| Justin Morgan Had a Horse | |
| Author: | Marguerite Henry |
| Illustrator: | Wesley Dennis |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Publisher: | Wilcox & Follett |
| Release Date: | 1945 |
| Media Type: | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Isbn: | 978-0689852794 |
Justin Morgan Had a Horse is an American children's historical novel by Marguerite Henry, illustrated by Wesley Dennis and published by Wilcox & Follett of Chicago in 1945. It concerns the real figures of Justin Morgan and his bay stallion Figure, who lived in Vermont in the late eighteenth century.[1] It was a runner-up for the Newbery Medal in 1946.[2]
An edition was published by Rand McNally in 1954 with new copyrights by both Henry and Dennis. The Library of Congress catalog records report 89 pp. and 169 pp.[3] [4]
The schoolmaster, Justin Morgan, takes two colts as payment for an old debt. The younger of the two grows into a sturdy, though small, riding horse which served as the foundation of the Morgan breed.
In 1972, the book was adapted as a film by Disney Studios. It starred Don Murray as Justin Morgan.[5] John Smith, formerly of the NBC series Laramie, played the part of Mr. Ames.