Book Review - There Must be Horses by Diana Kimpton

SUMMARY OF STORY

Abandoned by her feckless parents, Sasha has been passed from foster home to foster home, never fitting in anywhere. She is not surprisingly a troubled girl who finds it hard to express her emotions or relate to people. The only thing which seems to bring her out of her shell is her love of horses. After being thrown out of yet another foster home she is packed off to stay with Jo and Beth Turner for a temporary stay until a more permanent home can be found. She is overjoyed to find that the pair live on a horse rescue farm. There she also meets Meteor, an abused horse who has lost his trust in humans, and she feels a close affinity with the horse and his situation. For the first time Sasha has found somewhere she really feels she could belong. But she fears that her continuing emotional problems will mean that both she and Meteor will have to leave the farm forever….


REVIEW

Until now, Diana Kimpton was best known in the world of equine fiction for her Pony Mad Princess series. These are nice enough light-hearted stories and better written than the average book of this type. However as they are aimed at very young readers, they do not contain enough real depth to keep the attention of older children or adult readers.

However There Must be Horses, her first pony book aimed at older children is a completely different proposition; a more serious and darker story entirely. This really is an excellent read, which will appeal to all ages, and it is so well written that it just flows off the page. I would say I could not put it down, except I was reading this as an e-book on my laptop. (Someone will have to come up soon with the equivalent phrase for digital books !)

Unlike the lightly humourous Pony Mad Princess series, this story was much more serious, tackling some fairly gritty issues. Our heroine Sasha has been abandoned by her drug addict/alcoholic mother and has been passed from pillar to post until she feels she belongs nowhere. Equally, the book’s equine hero Meteor has been so abused and mistreated that he has ended up hating humans. Too many modern pony stories do not ask their young readers to think at all. However this story really explores what life must be like for a girl in Sasha’s situation. Thankfully most young readers will have loving and stable home lives, but this book portrays a different world and gives the reader a chance to understand this world and feel compassion for those trapped in such a situation.

Despite dealing with such important and weighty topics, Diana Kimpton has expertly avoided turning the novel into some sort of dreary morality tract or sermon. The story really is gripping. Our heroine may not be doing anything as glam as competing at Badminton or Wembley, but we are just as swept up in her world. Will Sasha ever get the loving home she deserves? Will Meteor ever trust humans again? Will the pair be parted forever? Because the stakes are higher – it is their life rather than just a question of whether they will win a rosette or not – this makes the story all the more powerful. I just had to keep reading to find out what happened.

Another reason we are gripped by the story is the character of Sasha herself. Diana Kimpton has created a superb multi-layered and also sympathetic character in Sasha. It would be easy to make the girl, with her behavioural problems and emotional coldness, unlikeable or unsympathetic, but as soon as we hear Sasha’s voice (the first person narrative was chosen wisely) we immediately care about her and feel empathy for her situation. And especially, as horsy readers, when we find out she also loves ponies we are bound to be on her side! Despite her faults, when we see her growing closeness to Meteor we know she is a good and caring person at heart. As an older reader I could not help feeling a rather maternal sympathy for Sasha and I think younger readers will feel a close affinity on a more equal level. Seeing Sasha overcome her very real problems may help youngsters cope with their own. After all, feeling that you are isolated, that no-one understands you and that you don’t fit in are common emotions experienced by teenagers.

This close sympathy with the heroine creates a strong emotional response to the book. There are plenty of ups and downs as Sasha (and the reader) are really put through the emotional wringer. This is quite ironic, considering that Sasha is dubbed as ‘emotionally frozen’ in that we feel with her the full gamut of emotions from joy and hope to misery and despair.

But this is not just a book about human lives and problems, it is at heart a real old-fashioned pony story. For me, the best pony stories have always been those which celebrate the bond between human and horse, and which show how this relationship has the power to transform lives. Sasha and Meteor’s close bond is integral to the story and it is indeed the love Sasha feels for the horse which changes her own life. The themes of horse rescue, and that of redemption of a character by their involvement with horses are certainly not new, but here they have been given a new slant in the way the author has drawn close parallels between the situations of both Sasha and Meteor. Because the reader can see the similarities in the situations of girl and horse, it can make one think deeply about how animals are treated, and how their problems may be a result of circumstance and abuse, rather than just a labelling an animal a rogue or a problem horse (just as Sasha has been labeled a problem child). I feel that youngsters will have a much more empathetic view of horses, as well as people, after reading this book.

