EMMA DILEMMA, THE NANNY, AND THE BEST HORSE EVER

Resilient Emma has had to solve more than one predicament in her young life, often creating misunderstandings with her large family, lovable pets and favorite nanny—Annie. This time Emma’s dilemma involves losing the two of the most important things in her life—her best friend Luisa is moving and her favorite horse Rooney, whom she visits often at the riding stable, is about to be sold by its owner. Coming up with ways to prevent or change these two events is easier said than done, even for the resourcefully positive Annie, who can usually hatch a “splendid idea.” Emma comes up with several schemes, from buying the horse herself to warding off a prospective wealthy buyer by purposely causing some ferret-induced horse hysteria at the stable. In the end, Emma’s realization that kindness and love sometimes necessitate difficult decisions helps her solve both issues with true altruism. Hermes’ latest installment in her winning series provides the right amount of humor, suspense and pathos as her young protagonist reaches a new level of emotional growth. (Fiction. 8-10)