Which Marguerite Henry horse novel won the 1949 Newbery Medal?

Which Marguerite Henry horse novel won the 1949 Newbery Medal? The answer is King of the Wind.

Published in 1948, the novel is a fictional biography of the horse later known as the Godolphin Arabian, one of the foundation sires of modern Thoroughbred racing. Its central human character is Agba, a mute Moroccan horseboy who cares for a colt named Sham. The story follows their difficult journey from Morocco to France and England.

Readers sometimes confuse this title with Henry’s better-known Misty of Chincoteague, which was a 1948 Newbery Honor book, not the Medal winner. Justin Morgan Had a Horse was also an Honor book, but in 1946. King of the Wind was adapted into a 1990 film, and the real Godolphin Arabian’s bloodline remains important in Thoroughbred history.