In the main this is a realistic and quite down-to-earth novel. There are however a few times when suspension of disbelief is required somewhat. Meteor’s at times rather Lassie-like behaviour and his sudden (dare I say it meteoric!) rehabiliation were slightly unrealistic and melodramatic. But as this is a children’s book such plot devices are not out of place, and in fact they were also quite useful in heightening the emotional tension of the story. On the whole I felt the book had very few even minor flaws.

For me, this has to be one of the best pony novels I have read this year. It has all the ingredients needed for a superb pony story: a great sympathetic character, a bond between girl and horse, emotional depth and an intelligent exploration of deeper issues. It also shows a compassion for both human and animal which can be sadly lacking in many modern children’s novels and inspires good values without being boring or preachy. I really hope that the author will continue writing for this age group as I think she is making a real contribution to the genre.

You can read more and vote on the book on the chat forum

Guest Blog by Tintin: Book Review - The Most Horrible Pony by Lynda Kelly

Thanks to our guest blogger 'Tintin' who will hopefully be reviewing a number of books on here in the future. Here's his take on the first book in the Amy and Clown series by Lynda Kelly - The Most Horrible Pony:

"It has to be said, before anything else, that this is a very accurate title. Clown is a truly dreadful horse and his misdemeanours are marvellously and vividly described. He puts off his rider, runs away, refuses to be caught and bites as well as being able to undo the bolt to his stall. He also does all these intermittently in such a way as to lead both reader and rider into a false hope that he might have reformed.

He is very like a horse in the Army before the war who gained himself such an infamous name by similar behaviour he was still being talked about over 50 years later. Like the military horse Clown also has the annoying habit of behaving perfectly when anyone important is about. Clown’s awful behaviour and the fact that he has been saved from the slaughter house makes it quite a shock to find he is only five rather than an elderly horse “steeped in vice”. It is quite original to have what s almost an equine “anti-hero”.

Amy, the young girl who is the heroine of the novel, is Clown’s exasperated, yet doggedly determined rider. She lives on a working farm with her mother and father, younger brother Liam (and his ever growing tribe of imaginary creatures), dog Tess and two cats. The farm and its work are nicely depicted as are the dynamics of the family which become even more interesting when an eccentric aunt comes to visit. There is also a nice crowd of riding school children and their ponies.

Amy has just received Clown when the story starts and all the ponies have more attractive characters than his (I particularly liked Gordon, the patient Highland Pony). Clown, however, does have an aptitude for mounted games.

The book has a truly memorable horse and interesting likeable characters. Not least among its charms are the sketch maps which help us to enter a complete and believable world. Well written and with good values (a central motif is about loyalty to, and understanding of, friends and family who can be annoying – not to mention a horse who can be very annoying) the book deserves to be popular with its target audience. The author has set herself a hard standard to keep up to.

With all this to praise it is almost superfluous to speak of the plot. The story is a variant of the missing race horse cliché, but because of the strengths described above this is carried off convincingly. The author also pulls off the difficult trick of starting the story by dropping you in the middle of the action.

Worth reading!"

You can read more  and vote on the book on the chat forum

Film Review - Flicka 3: Country Pride

This is my first attempt at a film review! Perhaps not an obvious choice for me, as I have rather an obsessional tendency to view films or read books in series order and it is not in character for me to watch the third instalment of a film series first! However, last night, as I was perusing the pages of a new film streaming service for which I have a free trial, I came across this and thought I'd give it a go.

In the film cowboy Toby (Clint Black) arrives to work as temporary yard manager at a struggling stableyard owned by the recently widowed Lindy (Lisa Hartman) and her teen daughter, Kelly (Kasey Rohl). In exchange for wages Toby is boarding a number of his horses at the stables whilst his own ranch is being repaired after a fire. One of these horses is the titular Flicka, a feisty black mustang. Since her father's death Kelly has lost interest in horses and has become withdrawn and insecure, but she soon bonds with Flicka, who also inspires her to start riding seriously again. When a member of the team training at the yard for an upcoming three day event is injured, Kelly steps forward to take her place. However rich girl Stephanie is jealous of Kelly's riding prowess, and of her growing friendship with good-looking male team member Briggs. Her jealous antics result in her rich mother taking her horses away from the yard. At the same time Lindy's trainer also jumps ship to a new stable and sets up a new team including Stephanie. Briggs decides to stay with Kelly and the pair cobble together a team with a new girl at school and a local teen groom, also persuading Toby to act as their trainer. The oddball team set off to the three day event aiming to prove they can compete on equal terms with their richer more priviliged rivals.

