Libby of High Hopes (Libby of High Hopes)

Gr 2-4--Ten-year-old Libby Thump longs to become the best horseback rider in the entire world. However, her path to greatness is not without strife: her teenage sister steals her chance at riding lessons; her mother refuses to accept that her best friend's daughter, Brittany, is now Libby's ex-best friend; and she's forced to continue the swimming lessons that she hates. It seems Libby won't ever be able to "live up to her potential," as her fourth-grade teacher says she needs to do. Still, Libby is plucky and persistent, and her infectious zeal manages not only to bring about the realization of her dreams, but also to inspire those around her. She is a lovely heroine, and her tribulations are relatable and realistic. Expressive full-page illustrations appear throughout. The well-written story teaches the gentle lesson that life can be unfair, but persistence and passion ultimately pay off.--Nicole Waskie-Laura, Chenango Forks Elementary School, Binghamton, NY

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Libby Thump is almost 11 years old and loves horses. She spends a lot of her time in her room with her dog Margaret, which gives her more time to dream about horses and to draw them. She really wishes she could have a horse, or at least learn to ride one.It looks like life is just going to be drawing pictures of horses and not actually getting to ride them. But that all changes when she —- no, it's actually Margaret —- discovers a nearby, rather run-down horse stable called High Hopes Horse Farm.

LIBBY OF HIGH HOPES would be a fantastic read-aloud in the classroom and would probably be equally enjoyed by girls and boys. It's a fresh story with some good life lessons and well-developed characters (including the horses)."

Elise Primavera has beautifully captured the quirky and sweet personality of Libby, a delightful little character who struggles with the "potential" problem like any girl her age. There's hardly any little girl who doesn't go through her horse-loving phase, but Libby takes hers all the way. She finds out what potential is, but not before making plenty of mistakes while also helping other people in ways she doesn't understand.

LIBBY OF HIGH HOPES would be a fantastic read-aloud in the classroom and would probably be equally enjoyed by girls and boys. It's a fresh story with some good life lessons and well-developed characters (including the horses). We hope that Primavera will give us more books about Libby Thump very soon.

Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts on June 30, 2012
—Kidsreads.com