Objects in Mirror - Softcover

Robins, Tudor

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0889954976 ISBN 13: 9780889954977

Publisher: Red Deer Pr, 2013

Synopsis

On CCBC's Best Books for Kids and Teens list 2013

Grace is looking forward to spending her summer weekends at horse shows riding new and spirited horse Sprite to the medal podium. But things don't always go as planned. It seems that her summer is ruined when Sprite is sold by the riding stable to a new owner. But then other opportunities present themselves—Grace is now going to live her dream. She will be spending all summer working with horses in her new job helping the trainers at the stables. With handsome new coworker Matt and a fragile, damaged mare that needs extra special care, Grace's summer seems perfect. She can't hide from the truth though—the eating disorder that she is starting to acknowledge but not truly understand is rearing its ugly head and threatens to derail everything. Will she be able to heal herself along with the horses she is caring for?

Reviews:
"Objects in Mirror is well-written and compelling. Robins deals knowledgeably and sensitively with both horses and eating disorders. Grace?s first-person voice is convincing, helping readers understand anorexia from the inside. She is a likeable character with believable flaws and strengths, not just a representative anorexic girl. Her journal entries are particularly effective. The narrative never feels didactic, and Grace?s recovery is neither facile nor pat.
"Horse lovers will get their fill of everything to do with horse care, training and riding. The setting is vividly rendered, and the horses are each individual characters. The human characters are generally well rounded, though Matt might be a bit too perfect. The Matt-Grace romance is nicely developed, however, and Robins writes a great kissing scene.
"Objects in Mirror will appeal to anyone who likes horses and anyone who likes realistic drama with a bit of romance. It?s an excellent choice for a novel about anorexia, because it?s not a story about an issue; it?s just a great story."
Highly Recommended. **** / 4
-- CM Magazine

About this title

About the Authors

Tudor Robins was born in Ottawa and has degrees in English Literature from Queen's University and Journalism from the University of King's College. She works as a freelance writer in Ottawa contributing to a variety of publications including Today's Parent, Canadian Living, More Magazine, the Ottawa Citizen, and many others. This is her first young adult novel.

Tudor Robins was born in Ottawa and has degrees in English Literature from Queen's University and Journalism from the University of King's College. She works as a freelance writer in Ottawa contributing to a variety of publications including Today's Parent, Canadian Living, More Magazine, the Ottawa Citizen, and many others. This is her first young adult novel.

Reviews

Gr 7–10—Fifteen-year-old Grace loves riding horses and practically lives at the barn, where she gets to know Matt, her cute coworker. But Grace also struggles with anorexia. She weighs herself daily, criticizing herself when the scales haven't moved in the "right" direction. She stealthily skips meals and documents her calorie intake in her journal. It isn't until she and Matt work together to help abused horses that Grace starts to accept herself and begins the healing process. Robins tries to draw a parallel between Grace's eating disorder and the fragile, mistreated horses with whom the teen works, but the connection is flimsy at best. In this Canadian debut novel, the problems both with the horses and the characters are solved too easily or brushed over with little explanation.—Sarah Allen, Judson High School, Converse, TX

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Objects in Mirror

By Tudor Robins

Red Deer Press

Copyright © 2013 Tudor Robins
All right reserved.
ISBN: 9780889954977
“After our Tuesday evening lesson Drew asks me to stay behind. This never happens. One person is never, ever singled out. Any individual attention we get comes during the lesson in the form of yelling and general criticism. Other than that we accept that we’re seen as a homogeneous group; young girls on horseback. At the end of our allotted hour we chorus an obligatory round of “thank you, Drew” and he waves his hand to show we’re collectively dismissed.
But not today. As Mavis raises her eyebrows at me and I turn Sprite towards Drew’s podium at the center of the ring, I’m as baffled as Mavis and very, very curious. I mimic Mavis and raise my own eyebrows as I draw Sprite to a halt beside Drew.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” he says. The bottom of my stomach twitches. It’s preparing to bail on me; to drop away and leave me sick and shaky. From the tone in Drew’s voice I’m not going to be happy about what he says next. “There’s no easy way to say this, and I’m very sorry, but you’re not going to be able to show Sprite at Cedar Mills this weekend.”
This is bad but not as bad as I feared. I’m still nervous and on edge but at least I’m able to find my voice.
“Pardon me?” I, like all Drew’s students, am conditioned to be polite at all times. Drew’s sent riders out of the ring at the beginning of a $50 lesson for muttering under their breath. He tells their parents no, they will not be getting a refund. To Drew, the teaching of good horsemanship and sportsmanship is equal in value to the teaching of a good seat and leg. Students, like me, who’ve never learned with anybody else would never consider being disrespectful. So, while I think What are you talking about? What I say is, “Excuse me?”
“Sprite’s been sold, Grace,” he says.
And that does it. Not only is it bad; it’s a million times worse than I guessed. My intestines twist. My breath goes. I can’t respond and don’t want to as I know any attempt at talking will bring tears.”

Continues...

Excerpted from Objects in Mirror by Tudor Robins Copyright © 2013 by Tudor Robins. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Edition details

• Publisher: Red Deer Pr
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0889954976
• ISBN 13: 9780889954977
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 220