The Flicka film franchise, beginning in 2006 was originally based on Mary O'Hara's book My Friend Flicka, which had previously been made into an excellent film back in the 1940s. It was clearly time for a re-make but for some reason a number of huge changes were made. The young male hero of the original book and film was transformed into a teenage girl and Flicka herself was transformed in colour to black, obviously a hue associated more with that 'magnificent beast' the horse! Mercifully they at least kept her a mare! As I mentioned earlier I have not watched the re-make, mainly as I felt it was a travesty to tamper with such a classic book and film as the originally. However it was a surprisingly successful film, especially when released on DVD, spawning two further sequels.

Flicka 3, unlike the first instalment, does not suffer from any comparisons with the original. It actually bears no resemblance to that story at all. Like the Black Beauty TV show of the 1970s, the only similarity is the name of the horse. Instead, it is a fairly stock horse film aimed mainly at teenage girls, including the obligatory horse competition, teenage angst and first romance.

It's actually not a completely terrible film, despite including almost every equine film cliche known to man and beast and having more cheese than Wallace and Gromit could shake a stick at! I must admit I had to suppress a shudder as the intro titles came up and Flicka was described as a 'magnificent creature'  - an epithet few who have had anything to do with real life horses would ever use. And of course there was the usual rearing, pawing the air and neighing constantly by our equine heroine to endure - behaviour which of course must be displayed by such a 'magnificent creature' but which I have rarely seen in reality. The characters too are fairly stereotyped - the rough rugged cowboy with a heart of gold, the pretty but nasty rich girl, the heroine with natural riding ability. Like a lot of American horse films, it also suffers from slight over-sentimentality. The acting is moderate but adequate, typical of the made for DVD fare this so clearly is.

A quite glaring fault for anyone horsy watching the film is the 'dumbing down' of the equine side of things, obviously utilised to include a mainstream less-horsy audience as well as the horsemad teen viewer. The training for the three day event for example is ludicrously simplified, especially when the cowboy hero takes over as trainer. I had to giggle as he miraculously turned the hopeless riders into dressage stars by simply having them trot around to a country and western song! It is world's away from the realism of for instance the eventing film International Velvet, and while no-one would expect a more family orientated mainstream film such as Flicka 3 to go to such lengths of realism, a little input by someone who actually had experience in training and competing would not have gone amiss!

However despite the aforementioned faults, the film, like all good traditional pony stories, offers some good values. The heroine, although a bit wet, is sympathetic and easy to root for. The message that hard work and dedication to a cause will enable the less fortunate to compete on equal terms with those who are priviliged and rich, is a good one in this modern world where riding is becoming an increasingly elite and shallow past-time. The team of outsiders - the rough and ready cowboy trainer, lowly groom, social outcast speccy girl, etc - compete on an equal footing with the snooty rich team. The competition ending is actually not badly done at all, with realism tempering the usual totally schmaltzy and unbelievable Hollywood finale.

In short this is a fairly innocuous film with nothing much to offend, and including some good messages for youngsters. It will certainly keep younger horselovers happy enough. It offers very little in the way of psychological depth or profoundity and is certainly no classic. For older watchers or those with more horsy experience it will fill in an hour or two and give a few unintentional giggles.

Next up on the film agenda, and linked to this film, is the chat forum film club viewing and discussion of the original Flicka film My Friend Flicka and the first in the first in the newer Flicka series. The two films will be compared and it will also be interesting to see if there is any link to Flicka 3.

