That’s what Sophie Groves thought, too. But she found out that horses are a heap of trouble. Her trials began at five years old, when her mom brought home Really (a.k.a. Really Mean), the nastiest pony in Maine. Two horses later, Sophieis still learning to deal with these crafty creatures, while trying to find friends who will like her for who she is—not for her horses.
Filled with hilarious horse capers and the real truth about life as a weenie, this laugh-out-loud story shows why a horseisn’t always a girl’s best friend.
160 pages, ages 8 and up
ISBN: 978-0-7614-5459-5
Available at your local bookseller and online. For library, school and wholesale orders please contact Paul Davis or Marshall Cavendish.
Reviews:
Chosen for the 2009 Maine Student Book Awards List
Chosen for New Hampshire's 2009 Great Stone Book Award List
Booklist Online, Aug. '08:
'Gibson writes vividly with wry, self-effacing humor about Groves' small island community filled with quirky characters."
-Debbie Carlton
School Library Journal, Nov. '08:
'Sophie narrates her adventures with self-deprecating humor and genuine emotions...and her well-developed character makes this short and sweet tale memorable.
-Jane Cronkhite, San Jose Public Library, CA
Maine in Print, Winter '08:
'Sarah P. Gibson's debut novel is a funny, charming story about a plucky girl who learns how to corral her fears, sit tall in the saddle, and enjoy life's wild rides.'
Jan Hall, Partners Village Store (for Winter Kid's Indie List)
I laughed out loud as I read Sophie's misadventures with the 3 assorted horses her mother accumulated for the enjoyment and edification of her daughters. The book is written for middle readers, but is equally good as an enjoyable adult story to be appreciated by horse lovers and haters. It reads like a biography of a 12 year girl learning to overcome her literal downfalls and juggling her upper learning curve with horses, and friends. Lots of fun.
Kelly McDaniel, Librarian, King Middle School, Portland, ME
The 'Truth About Horses' is a great book for upper elementary and middle school students. It is a perfect book fo reading out loud because each chapter is a complete episode. Many of the scenes are laugh-out-loud funny. Place and voice are two of the book's strengths. The book tells the story of an 'equino-phobic' young adolescent who grows up on an island in Maine with a family of psychotic horses. This was a book I started reading aloud to my own children (ages 9 and 11) one evening after dinner and they kept begging me to read one more chapter until my voice was hoarse (pardon the pun)!
Wayne Walker, Stories for Children Magazine
This book is written in a breezy, rollicking style that easily keeps the reader turning the pages to see what happens next. While this book can be enojyed by anyone, middle school age girls will especially identify with many of the problems that Sophie faces. Readers will laugh out loud as they romp with Sophie; her horses; her schoolmates; and her family through wild cart rides, visits from the Carpwells, runaway horses, and trick-or-treating on Halloween. Although I think they are beautiful animals, I have never been much of a fan of horses, but I had a fun time reading this book.
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