Pony Trouble (Hyperion Chapters) - Softcover

Schuett, Stacey

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0786812184 ISBN 13: 9780786812189

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 1998

Synopsis

At first, Amy is thrilled to ride horses with her visiting cousin Rebecca, but Rebecca's constant bragging makes Amy feel inferior and it takes a scary incident with the horses to bring the two cousins together. Simultaneous.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 2-4-All year long, Amy, 10, has been hearing about how well her cousin Rebecca does in school and how good she is at swimming and gymnastics. When Rebecca comes to Vermont for a visit, she wants to take over and shows off at riding horses, the one area where Amy feels she's clearly superior. The visit goes from bad to worse as the competition between the girls reaches a fever pitch. Disaster almost strikes when they go to a pond without permission and Amy's horse is stuck in the mud. The youngsters finally talk and realize that their resentment of one another is silly and that they have much in common. The story is simply written with lots of conversation. There is not much character development and readers may wonder why both sets of parents seem to talk a great deal about the other child, leading to a natural conflict. However, the story should appeal to youngsters interested in horses as it gives information on both riding and safety rules. Since the book is also about jealousy, it could be of interest to those wanting a book on sibling or peer rivalry.
Margaret C. Howell, West Springfield Elementary School, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist:

Gr. 2^-4. Amy both looks forward to and dreads her cousin Rebecca's visit. She admires Rebecca, who has many talents and advantages, yet often feels inferior to her cousin. Money is tight on Amy's family's farm, but Rebecca gets everything she wants--a computer, a fancy room, the lead in the school play, a paid baby-sitting job--and is great at everything she does. Worse, Rebecca isn't shy about tooting her own horn. But Amy is sure of one thing--her own skills with animals, especially horses--and she looks forward to showing off her special talents and knowledge. One day, Amy goes too far, putting her beloved pony, and herself, at risk, but the trauma has some surprising repercussions. The near-disaster brings her closer to her cousin, and Amy learns that things aren't always what they seem; as it turns out, Rebecca envies Amy's accomplishments as well. This well-written, easy-to-read beginning chapter book explores the issues of confidence, getting along with others, and learning to appreciate individual differences, talents, and fortunes, in an equine setting many readers of this age will find appealing. Shelle Rosenfeld

About this edition

• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0786812184
• ISBN 13: 9780786812189
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 64
• Illustrator: Schuett Stacey