To join in with the film club discussion click here

Review - Pony in the Dark by K. M. Peyton

To tie in with the author of the month feature we are having on the website and chat forum, I am reviewing a book by this month's chosen author, K. M. Peyton. it took me a while to choose what book to review. In the end I decided upon this one a) because it was aimed at younger readers and we don't have many book reviews for younger reader's books on the website b) the main protagonist is male and there is a distinct lack of younger reading level pony book aimed at males c) it is short and wouldn't take long to read! I'll let you decide which of these 3 reasons influenced me the most! Whichever the reason, I'm glad I chose this title as it is an excellent read for all ages. 

PLOT SUMMARY

This is an historical story for younger readers, set in the early 20th century and centered around the theme of pit ponies. Tom lives on the isle of Shetland in Scotland where his father is a crofter who also breeds Shetland ponies. He falls in love with Storm, a friendly black Shetland foal, and the pair grow up together. When the inevitable time comes for his father to sell Storm Tom is heartbroken, especially when his friend is destined to become a pit pony. Later he visits his Aunt and Uncle who live near the pit where Storm is working. He is overjoyed to see his old pal and is pleased that he is being treated well and has a loving handler, but he is still saddened that the pony has to be stuck in the darkness, never to see the light of the sun. Tom is now of an age to choose a job and he wonders if, instead of going back home to become a crofter or fisherman, he should become a miner so that he could stay near Storm and live with his Aunt and Uncle who don’t have a son of their own. While he is pondering what to do however he learns there has been a terrible accident at the pit. He rushes there to see a stretcher being carried out with a lifeless pony lying upon it, and is devastated to discover it is his beloved Storm...


REVIEW

Although this book is aimed at younger readers, (being part of the ‘Young Corgi’ imprint which also features K M Peyton’s Paradise Pony and The Scruffy Pony), it is about as far from the fluffy glittery pony stories of fairy ponies and magic unicorns which are usually offered up as fare for the younger pony book reader. Instead it treats the young readers as intelligent, does not talk down to them and indeed presents life – including some unpleasant aspects – in a matter of fact way. This at times uncompromising attitude does mean that the book is unsuitable for very young readers or the ‘bedtime story’ age group. If you are looking for a pony book to read to your pre-schoolers, this is not it. However for those around age 8 upwards it is ideal.

The story provides real information for young readers, such as how life was like back in the day when children were expected to work from the age of about 13 or 14 and gives the readers a chance to compare their lives with those of the children in the book. It also paints a very detailed picture of a pit pony’s lifestyle. It actually explores some quite complex themes which will get children thinking. For example how the lives of both the pit ponies and the working class folk are paralleled, neither of them having much of a choice in their lifestyle:

“But [the men] can choose!” Tom cried, “The ponies can’t!”

“Perhaps. But it’s as your uncle says – you choose the mine or you choose to starve. There’s no alternative around here.”
(Page 73)

Possibly some of this will go over some children’s heads but I think it preferable to treating all younger readers as if they are half witted. I feel that a child reading this book will get so much more out of it than just a good story.

But, as with all the author’s works, a good story is still at the heart of the book. You are immediately drawn into the world of Tom and Storm and root for them throughout. Will Storm escape the mines? Will Tom also end up there? Will Storm survive the mining accident? It is an emotional story. Even an old fart like this reviewer had to have a quick blow on the old hankie when Tom goes to comfort the injured Storm. Perhaps because it is aimed at younger readers the book does not go down the usual 'working pony treated cruelly' route. In fact Storm is treated very well down the mines and is loved and respected. Although the young reader is not sheltered from reality in this story, the book - rightly so - does not dwell in detail upon anything too unsavoury or overly upsetting. The gentle plot twist in which Storm’s terrible accident actually brings about a happy conclusion is very neat and the resulting happy ending is appropriate for the younger age group. The author may have asked the reader to face up to some harsh truths of reality but has rewarded them with hope and happiness.

Because of the complexity of theme and background, and because of the author’s writing skill, this book will also appeal to much older children and indeed adults. Although the writing is obviously more simplistic than in some of the author’s books for older children or young adults, it never sounds babyish and the characters are all well drawn and fairly three dimensional. It is a very short book and perhaps you will find yourself wishing for more, but it will keep you hooked. In fact I even learned quite a lot about pit ponies that I didn’t know, such as how the pit ponies were clipped and shaved because of the heat down in the mines, and that the miners also used Welsh Cobs.

