Finny and the Boy from Horse Mountain

Gr 5–8—A neglected horse, a teen runaway, a spoiled, rich girl, divorced and remarried parents, and even horse rustlers bring a myriad of complications to 15-year-old Finny's life in California. She works at Silver Spur Stables to earn riding lessons and dreams of having her own horse. When she rescues Sky from a sad situation, it seems as if her dream is coming true. Sky, however, proves to be a difficult horse. Finny finds help in unexpected places, especially with Joe, a homeless teen who turns out to be a true horse whisperer. In this tale, the good guys finish first and the villains eventually pay for their bad acts. Finny is a likable character with a caring heart and tremendous resilience. There is a good variety of supporting characters and Sky provides many interesting moments as he stymies and amazes the humans with his raw talent and quirky personality. There are enough plot twists, from horse stealing to budding romance, to keep things moving quickly to a satisfying end.—Carol Schene, formerly at Taunton Public Schools, MA