Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Twelve-year-old Sky has spent her life working with horses, helping her father, who has passed on a special gift to her: both can speak to horses. When they arrive at Shaughnessy Farms to help birth this year's foals, both father and daughter are mourning the recent death of Sky's mother. Homeschooled Sky rarely spends time with kids her age, but she befriends Archie, grandson of the farm's kindly owners. Then the foals are almost all stillborn for reasons no one understands, and Sky's father, who has started drinking, disappears. As Sky attempts to discover what is killing the foals, Henson (Dream of Night) brings readers deep into the world of Kentucky horse farms, smoothly weaving in details about Sky and her father's work. Sky's grief is palpable, and her slow-building friendship with Archie is moving, as is Sky's growing understanding of his flaws and struggle to love him in the face of that humanity. But the heart of the story is Sky's preternatural bond with the animals she loves. Ages 10-12. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-8-Sky Traveler's whole life revolves around horses. But Sky's mom recently died from cancer, and her dad has been less focused on caring for the horses and more on drinking. To make matters worse, there is a mysterious sickness affecting all of the pregnant mares on Shaughnessy farm, and Sky's gift of understanding horses has not helped save any of the stillborn foals. Sky is a likable character who is the most well-developed member of the cast. Her grappling with her father's alcoholism and mother's death is handled gently, and she is resilient yet relatable. Her ability to communicate with horses is treated less as magic and more as an unquestioned skill, which works well to propel the narrative forward. The plot moves quickly, and the mystery of the mares' health issues coupled with Sky's personal relationships will keep readers interested until the end. Supporting characters could use some additional depth, as some of their stories come off as unrealized. VERDICT Recommended for equestrian enthusiasts.-Ellen Norton, Naperville Public Library, IL © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
When a mysterious syndrome causes several mares to deliver stillborn or dying foals on a thoroughbred farm in Kentucky, twelve-year-old Sky, who can telepathically communicate with horses, is determined to help. Inspired by a real foal epidemic in 2001 Kentucky (discussed further in an author's note), this inspiring story about overcoming loss is deeply emotional, and Henson's writing is gripping. Bib. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A girl who can communicate with horses learns why thoroughbred foals are dying all over Kentucky. In the wake of her mother's death, 12-year-old Sky Doran, a white girl of Irish descent, accompanies her father to the prestigious breeding barn where he works each year during foaling season. Sky's family has always been nomadic, but Shaughnessy Farms feels like home, and Sky is relieved to be reunited with the mares she loves, especially her favorite, Poppy, who is expecting her first foal. Sky and her father share a secret family trait: they can talk to the horses telepathically. This year, to everyone's horror and astonishment, the foals are born dead or dyinghundreds of them in farms all across Kentucky. No one can understand why. Making matters even worse, Sky's father, who has battled trouble with alcohol before, shows up at a difficult delivery drunk. He leaves Sky among friends on the farm while he enters rehab. When Poppy's foal survives birth, Sky finds healing from her own wounds by caring for the fragile baby and uses her telepathy to uncover the reasons behind the epidemic. Mare reproductive loss syndrome, a real disaster stemming from 2001, forms the backdrop to a story of loss, growth, and friendship. Sky's first-person narration rings true, as do the details of everyday life among horses. This literary middle-grade tale with a touch of magic will find eager readers among horse enthusiasts. (Fantasy. 9-13) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
