A Hundred Horses

Gr 3-7--Eleven-year-old Nell Green is unhappy about having to spend her school vacation on a farm with her aunt and two younger cousins whom she hardly knows. Once there, however, she easily adjusts to her aunt's gentle nature and the devotion of her cousins. She meets their kindhearted neighbor Rita, who is grieving the recent loss of her husband. His death has prompted Rita to sell her farm animals, including her herd of 99 horses. Nell also meets the wild child Angel, who thunders into her life on a horse and takes her precious leather bag that contains an old tin carousel. As Nell attempts to retrieve her bag, she gets drawn into an adventure; there are missing animals, a midnight horse ride, and a legend about the magic of the hundredth horse. Depending on who is telling the story, the hundredth horse to enter a herd can either ruin the whole lot or signify the arrival of something special. Nell and Angel develop a mysterious friend/foe relationship as Nell begins to wonder who or what Angel really is. The author intertwines the characters and story line with finesse, keeping readers guessing about Angel's identity and the appearance of the hundredth horse until the end of the evenly paced plot. A touch of magic delivers a satisfying and positive conclusion.--D. Maria LaRocco, Cuyahoga Public Library, Strongsville, OH