The story does not have many of the traditional elements of the pony book. There are no gymkhanas, riding lessons or adventures on horseback. It may not therefore appeal to those who only like these sorts of pony stories. It does however have that most important element of the good pony story – the bond between the hero or heroine and their pony. Tom’s devotion to Storm is never questioned and even though he doesn’t ride Storm or take him to shows, they have a partnership just as close and special as any pony club girl and her equine friend – perhaps even more so.

For me the book also has a personal touch as it is set partially in my old stamping ground of the North East of England and even mentions my home town of Sunderland (which does not feature in many works of literature I can tell you!) The North of England was still big mining country when I was a child. Friends had fathers who were miners, and there were even some pit ponies still working! It is good to know that the pit pony is a thing of the past in this country, but sad that the communities which relied on mining were all decimated with the eventual closure of the pits. This historical story is very real for me.

One last reason I like the book is that there are precious few pony books for younger children with male heroes. If you are a young boy who loves horses, there really is not much on offer. This story though is ideal. Of course this does not mean that girls will not enjoy the story too, and I would recommend it to both boys and girls.

For me this is the perfect pony book for younger children of around 8 upwards, but especially precocious or easily bored readers. Parents, if you want to choose a book for your child which will make them think as well as entertain them and allow them to run the full gamut of emotions, this is it. For those who would rather wrap their children in cotton wool and protect them from all realities of life, then go out and buy one of the myriad fluffy ‘magical pony’ books on offer. However your child will be missing out on a fantastic story and an opportunity to learn a lot at the same time.

I would rate this book as 5 horseshoes (excellent).

The review is also available on the ponymadbooklovers chat forum review section where you can vote on how good you think the book it. You can add comments there or here, whichever you choose.

Review - The Pony Detective Series by Belinda Rapley

SUMMARY OF SERIES:

The series comprises of 4 books:

1. Moonlight Star of the Show
2. Scout and the Mystery of the Marsh Ponies
3. Puzzle the Runaway Pony
4. Phantom One Last Chance

This is a series aimed at the slightly younger pony-mad readership (I think middle-grade in the USA) in which the four horsy heroines combine their equine exploits with solving pony-related mysteries.

Rosie, Mia, Alice and Charlie are all best friends who keep their ponies stabled at Rosie’s parent’s farm. When they hear that Moonlight, a local star showjumping pony has gone missing they decide to turn detective and find the missing jumper. Alice must also overcome her show ring nerves if she is to have a chance winning the Fratton Cup. This forms book 1 of the series.

In book 2 the girls find a mystery much closer to home when Scout, the pony Alice is supposed to have on permanent loan is suddenly claimed back by his eccentric owner who had formerly promised Alice could keep him forever. The girls must investigate the mystery surrounding this sudden change of heart so that Alice can keep her beloved pony.

In book 3 the girls find not one but two mysteries. Phantom, a highly valuable horse, has disappeared. But why does his young owner seem strangely reluctant to help them find him? Also a mystery pony, muddy and neglected, appears on the scene. Can the four find his rightful owner? Meanwhile Charlie is agonizing over her pony Pirate who is now far too small for her. She needs a bigger pony but can’t bear to part with him. A scary haunted building and an obnoxious girl at a nearby posh stable also adds to the excitement and may be clues to the mysteries.

In book 4 in the series, Charlie has decided to loan out Pirate but can’t find the perfect owner. Her new loan horse Phantom is also proving hard to handle and doesn’t seem to like her. After a bolting incident and an injury, she is banned from riding him. But a secret diary may have the answer to his rehabilitation. Can Charlie help Phantom and learn to bond with him before her parents decide to send him away? Meanwhile there is an unhappy orphan girl to contend with and some strange goings on at the stables. Plenty to keep our four heroines occupied.


REVIEW OF SERIES:

Modern pony series seem to fall into 2 categories – those which rely on gimmicky settings, celebrity glamour or even sex and drugs to spice up the story. There is usually little substance beneath the glam veneer, which seems to have been laid on thickly with a trowel in order to distract from the fact that the plots are almost non-existant, characters are often stereotyped cardboard cut-outs and the horses themselves simply winning machines with little or no personality. These stories are also full of unlikely situations and characters which young readers, although they may be initially attracted to by the novelty factor, in the end cannot really relate to them. Then there are those books which are a modern re-make of the old traditional pony stories in which the heroines care about their horses and can have fun without wearing the latest designer gear or winning at Badminton! These are books whose main excitement comes from well-worked plots and have characters that their readers can relate to and understand. The ponies are real and integral to the story. I am glad to say this excellent new pony series falls into the latter category.

