Charley's Horse

by Judith Shaw (Author)

Charley's Horse
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
Charlene Rittenberg is crazy about horses. She knows everything about them--except how to ride.When her parents split up, Charley is sent to riding camp. She'll live with girls who love horses as much as she does, and she'll finally learn to ride. It will be heaven. But the cabin is infested with bullies, her summer horse hates her, and riding lessons scare her spitless. A secret friend is all that makes camp bearable. Chosen as Runner Up for the 2018 Maxi Award Young Adult Novel, Charley's Horse follows a young girl's journey through bullying, isolation, and trials of courage. It's also about horses and riding, from an author who spent twenty-five years doing nothing but.This novel is not just for horse-mad girls. Kids of any age or gender who have had had to cope with unwanted change, broken dreams, and family disintegration will find the strength to persevere in this generous and compassionate coming-of-age story.
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Paperback
$13.99

Review quotes

" Charley is a charmingly sympathetic character, humble but strong-willed, full of humorous observations about the world around her. The book, with its setting and influences, harkens back to an earlier era of children's fiction: There's no melodrama or snark, just complex, well-drawn characters and the timeless problems of growing up."

Kirkus Reviews

"Charley's Horse shines through with a passion for horses, as well as a devoted understanding of the mind and emotions of a young girl."

— Emily-Jane Hills Orford, Readers Favorite (five stars)

"Charley's Horse is a stunning... coming of age journey about family, friendship, and the unique bond one can have with horses."

—Liz Konkel, Readers Favorite (five stars)

"Charley's Horse by Judith Shaw is an outstanding story of friendship, fear, bravery, and horses. I was hooked by the first page and did not want to stop reading."

—Kristen Van Kampen, (teen reviewer) Readers Favorite (five stars)

Judith Shaw
A native New Yorker, Judith Shaw married an Aussie and raised two children in Indonesia, Singapore, and the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, Australia. She has a deep love of animals and feels an almost psychic connection with dogs, horses, and, on one striking occasion, a pet python. She was a solitary child. Her companion, caretaker, and best friend was Gamin, a black Standard Poodle known for hating the garbage man and cornering babysitters in the coat closet. Judith's first horse and the love of her life was a bay Morgan named Tom Thumb. When the family moved back to the States, Tom came too. At nineteen, he was probably the oldest gelding ever to cross the Pacific.When a riding accident ended her love affair with horses, Judith focused on her other lifelong passion: writing. After decades as an editor and journalist, she began to explore fiction. Charley's Horse is her first novel. Judith lives in Berkshire County, Massachusetts with her husband Ron, and Tilly, her Jack Russell terrorist.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781543922127
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Laughing Dog Press
Publication date
July 20, 2018
Series
-
BISAC categories
YAF018030 - Young Adult Fiction | Family | Marriage & Divorce
YAF002010 - Young Adult Fiction | Animals | Horses
Library of Congress categories
-

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