Wild Horse Summer
Jo Barkley tries to earn a horse to race at the county fair
To ten-year-old Josephine Barkley, life on a small farm would be perfect even during the Great Depression if only she had a pony to take to the fair.
With the help of her friend, Bobby, Jo tries several schemes to get a pony. They chase a wild horse, but it gets away. They raise a runt pig to trade for a pony, but it is killed by a pack of dogs. They catch gophers, but their penny-a-tail bounty will never buy a horse.
When Grandpa offers Jo a summer job to earn one of his ponies, she thinks her problem is solved. But Mom comes down with pneumonia and Jo faces a decision. Is family more important than her pony?
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Review
"In Wild Horse Summer, ten-year-old Josephine Barkley puts into practice a set of values fundamentally necessary to success in life. Josephine lives on a small farm during the years of the Great Depression. She wants a pony to take to the fair. With the help of her friend Bobby, she tries several schemes to get a pony, including chasing a wild horse! When Grandpa offers Josephine a summer job to earn one of his ponies she thinks her problem is finally solved. But her mother comes down with pneumonia and Josephine must face a decision -- is family more important than her pony? Highly recommended for school and community libraries, Neva Andrews' Wild Horse Summer is a very nicely written and thoroughly engaging novel for young readers, with well-paced plotting and realistic, believable characters for whom we come to identify with and care about." Midwest Book Review
What others have said
"I think she [Neva Andrews] could become my favorite author." Kelsey (9-year-old girl)
"I like the way you tell us things without telling us things." Charla (young
woman)
"I feel like I know Jo." Stephanie (middle aged woman)
Referring to the washday scene: "That's just the way we used to do it." Freda
(senior citizen)
"I laughed with Jo and cried with her all the way through the book." Helen
(senior citizen)
"When I read about Jo churning butter, my arm began to ache." (teacher's aide)
“...Andrews captures the carefree days of youth through her main character, Josephine Barkley [sic], a 10-year-old girl growing up during the Depression.” Tori Peglar, Greeley Tribune.
“I especially appreciated how the book helped my family understand the historical context of how life was lived in the depression and post depression years. I highly recommend this book to help children understand how life used to be in America only a few generations ago.” Allan D. Van Den Bos, pastor and home school father.
“...a fascinating story of a young girl’s putting into practice a set of values that lead to a successful life. It is historically accurate and provides an interesting look at life in early America. With a compelling story and likable, well-drawn characters, it will have enormous appeal to young and old alike. The story is well paced and the characters very believable. Having been a children’s librarian for many years, this is definitely a book I would recommend to young people.” Dodie Stewart, Branch Librarian, Brighton Branch, Adams County Library System.
“Some of the appeal of the book is it is so universal, especially with the scenes of the family. There is something so tender and touching about the whole story.” Jerry Shea, ESL teacher at Weld Central Junior-Senior High School