Pie in the Sky by Jane Smiley

This is another author whose children's books improve with each one written.  If you have someone in your household that loves horses, this series is perfect for them.

A A Knopf sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  The book has been published, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

Abby seems to learn as much about people as she does about horses in these stories.  In this story, she's teaching True Blue how to jump and how to be a show horse.  She thinks he's doing pretty good and is just a bit hesitant on jumps.  But when she gets an opportunity to be trained by an expert, she finds out he thinks her horse isn't worth training!  Not only that, he insults a fellow rider so badly, she doesn't want to ride her horse anymore.  While Abby wonders about her own judgement of True Blue, she also worries about Sophia. 

What I like best about these stories is while horses are always central to the story, it's really a story about Abby growing and learning about life while riding them.  There are subtle lessons for the reader and an interesting story to boot.

Why not throw a leg over the arm of your chair and take a ride with Abby on her trail of life?  You'll be glad you did.

Happy reading.