BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. 2007. Paint the wind. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780439873628

PLOT SUMMARY

Maya has lived with her overprotective grandmother since her parents died. For the past six years, Maya is seldom allowed to leave the house except to attend school. All traces of her past—her mother’s love of horses and her father’s talent for painting have been erased from her life by her disapproving grandmother. All, that is, but a shoebox full of plastic horses that her mother played with when she was a child and a photograph of her mother, atop a brown and white mustang. When Maya’s grandmother suffers a stroke and dies, Maya again finds herself an orphan and is sent to live with her mother’s family in Wyoming—a family that Maya does not remember. As Maya is again uprooted and begins to live the life that her parents wanted her to have, she discovers that she, too loves horses, and, with the help of her grandfather, Moose and Aunt Vi, Maya also rediscovers her parents. Throughout the book, the story is also seen through the eyes of Artemesia, the lead mare in a herd of wild horses. As the story unfolds, Artemesia’s desire to protect her young colt and Maya’s desire to become the person that her parent’s hoped she would become cause their lives to intertwine, weaving a touching tale of love, loss, holding on, and letting go. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

Although the main character, Maya is not described in detail, her name, Maya Menetti, as well as the short description given by the author—“delicate and lean frame, russet-red hair, and unforgettable purplish eyes…Maya’s skin, a shade darker in tone and suggesting her father’s and grandmother’s southern European roots” gives readers a clear picture of the troubled girl as well as her mixed heritage. The behavior of Maya’s grandmother, very proper, protective and concerned with outward appearances, is emphasized by the housekeeper’s agreement with Maya’s grandmother on “the way children should be monitored”. It is further highlighted by the way that all Maya’s memories of her mother and her father’s artistic talent have been removed from her life. However, Maya keeps her mother’s memory alive by her contact with the box of plastic horses and photo of her mother.

Ryan’s description of Artemesia and the rest of the herd takes readers to the wild plains of Wyoming, and when the helicopters arrive for “the gathering”, readers feel the terror that Artemesia feels. Artemesia’s home, the plains of Wyoming are in stark contrast to the environment in which Maya has spent the past six years. From her grandmother’s palatial home in Pasadena, California, to the ranch house and tent that Maya lives in with her mother’s family. This contrast is emphasized by the third-person telling of Artemesia’s story. Artemesia has spent time in captivity before when she was purchased after a gathering. She was bought by Aunt Vi, and was ridden by Maya’s mother. The link between Artemesia and Maya goes deeper than the past, however. The book is divided into sections that are titled after a horse’s gait—walk, jog, lope, and gallop, and give a name to the sense of individuality and joy that Maya begins to experience as she becomes more confident and experienced in her new life.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Publisher’s Weekly. When her imperious grandmother dies suddenly, 11-year-old Maya, an orphan, is sent to Wyoming to live with her mother’s family-strangers to her, thanks to her grandmother’s high-handed notions. There Maya discovers a love of horses, especially those raised and trained by her great-aunt Vi.

Children’s Literature. Maya leads a life of quiet obedience, never venturing outside except for school, never experiencing normal childhood activities, and never having friends. Playing with her mother’s toy horses and exacting minor acts of revenge on the household staff are her only solace. Then, orphaned again when her grandmother dies, Maya is sent to Wyoming to live with relatives she did not know she had: her mother’s father, uncle, and aunt. Thus begins the heart of this tale of a girl discovering the true meaning of family and freedom.

CONNECTIONS

The background of this story found on Pam Muñoz Ryan’s website lends itself well to a discussion of the research that is required to write an accurate and enthralling work of fiction.

Look for these other books by Pam Muñoz Ryan:

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Esperanza rising. ISBN 9780439120425

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Becoming Naomi Leon. ISBN 9780439269971

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Riding Freedom. ISBN 9780439087964

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Our California. ISBN 9781580891172

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Amelia and Eleanor go for a ride. ISBN 9780590960755