Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, My Friend Flicka. When we think about horse books, chances are those classics come to mind first. But if you have a reader who is wild about horses, the good news is that there is no shortage of horse books for kids to read these days. In fact, here are five horse books for young (or young at heart) readers that have all come out within the last couple of years. Check them out!
Pony by R.J. Palacio
Twelve-year-old Silas is awoken in the dead of night by three menacing horsemen who take his father away. Silas is left shaken, scared, and alone, except for the presence of his companion, Mittenwool . . . who happens to be a ghost. When a pony shows up at his door, Silas makes the courageous decision to leave his home and embark on a perilous journey to find his father. Along the way, he will face his fears to unlock the secrets of his past and explore the unfathomable mysteries of the world around him.
Camp Mah Tovu by Yael Mermelstein
Lila is a young girl attending Jewish summer camp. She doesn’t initially connect with the other campers and finds herself alone in the forest, where she encounters Lonny, a beautiful brown horse with white spots on his face. In Lonny, Lila finds a friend who will listen to her problems as she develops the confidence she needs to befriend the other campers. Camp Mah Tovu is part of a series of books written by several authors highlighting the unique relationships between young girls and their horses.
The Night Ride by J. Anderson Coats
Sonnia works at her family’s struggling pony ride business but dreams of the beautiful steeds in the royal stables, especially Ricochet, who she’s been slowly saving money to buy—even though she knows people from her impoverished neighborhood are rarely so lucky.
Then Ricochet is moved to the racetrack across town, and Sonnia lands a job there. Now, she can see Ricochet every day and earn enough money to buy him—all while helping her family with her new wages! She even joins the junior racing cadre to train to become a jockey. But then she uncovers their secret pastime: competing in the Night Ride, a dangerous and highly illegal race in the darkest hours before dawn. Every race puts the horses at risk.
Sonnia wants to protect the horses she’s grown to care for, but she’s only a kid from the poor side of town—considered expendable, just like the horses. If she just keeps her head down, soon she can buy Ricochet and get him out of there. But would she be able to live with herself?
The Last Windwitch by Jennifer Adam
Brida may be a terrible hedgewitch’s apprentice—she can’t identify herbs and her charms are all mistakes—but when she sees a herd of mythical stormhorses captured by the Huntsman, she knows she must free them. Pursued by a pack of massive Hounds and spied on by a flock of mysterious Crows, Brida meets unexpected allies and discovers a power she never guessed. To survive, she must navigate currents of political and magical intrigue in a world where even the seasons seem to spin out of control.
On a Good Horse by Darby Karchut
Alex Nash dreams of being a soccer star. Or a graphic artist. Maybe both. But being a cowboy? No way. Not if it means being anything like his seldom seen father. Then, out of nowhere, tragedy shatters Alex’s world, and when he thinks life couldn’t sucker-punch him again, it does. He’s forced to live with Roberto Nash, a man he barely knows. Or wants to know. Until Alex finds out his dad has bought him a peace offering of sorts, one with a red coat, lightning speed, and a fighting spirit. A spitfire of a horse that just might heal Alex’s heart and reunite father and son.
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