An outstanding debut novel for young people by retired amateur steeplechase jockey Hambleton, who uses her knowledge of horses and the equestrian world to tell of the tragedies and triumphs that befall a thoroughbred racehorse—from the horse’s point of view.
Reminiscent of Anna Sewell’s 19th-century classic, Black Beauty, in its deeply felt narrative as voiced by a thoroughbred racehorse, this first-time novel for ages 11 and up is written with empathy and a vivid sense of drama by Hambleton, a lifelong equestrian and former amateur steeplechase jockey. Raja, a promising foal of distinguished lineage, bears the “Mark of the Chieftain” on his forehead. Bedouin legend has it that such a mark predicts either “great glory” or “great despair” for a horse, and Raja assumes that his road to glory is assured after triumphs on the track as a 2-year-old lead to early Kentucky Derby buzz. But the world of racing has a dark side. An injury, sparked by Raja’s fear of thunderstorms, drops the sensitive horse into obscurity and worse. What follows is a colorful succession of owners and riders (good and bad), a brush with horse drugging and the ugly reality of “kill buyers,” who purchase former racehorses for their meat. Friends and enemies, both human and equine, appear and reappear in Raja’s life as fate takes him far from his pampered youth. Along the way, the elegant horse learns dressage, Cossack trick riding, the exhilarating art of steeplechase—and the depth of his own courage. Hambleton’s compelling prose—deftly interwoven with technical realities and the emotional investment inherent in horse training, racing, care and ridership—is accompanied by a glossary of horse-world terms and evocative pencil drawings by Margaret Kauffman, a professional sculptor and horsewoman. Lifelong equestrian Hambleton makes an impressive outing as a first-time author of juvenile fiction, weaving her knowledge and love of horses, horsemanship and the world of competitive racing into a moving narrative that will keep fellow horse-loving readers of any age enthralled.
Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0615540290
Page Count: 261
Publisher: Old Bow
Review Posted Online: Jan. 9, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Only for readers old enough to handle the idea of environmental catastrophe.
What will happen to jellies, orcas, sea turtles, tuna, corals, and blue-green algae in the “New Ocean” of the future?
Opening with the premise that global warming, pollution, acidification, and overfishing are dramatically and permanently changing the ocean—perhaps back to a primal sea—the author then considers the fates of six species, each one discussed in two double-page spreads that pair a substantial column of text on verso to a painting on recto that crosses the gutter. On the first spread, readers find a short description and bulleted facts and then, on the next spread, a column of dire prediction: jellies will flourish, devouring baby fish; orcas are already dying young in poisoned waters and in captivity; turtles are killed by oil-well accidents, litter, and fishing nets; tuna have been overfished and are full of poisonous mercury; coral bleaches and dies in too-warm, acidic, polluted waters; and blue-green algae will also flourish, especially a poisonous one called fireweed. The New Ocean will be oxygen-poor and could cause another mass extinction. These bleak forecasts are accompanied by Barnard’s beautiful oil paintings of sea creatures. His information is not inaccurate; his explanations are clear; the future he envisages is one of many possibilities. On a final spread he offers some suggestions for drastic public measures, personal actions, and an example of a teen invention, not enough to offset the gloomy aftertaste this warning is likely to leave in readers.
Only for readers old enough to handle the idea of environmental catastrophe. (sources, glossary) (Nonfiction. 11-14)Pub Date: May 2, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-375-87049-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Feb. 19, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
Fans will be delighted by these further misadventures of the rumpled but loving—and lovable—Cornwallis clan.
Impulsive acts, severely tested friendships, and possible witchy curses—all set against the customary backdrop of domestic chaos—presage big changes for Binny and her family.
The wad of cash that Binny spots in an ATM seems at first like a wish come true, considering that her mother’s birthday is coming up and surely the bill for contractor Pete’s repairs to their storm-wracked cottage (Binny in Secret, 2015) will soon be coming due. Unfortunately, joy soon gives way to gnawing guilt—but by the time she resolves to return the money, it’s nowhere to be found. Along with wrecking both house and (temporarily) a friendship with frantic searches and queries, Binny becomes increasingly convinced that eerily attentive neighbor Miss Piper is both a witch and the cause of her misfortunes. All the while little brother James and big sister Clem are suffering through crises of their own, and there is something going on between their widowed mother and Pete. Then there’s Binny’s erstwhile adversary, Gareth, in for a visit and to deliver the tale’s best line: “at school I tell people you’re my girlfriend. Stops them from asking if I’m gay. Do you mind?” With her usual skill and superb comic timing the author brings her all-white cast’s brangles to happy, even joyous resolutions. Ross’ scribbly grayscale illustrations add suitably frantic notes.
Fans will be delighted by these further misadventures of the rumpled but loving—and lovable—Cornwallis clan. (Fiction. 11-13)Pub Date: June 27, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-9102-0
Page Count: 240
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: March 5, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2017
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