Emily and Emerald/Cassie and Charm

Gr 1-3–The latest entries in the series handle heavy emotions with a light touch. In Cassie and Charm, Cassie wrestles with grief over losing her beloved pony, Apple. She struggles to connect with her new pony, Charm, and her Pony Camp friends, but ultimately the goal of competing in a cross-country race helps Cassie work on her attitude and embrace the fun of Pony Camp. In Emily and Emerald, Emily arrives at Pony Camp full of apprehension—will this week be filled with bullies, just like her last experience? But when she finds Emerald, a pony who needs a gentle touch and a lot of understanding, Emily rises to the challenge of making sure both she and her newfound pony friend have a great time at Pony Camp. With age-appropriate first-person language and well-dispersed illustrations, both titles handle difficult subjects while still maintaining the pleasant tone that characterizes the series. Both installment are heavy on the technical terms of horseback riding but include a full glossary and index. Messages of emotional intelligence are handled well for early elementary readers.