I’ve got a question from a reader: “What books do you recommend for almost-12-yr-olds who are really smart but only read horse books?”
I’ve already got Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar (particularly the Arrows books to start with), Caitlin Brennan’s HOUSE OF THE STAR in particular, Robin McKinley’s THE BLUE SWORD, and I’m thinkin’ maybe Anne McCaffrey’s Harper Hall trilogy, although fire lizards are not *technically* horses. :)
What am I missing, I asked gleefully, because there is nothing so much fun as asking LJ for book recommendations. *beams*
James Herriott’s books! They’re about his time as a country vet in England, but you can find collections of just the horse stories, or dog stories, or whatever. My niece loves the horse one.
I completely agree with the Pern/Harper Hall recommendation, by the way. If dragons are like horses that breathe fire, then fire lizards are like Shetland ponies. And what’s cuter than a mini pony?
Tamora Pierce
Sweet! My question! Will have to check those out. Love the valdemar books but don’t think she’s ready for some of the really bad stuff that happens to the folks. She’s very tender-hearted.
The Black Stallion series by Walter Farley, not the Young Black Stallion books by his son; and Marguerite Henry’s books like “King of the Wind” and “Misty of Chincoteague.” Still have all of mine, plus my James Herriott books.
In a couple of years Dick Francis horse-based mysteries will be great too. Especially “Nerve” and the others he wrote in the 60’s.
Harder to find are English translations of Cecil Bødker’s “Silas” novels, like “Silas and the Black Mare
Doranna Durgin: ‘Dun Lady’s Jess’. Sequel is ‘Changespell’. A cross dimensional fantasy adventure with two strong female protagonists, one of whom is an Earth stablehand…