Wild Horses (Horses of Half Moon Ranch)
Grade 4–6—Kirstie Scott's family runs a successful vacation ranch in Colorado, and the 13-year-old loves her lifestyle. In the first book, she witnesses the mistreatment of a stallion at a rodeo so her mother purchases the horse—a major error according to their senior hand. Kirstie faces the daunting job of training the animal to live and interact appropriately with other horses and with people at the ranch. In the second title, the protagonist is on a trek with a group of tourists when an unexpected thunderstorm causes a landslide. She is cut off from the rest of the trail riders and trapped in a canyon with wild horses. One of them, a beautiful black stallion, has been hurt by falling debris. When help comes, Kirstie leaves the animal behind but then pleads with the vet to treat it. Returning to the canyon, she discovers that the entire herd has disappeared. In both books, illustrations are scattered throughout. Oldfield does a superior job of integrating factual information into the story lines. The plots moves quickly and the writing is straightforward. Some of the characters are not well developed, but Kirstie, who has strength and conviction, is a great role model. Good choices where books about horses are in high demand.—Melissa Buron, Epps Island Elementary, Houston, TXCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.