Buy Issue for $25 at JHUP- Riding Chance by Christine Kendal
Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-545-92404-7 $16.99
E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-545-92406-1 $16.99
Reviewed from galleys Ad Gr. 5-7
After the death of his mother, thirteen-year-old Troy and his best friend, Foster, [End Page 134] get into some trouble; their punishment is an equestrian program in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park, where they’ll learn to care for the horses and maybe, if they’re lucky, play polo. Foster quickly nopes out to community service, but Troy is captivated by the magnificent animals and this unfamiliar lifestyle, where he and the team from his barn are some of the only African Americans. He’s even proving to be a talented horseman, but will his difficulty with his temper lose him this new opportunity? Troy’s fascination with this new world and delight at his relationship with Chance, the horse he’s partnered with, are vividly conveyed; the book also provides an interesting look at an unexpected urban sport. However, the notion of Troy’s instant natural horsemanship is clichéd, and it also isn’t much in evidence, so there’s a disappointing scarcity of actual riding until the concluding match; the villain of the piece, a jealous fellow rider, is also pretty hackneyed, and Troy’s behavior often isn’t much better. Nonetheless, it’s an offbeat and accessible look at a kid trying to avoid trouble and finding something new to excel at; this might make a useful partner to Neri’s Ghetto Cowboy (BCCB 9/11), another look at Philly’s African-American equestrian tradition.
