HORSE GIRL

Follows a seventh grader’s quest to move from novice rider to being one of the #HorseGirls.

Despite being entirely horse crazy, Wills (short for Willa) was only allowed to start lessons at a riding stable in her Nebraska town when her mom, an Air Force pilot, was deployed overseas for a year. Wills doesn’t tend to make friends easily, but when she falls off on her first attempt at jumping a fence, someone at Oakwood Riding Academy sends her an encouraging note, and she’s determined to find out who it is. Hijinks ensue, some of them more realistic than others. Eventually Wills triumphs in a jumper competition; saves her favorite horse, Clyde, from being sent to auction; and befriends everyone, including top mean girl Amara. Melodrama, angst, over-the-top writing, and clever footnotes make this a quick, breezy read for tweens. Some horse-related elements do not ring true—for example, the handling of both lameness and recruiting for the U.S. national equestrian team is unrealistic—which may keep knowledgeable #HorseGirls from completely buying into the action. Riding is presented as being primarily for rich kids, which feels like a missed opportunity to show a more inclusive side of the sport. The novel adheres to a White default although the author cues some characters as people of color. (This updated review reflects edits made to the book after the original review was published.)

This has strong reader appeal, but an equestrian expert reader could have improved it fourfold.