Target Audience: Age Range: 9 - 12 years, Grade Level: 4 - 7
Summary:
Heartland is a horse farm with the special mission of healing abused or neglected horses and finding them new homes. Fifteen-year-old Amy works alongside her talented mother, a gifted horse trainer who uses techniques similar to those of the trainer in The Horse Whisperer. While rescuing an abandoned stallion in a thunderstorm, Amy's mother is killed when a falling tree hits their car, and everything at Heartland--and everything in Amy's life--is thrown into turmoil. Amy's older sister, Lou, leaves her job to come to Heartland to help, and Amy begins to cope with the new circumstances of her life, relying on her work with her beloved horses to help her face the future without her mom.
Review: Another book off the shelf at the library! This series has been on my "should read" list for a while. I am one of those girls who grew up loving horses but the first of this series came out in June of 2000, well after my childhood years. I found this well-loved book among our shelves and couldn't resist finally having a chance to read it. I immediately appreciated the technical knowledge of horse-training used in the story. Amy's mom uses horse behavioral techniques I've seen Monty Roberts, a real horse whisperer, using at horse show demonstrations. It gave the book a authentic feel that fellow 'horse nuts' will appreciate. The main character, Amy, overcomes many personal struggles like the loss of her mother in a car accident and her fear of losing the farm she loves. She also struggles with the relationship she has with her practical older sister, Lou, who shows up after the funeral to get the affairs of the farm in order. Girls who like the "Saddle Club" series will enjoy following the realistic, slightly more mature, storyline of this series. I may have to find book 2 myself to see what happens next!
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