PENNY AND PRINCE

Penny has arrived at a weeklong pony camp, but is she ready to ride again after her fall at a local horse show?

Penny’s broken arm has healed, but she hasn’t regained her confidence. Unsure how much riding she is ready to do at camp, she hides the fact that she is a mature rider from her fellow campers to avoid setting an expectation she’s scared to meet. Penny gets paired with a piebald cob pony named Prince, and she instantly falls in love with him. She finds a friend in Prince and constantly confides in him. Prince is perfect for Penny’s comfort level, and trusting him helps Penny become ready to challenge herself again. Along the way, she learns to get along with her truly annoying roommate and learns that she didn’t have to hide her experience from her friends. Penny leaves camp knowing that she’ll be back in the horse shows again soon. In the co-publishing Megan and Mischief, Megan comes to camp ready for a challenge after riding mostly slow ponies at her barn. All of the campers appear to be white except for Amita, “a beautiful Indian girl” and fellow camper; Penny’s father appears to be slightly darker than the others. The text assumes familiarity with horses, but a glossary helps motivated readers, and believable emotions make the story accessible to all.

A solid if uncomplicated read for knowledgeable lovers of horses and horseback riding.