Born to Trot

Posted by Becca
Category Categories: All Ages, Fiction, Review
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Our rating: ***

Young Gibson White lives at a stable owned by his father, a trainer of trotting horses. Every morning he jogs his pony around the track. He should be happy, except that he never gets to drive in a race. Then Gibson gets his chance with a filly that his father gives him while Gibson is sick. But the filly hardly knows him. Will she go fast enough when Gibson drives, enough to win the Hambletonian, the greatest trotting race of all?

I didn’t like this book as much as the rest of Marguerite Henry’s books. It wasn’t as fast-paced. Though I went back to it recently and thought that it was pretty good.

Justin Morgan Had a Horse

Posted by Becca
Category Categories: All Ages, Historical Fiction, Review
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Our rating: ****

Little Bub is a colt given to Justin Morgan in payment for a debt. But he’s just a runt. When Justin Morgan tries to sell the colt, everyone says that Little Bub is too small. Only young Joel Goss feels that this colt can beat the best horses of the time. And he’s determined to prove it!

I like the way Marguerite Henry makes her characters. They are in-depth and very real. I also think that Henry describes the time period well. This is a must-read.

Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley

Posted by Ruth
Category Categories: All Ages, Fiction, Review
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Our rating: ***

Molly Moore wants a horse more than anything in the world, so when her father takes her to a horse auction for her tenth birthday, she has dreams of a young sleek horse being her very own. But all the horses are too expensive except for one skinny old mare that her father thinks will be perfect for pulling carts and plowing fields. Lady Sue has a surprise for all of them, though, when she gives birth to a mule. Molly names him Brown Sunshine and begins his training. Her one dream is for Brown Sunshine to be King Mule on the next Mule Day celebration.

This one is much shorter than most of the other books by Marguerite Henry, but it’s still enjoyable, if slightly predictable. It’s a fun little story.

San Domingo, The Medicine Hat Stallion

Posted by Becca
Category Categories: All Ages, Historical Fiction, Review
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Our rating: ****

Peter Lundy has a very special horse! Not only can San Domingo outrun tornadoes, but he’s also what Indians call a Medicine Hat. Nobody can harm his rider. Peter only realizes this when a surveying Irishman befriends him. But then Peter’s father trades San Domingo for a Thoroughbred. Peter is so heartbroken that he joins the Pony Express.

This is one of my favorite books. I like it because of the way the characters are described. I especially like Brisley, the Irishman because he’s always happy and singing.

Misty of Chincoteague

Posted by Becca
Category Categories: All Ages, Fiction, Review
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Our rating: ****

Paul and Maureen Beebe have their hearts set on capturing the Phantom, a wild mare. But when Paul goes on the roundup with the other men, he finds that the Phantom has a foal. Now the children want both the Phantom and her foal. How will they get enough money to buy both?

This story is both heart-warming and funny. I really liked it.

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