Summer Book Club Week 5 ~ BACKYARD HORSES

OK - I have 2 winners who have been emailed:

2nd drawing: Jenelle Sales (has till Sunday 8/19 to claim it

Jamie Martin - emailed 8/7 - already shipped

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After a break of about 5 weeks due to major computer issues, starting a new job, etc, etc, etc.... I'm ready to continue our Summer Book Club! Thanks so much for being patient and waiting while I get my feet back under me.

I do ask for prayer as I begin looking for a new family who needs babysitting or daycare for the school year. I'd prefer to have a FT permanent position - but at this point I'd be happy with a good family with well-behaved children.

That being said, here is Summer Book Club 2012 - Week 5!

Backyard Horses - Horse Dreams
by Dandi Daisy MacKall

ISBN: 978-1414339160

Age 4th grade+

$5.99 (paperback) $4.99 (Kindle)

About this series:

Fourth-grader Ellie James has a great imagination. She spends a lot of time daydreaming of owning a black stallion show horse and winning trophies in the horse show. But when the answer to all her dreams and prayers gallops into her life, will Ellie be able to recognize it? Join Ellie and her quirky family in their exciting, horse-loving adventures.

Backyard horses are the opposite of show horses. They don’t have registration papers to prove they’re purebred, and they might never win a trophy or ribbon at a horse show. Backyard horses aren’t boarded in stables. You can find them in pastures or in backyards. They may be farm horses, fun horses, or simply friends. Backyard horses are often plain and ordinary on the outside . . . but frequently beautiful on the inside.

My thoughts:

One little girl dreaming of owning a horse and planning on all the ways she can work on her parents to talk them into getting her a horse. Cry? Beg? Throw a fit? It's never worked before.... Unfortunately it hasn't stopped her from daydreaming in class and getting into trouble - and that's how the book opens. I loved how involved Ellie gets in her daydreaming up to and including "daydreaming" up a horse outside her classroom window - or is it real? If so, no one believes her...

Horse Dreams is very well written, doesn't talk down to kids and it doesn't seem as though Dandi MacKall is lecturing or "teaching" the kids who read it a lesson. I was very impressed with her method of helping Ellie come to understand her parents point of view about why she can't have a horse. The wonderful part of the book though is that Ellie shows a maturity by the end of the book as she helps an abused horse find a new home and Ellie accepts that her job is to help this "backyard horse" relax and let others help her. I really liked this little girl and I'm looking forward to reading other books in this series.

Buy It:

The Backyard Horses series includes Cowboy Bob, Chasing Dreams and Nightmare. You can begin reading this series aloud to your younger children around Grade 1 and the reading level is for kids 4th grade and up (it's actually very easy to read and moves quickly).

You can purchase all 4 books on Amazon for $5.99 each and they are eligible for the 4-for-3 promotion - buy any 4 eligible items and get the lowest-priced item free. It's a wonderful series to add to your family's personal library and will be well loved over the years.

About the author:

Dandi has been writing stories since she was a little girl and her true speciality is teaching children about animals and encouraging them to help others (whether it's an animal or a friend). She began writing children's books when she had her own children and you can find over 400 books like: picture books, early readers, chapter books, middle-grade fiction & non-fiction and young adult novels. She loves horses and animals of all kinds and it truly shows in her books.  (Learn more here)

Win It:

Dandi MacKall and Tyndale Publishing are giveaway 2 sets of the first 3 books away to my readers! Isn't that wonderful. 


Mandatory Entry: Be sure to follow Dandi MacKall on FB and leave her a comment thanking her for the giveaway! (I'm not sure the giveaway gadget is reading FB addresses - so if it doesn't come up just leave a comment below this post. Thanks!

Much thanks to Dandi MacKall and Tyndale Publishing for donating this book for review and giveaway. I was not paid for my review services and was not required to provide a positive review. Note: my full disclosure is listed on this page - click here