![]() Though the strong bond between boy and horse only fuels his father's disdain, Ken's growing love for his friend Flicka is changing him-leading a once-aimless young man down the path to responsible adulthood, forging a new respect and understanding between father and son, and inspiring a fierce loyalty that nearly costs Ken his life. My Friend Flicka is about a horse and a boy, Ken McLaughlin, who lives with his father, a retired military officer turned rancher and horse breeder, mother. Then one day, Ken's life is filled with new purpose when he finds Flicka, a magnificent filly as wild as she is fast. But Flicka comes from a long line of wild horses, and taming her will take more than Ken could ever have imagined. ![]() To his brusque, practical father, the boy is an enigma and a disappointment. The first time that Ken McLaughlin sees Flicka galloping past him on his family’s Wyoming horse ranch, he knows she’s the yearling he’s been longing for. This novel has sentiment and quality.”- Donald GordonĪ timeless favorite of adults and children alike, My Friend Flicka resides in “that borderland where some of the best-loved books in the English tongue hold their immortality.” ( New York Herald Tribune)Ī daydreamer and a time waster, young Ken McLaughlin spends his days on his family's Wyoming ranch with his head in the clouds, surrounded by endless blue skies, wide-open spaces, and beautiful horses. It’s an enjoyable read – and even more so if you don’t expect it to be anything like the movies.“A blend of Steinbeck’s short gem, The Red Pony, and Rawling’s The Yearling. It took me awhile to get into, and the ending seemed kind of abrupt, but there are two other books in the Flicka series to continue the story of Ken and Flicka. It’s a sweet, heart-warming story of a little boy growing up and the colt that helped him do so. ![]() Ken and Flicka take care of each other through life-threatening injuries and illnesses and form an incredibly strong bond. As you could guess from the title, this fear turns out to be unfounded. In fact, Ken is deeply afraid that Flicka will turn out to be loco – so wild that she can’t be broken. He finally chooses Flicka, the very last colt his father wants, since she has a strain of wild mustang in her that is difficult to tame. In the early to mid 20th century, there was a spate of successful films and books that explored the close relationships between animals and children. He is given a week to choose his colt from the herd. His father vetoes that idea rather quickly, but his mother believes that this just may be the key to bringing Ken from the world of dreams to the world of responsibility. And it’s pretty amusing.īut Ken wants a colt more than anything in the world. Surely an hour’s worth of studying a day should have some effect, right? Mary O’Hara’s description of Ken’s “studying” shows that she knows exactly what being inside the head of a daydreamer is like. When he comes home to his parents’ ranch for the summer, his father is understandably upset and isn’t quite sure how to kick him into gear. So much so that he failed his English exam and therefore fifth grade at his boarding school. The book, on the other hand, focuses on Ken. They’re wholesome movies – no swearing, drinking, etc., and just right for the crowd of young girls pining for a horse of their very own. There’s a romantic interest, of course, and a jealous rival (of boy and/or horse), along with plenty of obstacles to overcome to get to the happy ending. They each focus on a troubled teenage girl (ironically, since the main character in the novel is a ten-year-old boy) who discovers her true self through her interactions with Flicka. While the movies are good, they aren’t deep. The first time that ken McLaughlin sees Flicka galloping past him on his familys Wyoming horse ranch. ![]() I haven’t actually seen the first Flicka movie, so maybe I shouldn’t try to compare… But I have seen the second and third movies, and if they’re anything like the first movie, then it is nothing like the book. Buy My Friend Flicka by Mary OHara at Mighty Ape NZ. If a movie is based on a book, it is imperative that I read the book – preferably before I see the movie, but it doesn’t always work out that way. ![]()
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