To write a pony story which is appealing to the modern generation, but which still maintains the spirit and values of the traditional pony novel is no easy task. Older pony stories, despite being perhaps more stylishly written and with greater depth, may be too slowly paced, have too much description and extraneous content for the modern young reader. Today’s author must construct a very simply written, tightly focused and fast-paced story which almost but not quite conceals any hidden depths of plot, character and perhaps even an exploration of certain themes and issues. To me it seems almost like mixing in the dreaded veg with tasty but unhealthy food in order to get kids to eat their greens! Of course many authors simply don’t bother with these hidden depths, which makes for shallow books of little substance or real interest. This series however has got the balance just right. The books are written in a bright and breezy, fun and simplistic style, which makes them very easy to read. The characters and situations are also simply drawn and not too complex and the mystery element adds excitement for the easily bored reader. However there is actually quite a lot more depth and substance to be found in the stories than may be appreciated at first glance.

Children have always found stories about solving mysteries exciting, and the fact that each book in this series is shaped around a particular mystery adds an extra element of excitement and interest to the stories. Perhaps the mysteries aren’t quite of an Agatha Christie complexity, but there are enough twists and turns along the way to keep the pages turning. These are not Famous Five type exploits of missing diamonds and master criminals and the like but are more believable (and of course horse-related) mysteries such as missing ponies, mystery horses and conniving horse dealers.

But unlike some so called horsy mysteries or adventures where the ponies seem to fade into the background as the young adventurers set off looking for clues and other excitements, in these books the equine characters remain at the forefront. Not only because the mysteries themselves are related to horses, but because each book also deals with a particular horse-themed problem which the girls must face. Nerves, out-growing beloved ponies, bonding with difficult horses – these are just a few of the issues explored and give the books that extra depth.

As mentioned above I feel that many modern pony stories in their efforts to provide ever more exciting scenarios do not feature characters or situations that the average young reader can really relate to. Not so these books. The four main characters are all likeable and realistic and are diverse enough so that the reader is bound to relate to at least one of them. They include the laid back slightly lazy Rosie who enjoys hacking and messing about with her pony best: the always well-turned out Gina who loves showing, the slightly nervous Alice who must conquer her fears in order to pursue her love of show jumping, and the fun-loving and sassy Charlie. In this way the author has provided something for every type of pony-loving girl and has taken the pony book back to the time when the heroine was just a normal girl, exactly like the readers of the books, rather than some celebutante or riding child-prodigy. These kids do not leap five foot walls or perform perfect half-passes, but they do have fun and share friendship and the problems of everyday life.

What I love the most about these books however, is that the relationship between the girls and their horses is always at the heart of the stories. This is something that is sadly lacking in many a modern pony story. Almost all the girls who read these books love horses, they may be interested in glamour, celebrity or exciting adventures, but they can get these from mainstream books. What they want most from pony stories are horses, and a reflection of the bond they feel with the horses they own or ride. In the Pony Detective series, there is plenty of excitement, mystery and the girls compete at shows, but at the heart of all this is their love for their horses. Even Poppy, the top showjumping girl, is upset more at the actual loss of her beloved pony than with the fact she won’t be winning without him. Particularly touching is the love Alice feels for Scout and her distress when she may lose him, and also the growing bond that Charlie begins to feel with the temperamental Phantom as she learns to understand him. Horse welfare and happiness is a key theme in these stories.

The author is an experienced horsewoman, BHS instructor and has worked with horses all her life, so provides a solid authentic horsy backdrop with none of the dreadful bloopers some readers have spotted in other modern pony stories. There is also a small illustrated section at the back of each books with simple hints and tips for young riders, which is a nice touch.

