Having just embarked on his leg of the Pony Express, young rider Johnny Free is pursued by Paiute Indians and eventually rescued by his loyal horse in this compelling tale set in the Nevada desert. Fuch’s epic oils, presented in framed and full-bleed spreads, heighten the drama. In one scene, Johnny, who has fallen from his horse during the chase, retreats beneath a rocky ledge. He clutches a revolver in his hands and a knife between his teeth. Above, Paiute warriors wait. In another, boy and horse are reunited and the two ride back to camp against a fiery sunset. Fuchs’s earthy palette—full of bark browns, brick reds, and honeyed gold—connects readers to the land. Searing heat and dusty trails and palpably rendered. The Storyteller’s Note puts the story in context, explaining the rising hostilities between settlers and native people in the 19th century. An engaging depiction of a unique slice of American frontier history. (Picture book. 5-9)
