A Horse to Remember
Grade 4-6–Thirteen-year-old Hilary has been uprooted by her parents' move from the city, where she spent her time at the mall and on the phone, to Tennessee. She takes a job at the horse farm next door and meets an intractable mustang. She starts training him, keeping her activities a secret because Satan is not hers. Her foil is the beautiful but stuck-up Elise, who shares her interest in Jeremy, the son of the farm's owner. As Hilary is beginning to gain skill and confidence, Jeremy discovers what she is doing. Since he cannot manage the stallion, he blackmails the teen into helping him. When he is hurt by the horse in a fall, Jeremy admits to his mother that Hilary is the one who's been training the horse all along. She is asked to ride Satan in a championship, which she wins, besting her nemesis. This book was written when its equestrienne author was just 14, which might account for the almost complete disregard for reality and safety issues shown throughout. The characters also engage in blackmail, lying, and other unethical behaviors that are never questioned. Although the author shows promise, Lauren Brooke's Heartland series (Scholastic) and Joanna Campbell's Thoroughbred books (HarperCollins) are better choices.–Ann Robinson, Moultonborough Academy Library, NHCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.