February 15, 2014
Grades 3-5 A gifted horse whisperer, 11-year-old Antonia has grown up on Rosenburg Farm, where her family has lived since 1758. No sooner does her best friend arrive for a visit than the vet delivers bad news: Antonia's injured horse, Snow White, will never be able to jump again. Soon three exceptional horses are boarded at the farm, and Antonia befriends her favorite, Elfin Dance. When he falls ill and his trainer is injured, both Snow White and Antonia play pivotal roles in his recovery. Girls who love horses will find plenty to enjoy here, from the sympathetic human and equine characters to the unusual setting. Gotzen-Beek's lively illustrations, reproduced in color, add visual interest to the well-paced story. Though Zller is a prolific German writer for children, this appears to be her first book available in English in North America. Originally published in Germany, this chapter book is the first volume of the Rosenburg Riding Stables series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)