A well-written novel for young horse enthusiasts—notable for its empathy and equine knowledge.
A young girl and her beloved horse overcome myriad challenges in this middle-grade novel.
Stories for horse lovers make up a sizable subgenre in the field of children’s literature, and this moving novel about what happens when Gracie, a young girl, forms an unbreakable bond with Gallant, a foal, is a welcome addition. This series opener begins as a true story (told in the third-person) about “a horse named Gallant and the girl who loved him” by the grown-up Gracie and her husband, Jack, to their great-grandchildren. Eckard, well-versed in horse care and behavior, draws readers into Gracie and Gallant’s idyllic first years on the family’s pear farm in Scotts Valley, California. Their connection is portrayed with playfulness and warmth. When a shocking accident separates them, seemingly for good, each must adjust to being without the other. As they grow, Gracie and Gallant unknowingly share a common endeavor: competitive endurance racing, depicted in vivid detail.(Information for readers interested in exploring the sport can be found in the author’s foreword and in a back-of-book list of resources.) WhetherGracie, now 13, will be reunited with her beloved horse, however, depends on Gallant’s owner and rider, 15-year-old Jack, who also loves Gallant fiercely. Eckard’s understanding of her human and equine characters shines throughout the pages, underscored by Gallant’s thoughts—his doubts, fears, and triumphs. The villains of the story include an abusive horse buyer and a stallion named Flash, made vicious by cruel treatment. (What gives Flash his bitter motivation to survive abuse is both chilling and heart-rending.) The text, complemented by artist Mann’s expressive, realistic pencil illustrations, is followed by the author’s poem “The Last Battle Cry,” paying tribute to “The horses who loved us and chose to be with us / when green fields were calling and friends were nearby.” The series will continue in 2022 with Gallant: The Call of the Mustangs.
A well-written novel for young horse enthusiasts—notable for its empathy and equine knowledge.Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-66282-614-6
Page Count: 300
Publisher: Mill City Press, Inc.
Review Posted Online: Oct. 13, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship.
A battered girl and an injured rugby star spark up an ill-advised romance at an Irish secondary school.
Beautiful, waiflike, 15-year-old Shannon has lived her entire life in Ballylaggin. Alternately bullied at school and beaten by her ne’er-do-well father, she’s hopeful for a fresh start at Tommen, a private school. Seventeen-year-old Johnny, who has a hair-trigger temper and a severe groin injury, is used to Dublin’s elite-level rugby but, since his family’s move to County Cork, is now stuck captaining Tommen’s middling team. When Johnny angrily kicks a ball and knocks Shannon unconscious (“a soft female groan came from her lips”), a tentative relationship is born. As the two grow closer, Johnny’s past and Shannon’s present become serious obstacles to their budding love, threatening Shannon’s safety. Shannon’s portrayal feels infantilized (“I looked down at the tiny little female under my arm”), while Johnny comes across as borderline obsessive (“I knew I shouldn’t be touching her, but how the hell could I not?”). Uneven pacing and choppy sentences lead to a sudden climax and an unsatisfyingly abrupt ending. Repetitive descriptions, abundant and misogynistic dialogue (Johnny, to his best friend: “who’s the bitch with a vagina now?”), and graphic violence also weigh down this lengthy tome (considerably trimmed down from its original, self-published length). The cast of lively, well-developed supporting characters, especially Johnny’s best friend and Shannon’s protective older brother, is a bright spot. Major characters read white.
A troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship. (author’s note, pronunciations, glossary, song moments, playlists) (Romance. 16-18)Pub Date: Nov. 28, 2023
ISBN: 9781728299945
Page Count: 626
Publisher: Bloom Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
This one shoots and scores.
Tre wants to play basketball—for his brother, for his reservation, and for his future.
Ojibwe sophomore Tre Brun from Red Lake Nation Reservation in Minnesota recently lost Jaxon, his high school basketball star brother, in a car accident. All Tre wants to do these days is read graphic novels, hang out with his friends, get new girl Khiana to like him back, and play basketball. With dreams of making it in the NBA and one day becoming the subject of best friend Wes’ first documentary, Tre hopes to make varsity this school year and help his brother’s old team, the Warriors, finally make it to states. Basketball is taken seriously on the reservation, and Tre must learn to have faith in himself despite his father’s lack of belief in him while also navigating racism, the resentment of those who think he falls short of his brother’s legacy, and the pitfalls of partying and trying too hard to fit in. Debut author Graves (Ojibwe) presents a deeply personal look at grief, the weight of expectations, and the ways we find connections with those we have lost. While the start feels a bit forced, the novel quickly settles into its coming-of-age sports-underdog story, giving readers tense, fast-paced descriptions of high-stakes basketball games interspersed with textured descriptions of life on the reservation.
This one shoots and scores. (glossary, note from Cynthia Leitich Smith) (Fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023
ISBN: 9780063160378
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Heartdrum
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2023
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