Libby of High Hopes (review)

There's nothing better than horses for ten-year-old Libby Thump, so she's thrilled to discover that there's a nearby riding stable that might offer lessons. In a painful irony, Libby's parents do indeed fork out for lessons—for Libby's older sister, Laurel. Libby does at least get the privilege of riding an old pony during Laurel's class, and she hangs around the barn and learns as much as she can, taking a special interest in a retired jumper, Princess, and getting involved in the human drama of the stable's owners. Primavera captures with easy sympathy the frustration of a kid who's painfully close to getting what she wants, and the relationship between the sisters is plausible in its mix of envy, antipathy, and admiration; Libby's gleeful immersion into the world of the stable is also credibly depicted. There's too much plot going on, however, with Libby's horsey yearnings, her falling out with an old friend, the stable's issues, her sister's lessons, and so on, and only the story of Libby's yearning really emotionally engages. Young purists will wish for a little more equestrian authenticity, but dreamier youngsters won't mind that the riding scenario is pretty much a kid-imagined reality rather than a plausible stable. Pen and ink illustrations exude cheerful energy, and chapter headpieces, shaded with hatching, occasionally recall the cartoon ponies of the great Norman Thelwell. Give this to kids looking for more after Haas' Runaway Radish (BCCB 7/01).