BoM: Shoshoni Pony

Our Book of the Month is Shoshoni Pony by Carol Lynn MacGregor, PhD and Illustrated by Dick Lee. This is a special pick as staff recently visited the Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Museum, where we got a copy of this book! One of new exhibits in our museum, The Hole Story, is being developed with educators from the Eastern Shoshone Cultural Center and the Shoshone Bannock Tribe. We hope to educate the public on the plants, animals, and seasonal stories that honor traditional and modern lifeways of the Eastern Shoshone and Shoshone-Bannock.

When we open, please check out special books, signage and ask us questions about this partnership. The book Shoshoni Pony will be available to visitors to read at the museum when we open.

Shoshoni Pony introduces young readers to the dramatic moment in history when horses first entered the lives of Native peoples in the American West. Through engaging storytelling and vivid illustrations, the book explains how the Shoshoni and other tribes adapted to the powerful new animal brought by Spanish explorers — a change that reshaped travel, hunting, daily life, and the culture of the region. Both educational and visually rich, Shoshoni Pony offers an accessible look at a pivotal chapter in Western and Indigenous history.

Discussion Questions for families:

How do you think the Shoshoni people’s lives changed when horses first arrived?

What part of the book helped you understand the Shoshoni culture the most?

Why do you think animals can become important to people and communities?

We are excited to welcome everyone into the new museum and to engage with “The Hole Story” soon!