Looking at the stories separately, the first one is the most simplistic and perhaps least gripping of the series but it makes a decent job of introducing the characters and their world. It is certainly worth reading as an introduction to the series. However, from the second book onwards the series really picks up pace as the mysteries become more complex and twisty and the characters of the girls – and their issues - are more deeply explored. The mysteries also become inextricably linked with the lives and problems of the girls themselves. My particular favourite is the second book in the series in which the mystery is the most personal and most realistic and has perhaps the most emotional impact. I also really like the sub-plot of the last book in which the kids actually take time and effort to try and understand an unlikeable and temperamental horse, rather than just condemning him as too much trouble.

To me this is the perfect pony series for today’s young reader. It balances the modern fast paced and chatty style which appeals to modern readers, with old-fashioned values and realistic characters and scenarios which all horse-lovers can relate to and enjoy. I don’t know if the author is planning any more in the series. I certainly hope so as there is a definite need for more decent modern pony series in the market today.

You can read more and vote on the series on the review section of the chat forum

Review - The Magic Pony by Patricia Leitch

EDITION REVIEWED:

Catnip paperback edition, 2012.


SUMMARY OF STORY:

The 7th book in the Jinny at Finmory series.

In this instalment in the series (which can be read alone but will be appreciated more if the other books are read too) the young heroine Jinny is looking forward to many happy days riding her beautiful Arab mare Shantih on the wild and magical Scottish moors and beaches of her home at Finmory. But, after jumping Shantih over a dangerous obstacle which causes her horse to go lame, things begin to go wrong. The vet does not seem to be able to cure her or even find the direct cause of the lameness.

After weeks of being unable to ride her beloved pony and feeling terribly guilty for causing the problem in the first place, Jinny is determined to find someone else who can help. When she hears there is a riding school in a nearby town she goes there in the hope that the woman who runs the place can give her some advice. But when she arrives there she finds the place is a filthy dump and the ponies are overworked and underfed. She is particularly drawn to Easter, an extremely old grey mare who must have been a beautiful show pony in her youth. Jinny realises that she must come up with a plan to rescue the pony from the terrible life she leads and give her a peaceful retirement.

Meanwhile she is also drawn into helping the mysterious old gypsy woman Keziah who has been taken to hospital but wants to return to her beloved moors where she can die in peace. Soon Jinny realises that the fates of Keziah, Easter and Shantih are all inextricably bound up together.


REVIEW:

Having grown up with the Armada paperback editions of the Jinny series, I was pleased when I heard it was being re-published by Catnip. I was recently asked by them to review their latest reprint in the series, The Magic Pony, and here is my review of that particular edition.

For me, this is a magical story in what is perhaps the best series of pony books ever written. Certainly it is one of the most popular, with generations of readers of all ages drawn to the fascinating and mysterious world of Finmory and its ponies.

At the heart of the series’ popularity is the character of Jinny. If you are a pony mad youngster (or were one once!) Jinny is an embodiment of everything you will feel about horses, growing up and the sometimes stifling and confusing world around you. The reason for Jinny’s success as a character is that she is amazingly realistic, especially compared to some of the stereotyped two-dimensional creations in many children’s books. Nor is she one of those unreal creations - a mixture of child riding prodigy and designer clad model – which seem to be appearing with alarming frequency in modern pony stories. No, she is a real person with real good qualities and real faults, which teenagers, (or  indeed anyone who has ever been a teenager), can relate to easily. Her imperfections can sometimes be irritating and at times the reader may dislike her as much as love her, but this only serves to make her more realistic and in the end more sympathetic (for who likes a perfect know-it-all?) And if the reader is honest they will perhaps acknowledge similar imperfections in themselves! 

In this story both her good and bad points are highlighted. Shantih’s lameness is caused by Jinny’s stupidity and thoughtlessness. Anyone who has done something without thinking and caused a loved one pain in doing so will understand Jinny’s sense of guilt and recrimination. But just as doing things without thinking is one of Jinny’s worst faults, so her compassion and bravery are her best qualities. When she faces up to her fears to both help Keziah and rescue the ill-treated pony Easter, her actions show that all of us, even with our own faults and imperfections, can achieve something in life by showing courage and kindness in helping others.

