Riding Lessons by Jane Smiley (review)
Buy Issue for $25 at JHUP- Riding Lessons by Jane Smiley
2018 [192p] (Ellen and Ned)
Library ed. ISBN 978-1-5247-1812-1 $19.99
Trade ed. ISBN 978-1-5247-1811-4 $16.99
E-book ed. ISBN 978-1-5247-1813-8 $10.99
Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 3-5
In this first book in a new series, Smiley spins off her Horses of Oak Valley Ranch books (The Georges and the Jewels, BCCB 10/09, etc.) into a new series about Ellen, a fourth-grader who takes riding lessons with now teenaged Abby of the prior series. It's 1967, and Ellen, who has been "talking all the time and telling stories for as long as I can remember," loves horses more than anything in the world, and she's smitten with a new horse, Ned, who's just arrived at the stable. Meanwhile, at home, Ellen's family is welcoming a new baby daughter, whom they've just adopted, and Ellen learns that she was adopted as well. Ellen's bubbly narration is fitting for the pell-mell, independent, easily bored kid she clearly is, and her taking the family changes with only a slight break in stride is authentic to her character. It's the horses that will be the real draw here, and Ellen's vivid imagination—or maybe more?—lets her eavesdrop on and even talk with the equine residents of the stable, adding appeal to the detailed horsey portraits and Ellen's sincere focus on improvement in her riding. Young equestrians can happily start here, look forward to future titles in the series, and graduate to the Oak Valley Ranch books. DS
