I was excited to read this book. The cover is cute as heck and I wanted some new horse material to recommend to students. I'll give it to the author on the quality of the writing. She has a good sense of character and voice. Because of that I wouldn't go below 3 stars on the rating.

Here's the problem. This book has every negative theme out there in middle grade literature. In fact, I've now decided that not only do I need a bookshelf for teen angst books, but now also a middle grade angst shelf. I'm sad that middle grade books, which I once considered a delightful respite from the "woe is me" attitude in YA fiction, has now become infected with the same darkness. In this book you have bullying, a dead mother, a dysfunctional father, a traumatized girl who skips school and doesn't speak, and foster care. This is what realistic fiction has been reduced to. That's why fantasy has surpassed every other genre in popularity at my school.

What I was hoping for in this book was a [b: Shiloh|207153|Shiloh (Shiloh, #1)|Phyllis Reynolds Naylor|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387737804s/207153.jpg|1152585] inspired book with a pony rescued from its nasty owner, housed in a shed, and taken care of by a child with responsible parents. Maybe a little mischievous behavior from the child by stealing apples from an orchard. That's not exactly what you get. I like the premise of a girl falling in love with a pony. I understand her obsession with saving him from the meat factory. I like her determination to escape from foster care and find him at all costs. All of that makes a good story. I just wish it had been a little more uplifting. And what's with all the clueless adults? The teachers aren't sympathetic. The social worker is incompetent. The foster care mother is obnoxious.

This book came at the same time I reached my saturation point for negative middle grade books. If your students/kids are cool with the heavy burdens of kids in recent literature, then by all means read this one. As I mentioned, the writing is good. I'm on the fence about whether kids will like it. ( )