The Hungry Place
by Jessie Haas (Author)
American Horse Publications' Fiction Award Winner
In this horse adventure perfect for fans of Black Beauty, a Connemara pony is pampered and beloved, then abused and neglected, until twelve-year-old Rae brings love to her again.
Princess lives a charmed life of brown sugar cubes, crunchy apples, sweet grass, and adoration. But it is a lonely life; her elderly owner keeps Princess separate from other ponies so his show-ring champion will remain pristine. When Princess's owner has a stroke, she is thrust into the care of an unscrupulous trainer and his wife, who steal from the farm and leave. Abandoned to starve with other, tougher ponies, Princess is bereft of all hope. Meanwhile, a girl named Rae wants a pony more than anything and is striving to make her unrealistic dream a reality. Rae and Princess need each other, though neither realizes this when they eventually meet. Rae must learn to see beyond Princess's scars and Princess must learn to trust again in order for them both to find their own hidden strengths and a home in each other.
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School Library Journal
Gr 3-5--Roland, the proprietor of Highover Farm, has bred some fine Connemara ponies over his long career, but Princess may be the finest yet. Pampered and expertly trained, Princess is a champion pony. That is not the type of pony that Rae, who has dreamed of owning a pony her whole life, wants. In part because she cannot afford a champion pony, but also because Rae wants one who is spunky like Radish--the pony she hopes to ride at the horsemanship camp she has been saving for. Princess and Rae seem worlds apart until circumstances bring them together. When Roland is taken from Highover in an ambulance, Princess is left out in a field with other ponies to fend for herself. Rescued, injured, and starving, Princess finds herself a camp pony paired up with Rae. Despite initial trepidation on both sides, Rae and Princess bond deeply. Could Princess be the pony Rae was meant to have all along? Roland, now recovering from his stroke, trusts that Rae and Princess are right for each other. Deep inside, people are hungry for a place of refuge that will help to make them feel complete; for Rae and Princess that place is filled by their love for each other. VERDICT A sweet story of longing, determination, and healing that will appeal to readers who enjoy tales of friendship and horses.--Jessica Caron, Bancroft Sch., MA
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
JUV039010 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Physical & Emotional Abuse
JUV002130 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Horses
Ponies
Girls
Single parents
