JAVA JIVE

by Dorothy Lyons ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 1955

One of Dorothy Lyons's best girl-and-horse stories is set in California and covers a period of two years or so in the life of Ginny Atkins, 12. From start to finish it provides the proper balance of humor, action and sophistication that are earmarks of fine juvenile writing. When her family moves into a large country house, with stable attached, Ginny wants a horse so badly that she starts to bait the stable with hay in hopes that one will wander into her trap. One does! Mr. Atkins, who clearly doubts Ginny's ability to carry through on a project with any responsibility, phones for the horse's owners, but things work out so that Ginny is allowed to keep Sugarfoot and care for her on a temporary basis. Then, as a complete surprise, sugarfoot has a colt that technically becomes Ginny's own horse. She names him Java Jive and in the next two years, despite set backs, raises and trains him as a good show and pleasure horse. To add to this, there are the side plots as Ginny earns the horses keep, becomes interested in boys, sees a friends hopes come true, and most especially, forms the focal point for the author's gift of lively description that characterizes people so well. Worth watching.

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1955

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Harcourt, Brace

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1955

Categories: FICTION