One Unhappy Horse Book

Here is a moving intergenerational story, set in Arizona, about the friendship that develops between twelve-year-old Jan and Mattie, an elderly resident of a nearby assisted-living facility. Jan’s beloved horse, Dove, needs surgery on one of his legs, but money’s been extremely tight since Dad died, and Mom may not be able to afford the operation. The situation seems hopeless—until Mattie offers to help with a loan. But what will Mattie’s daughter think of her generous offer to a girl she just met?

KLIATT

This short novel is an appealing story of a girl and her horse. The setting is Tucson, Arizona, on a ranch, where Jan and her mother struggle to keep financially afloat after the accidental death of Jan's father. They have had to sell their home, and it has been turned into an assisted living facility for the elderly; Jan and her mother live in the nearby bunkhouse. As the story begins, Jan confides all to her beloved horse, Dove, and she is quite miserable, especially since Dove has an injured foot. Jan makes some progress throughout the story connecting to other people: to her mother, to the people in the assisted living home, to a few girls at school. One elderly woman, Mattie, takes a real liking to Jan and Dove because she is reminded of her childhood when she too had a horse who was very dear to her. Mattie finds a way to help finance the operation Dove needs desperately, although it is awkward for all concerned and creates problems between Mattie and her own daughter. Jan's mother, who works so hard on the ranch, caring for the boarding horses, takes on a second job as a waitress to pay the debt to Mattie. In doing so, she expresses her great love for Jan, even though she is unable to put that love in words. Adler has written other stories of girls and their horses: That Horse Whiskey! and More Than A Horse, for instance. Jan is on the cusp of adolescence, a hard worker, a decent person trying her best even if she is frequently awkward in expressing herself. It's refreshing to read a contemporary YA novel about a young teen who lives far away from city streets, suburbs, malls, movies, and video games. KLIATT Codes: J—Recommended for junior high school students.2001, Houghton Mifflin/Clarion, 156p, 00-025907, $15.00. Ages 13 to 15. Reviewer: Claire Rosser; May 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 3)