Kirstie found what appeared to be a large “Mermaid’s Purse” on the beach after a storm, she and Angus, with the help of their grandfather, Grumble, took it home. When it hatched, the children and their grandfather are faced with a rapidly growing sea monster who eats everything in sight, including the family’s hard-to-come-by cans of sardines. The Water Horse is named Crusoe and soon becomes a focus of the children and Grumble. They spend all their time feeding him and moving him to progressively bigger homes where they hope he will be safe. When the time comes to teach Crusoe that not all humans can be trusted, Kirstie and Angus are heartbroken at the thought of hurting Crusoe’s feelings. The pen and ink drawings by Parkins complement the story with a cute and occasionally frightening monster who doesn’t always understand what is best for him. Based on “one of the most enduring and intriguing legends of our time”, The Water Horse will enchant readers of all ages and will feed the imaginations of those who are not sure what they believe.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

The Water Horse is set in a small town in Scotland in the early part of 1930. Smith’s description of the Scottish coast gives the feel of a lifelong native, and the food prepared by the harried mom, from cans of sardines to a breakfast of porridge, eggs, dry toast and tea, illustrates to readers some of the traditional dishes of Scotland. Along with the food and the countryside, Smith uses the terms loch and lochan rather than the Americanized terms lake or inlet. The names of the characters are ones that readers would expect to find on the western coast of Scotland, also. From Postie Macnab, the postman to  Angus and Kirstie themselves, the names and the language of the characters take readers into Scotland as surely as does Smith’s description of the many lochs that surround the family’s home.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

School Library Journal. Set in the 1930s, this story tells of a young Scottish girl, Kirstie, and her brother, Angus, who find a mysterious egg capsule washed up on shore after a storm and take it home. To their delight, this “mermaid’s purse” hatches into a lovable sea monster they call Crusoe. The characters are believable and, since King-Smith relates events from the point of view of the water horse as well as those of Kirstie and her family, readers get to know the friendly, not-at-all-fearsome monster.

Kirkus Reviews. Searching for treasure washed up by a fierce coastal storm, eight-year-old Kirstie discovers a strange looking package-shaped object with long tendrils poking out from each of its four corners. When it hatches overnight, she finds herself the proud but puzzled keeper of what her grandfather identifies as a water horseþa sea creature of mythic stature, with a gentle nature but a ravenous appetite.

CONNECTIONS

Readers can use this book as a springboard to research this and other legends that are well-known—Bigfoot, Yeti (Abominable Snowman), the Bermuda Triangle, etc.

Look for these other books about mysterious legends:

Walker, Paul Robert. Bigfoot and other legendary creatures.ISBN 9780152171479.

Miller, Karen. Monsters and water beasts: creatures of fact or fiction? ISBN 9780805079025

Oxlade, Chris. Mystery of the Bermuda Triangle. ISBN 9780431019208

Brassey, Richard. Nessie the Loch Ness Monster. ISBN 9781858813097

Lynette, Rachel. The abominable snowman. ISBN 0737734485