by Gigi Amateau
ages 10-14, but a younger horse lover might like it, too

I am not a horse person. Never have been. I’ve read Black Beauty and The Black Stallion, but neither really stayed with me. I don’t particularly have an affinity for horse books. (I also know I’m not supposed to start a review out this way, but bear with me.) Yet, I found myself captivated with this book. I don’t know if it’s enough to change me into a horse person, but Amateau’s love of the horse came through the story, not just loud and clear, but in such a way that I couldn’t help but care, too.

Chancey is an albino Appaloosa. This, for various reasons, leads to a hardship in his life when, after 20 years, his owner goes bankrupt and he is unable to be sold. Eventually — after months of neglect and abandonment — he’s sold to a stable-school, where he meets 10-year-old Claire. Her parents are going through a divorce, and she’s suffering (internally, of course). Through Chancey, she finds her confidence again, and Chancey — after years of being hardened by abuse and neglect — finds that he can love. The two of them forge a companionship and partnership that will take Chancey through the twilight of his life, changing not only each other, but everyone they come in contact with.

Hubby pointed out, when we were talking about this book, that a lot of animal books aren’t actually about the animal, but rather those who are interacting with it. This one is not that way. Chancey is our narrator, our guide through this world. And for the most part, it works quite well. There are times when Amateau digresses into horse-lecturing (whether about breed, or status, or teaching) that I started to tune out, but when the story is actually going, progressing forward, Chancey is a wonderful guide and an interesting narrator. I liked seeing the world, and the human interactions through a horse’s eyes. I also think Amateau handled the dialogue quite well: Chancey talked, but only to other horses. The humans Chancey interacted with talked to him, but his communication back was limited to whinnys, nickers, and nudges.

And the ending is quite touching; it had me in tears. I’m not sure I’m going to go out and read a bunch of horse books, but I can highly recommend this one.

(Just for the record: because this is a Cybils nominee, I’ve been asked to make sure y’all know this is my opinion only, and not that of the panel.)