No Horse Wanted by Shannon Kennedy

RATED 4.5 STARS








The only thing that Robin Gibson wants for her sixteenth birthday is a 1968 Presidential Blue Mustang. Following their family tradition, what her parents promise her is a horse of her own, one with four legs, not four wheels. Mom competes in endurance riding, Dad does calf roping, her older brother games and her older sister loves three-day eventing, but Robin proudly says that she doesn't do horses. She'll teach her controlling family a lesson by bringing home the worst horse she can find, a starved, abused two-year-old named Twaziem.

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Robin Gibson belongs to a family of horse lovers, but the only horse she’s interested in is a 1968 Mustang in Presidential blue.  She is hoping to buck the family tradition of getting a horse on your 16^th birthday and getting the car instead.

Things don’t work out as Robin planned and her parents insist she get a horse so she picks out a pitifully undernourished and neglected horse that looks to be on his last legs.  She plans to rehabilitate Twaziem and sell him later for money towards her car.
           

Robin is a typical teen in most respects.  She is a little mouthy, a little homework shy, a little unsure about boys and a little diva-ish.  She is a good hearted soul though who loves to care for animals and find the strays homes.

I liked that Robin had chores to do at home and varied interests including cross country running.  She made friends with girls she didn’t think she’d like because of her caring heart.

Her brother, Jack, was a typical teasing older sibling and her parents were supportive without being overindulgent.  Her older sister made a brief appearance but she was mostly away at college.

Robin’s friend, Vicki, was a girl stuck in an all too familiar situation.  Her parents divorced, mom is overloaded with her job schedule and she expects Vicki to pick up the slack. I liked the way Robin stood up for her friend so she could continue her cheerleading.

Robin also ended up being friends with Olivia, another cross country teammate who started out as an adversary and with Danielle, a girl she got to know at the stables where they both trained.

Any girl who has a secret or not so secret desire to own a horse will enjoy this story.  It is a great combination of teenage life and practical information about owning a horse. I think even preteens as young as 12 would enjoy this story very much.

Even if you aren’t a horse fan, I recommend this book for the compelling story of this group of friends.
  Note:  There are some mild curse words in the story.

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