As well as a great central character in Jinny this story has everything integral to a fantastic pony story. There is excitement and danger as Jinny attempts a daring rescue of Easter. There are realistic problems to overcome which children can relate to, such as getting into trouble at school (for doing horsy stuff instead of homework!) and an annoyingly perfect older sister to contend with. There are emotional ups and downs, from sadness and fear to exhilaration and joy and wonder. And there is of course that element which is integral to any proper horse story – the love of a child for a horse. If you are tired of stories in which the horses are treated as soul-less winning machines, then you will love this story of a girl who genuinely feels a bond with horses, and experiences that special magic which only a relationship with a pony can create.

The characters are all three dimensional and believable and the world of Finmory is brought to life in such a way that generations of readers have longed to live there themselves. But despite being at heart a very realistic story, there is also a thread of fantasy which runs through the book, as the power of the mysterious Red Horse and the magic of the old woman Keziah adds an extra dimension. Unlike many modern pony stories, this fantasy element has not been shoe-horned into the book in order to appease the modern Harry Potter/fantasy-loving generation, but is integral to the plot, and in fact to the series as a whole. It is a strangely down to earth and believable magic which seems to be as much a part of the Scottish moors as the heather and stones themselves. A down-to-earth quality coupled with magical moments is what makes this series so unique and so appealing.

Another amazing quality of all the books in this series is that they appeal to adult readers as well as children. I have read the books as both child and adult and if you enjoyed the series as a child, you will find a different level of enjoyment and interest when reading it as an adult. You will appreciate that the book is superbly well-written, with a style and grasp of language uncommon in children’s books. You will also realise that there is a great emotional and depth to the stories in which important issues are explored at a deeper level beneath the story itself. One of the main concerns of the book is that of ageing and coming to terms with death. Throughout the course of the book Jinny is forced to confront mortality for the first time:

"... for it was not only Keziah who was dead , not some strange, special thing that had happened to her alone. This dying was a common thing, it happened to everything that lived; some day all her family would die, Jinny would die and even Shantih." (Page 196)

The ageing human Keziah and pony Easter are paralleled cleverly, as is Jinny's mission to make their last days pleasant. However although this theme is explored in a thoughtful manner, it is blended seamlessly into the story itself without becoming too heavy or boring for younger readers. I also like the fact that things are not always laid out in black or white, or over-simplified. The character of Brenda who runs the awful riding school would have been a mere evil stereotype in the hands of a lesser writer. However, the book instead explores how she started out as a pony mad girl just like Jinny and ended up in her terrible situation through circumstances. She has hardened her heart to the horse's suffering but is still seen to have compassion and guilt at their plight, shedding a secretive tear over Easter. One again, perhaps this complex exploration of a character will be more appreciated by the older reader, but I do think even younger readers will pick up something of the nuances and it may make them think a little.

For horse-lovers of any age this series stands far above the multitude of mediocre pony stories out there. I have read thousands of horse books in my time and can honestly say that these are amongst the best pony stories I have ever encountered. Each time you read the story you will find something new and exciting so that these are truly books you will want to read again and again.

Lastly, a quick word about the Catnip editions themselves. These are quality paperbacks with excellent printing and very attractive cover art, featuring a beautiful new cover model who is equally as stunning as the original Arab from the old Armada covers.

The Magic Pony is the first of the Catnip reprints I have read and I was very happy to read in the Editor’s Note that the book has not been revised but contains the original text. This was a great decision by the publishers as the book has not aged at all and if anything, because the author was ahead of her time in many of her views on the environment and alternative lifestyles, it is perhaps even more pertinent to the current times than it was when written. It also means that the original style of the book has not been adultered by clumsy updates and editing as in so many reprints.

These editions are therefore an excellent choice for both new readers of the series and anyone thinking of replacing their tatty old copies of the books.

You can read more and vote on the book on the review section on the ponymadbooklovers forum

An interesting article on the REAL Finmory on the  If Wishes Were Horses blog

My new blog!

Hi folks just to let you know that I have recently started another blog which will run alongside this one. The Mad Booklover Blog will concentrate on adult books (both horsy and non-horsy) and horsy or literary issues which may include adult content.

I have reviewed two books so far there: The mainstream novel Painting Naked by Maggie Dana and the young adult horse novel Blaze of Glory.

I hope folk will pop across there and have a look once in a while.

The ponymadbooklovers blog will be reserved for mainly children's pony stories. I will also be adding all my reviews here as well as on the forum reviews pages so that a wider range of readers can see them.