A Good Horse

by SMILEY, JANE

• ISBN13: 9780375862298
• ISBN10: 0375862293
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-10-26
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Summary

When eighth grader Abby Lovitt looks out at those pure-gold rolling hills, she knows there¿s no place she¿d rather be than her family¿s ranch¿even with all the hard work of tending to nine horses. But some chores are no work at all, like grooming young Jack. At eight months, his rough foal coat has shed out, leaving a smooth, rich silk, like chocolate. As for Black George, such a good horse, it turns out he¿s a natural jumper. When he and Abby clear four feet easy as pie, heads start to turn at the ring¿buyers¿ heads¿and Abby knows Daddy won¿t turn down a good offer. Then a letter arrives from a private investigator, and suddenly Abby stands to lose not one horse but two. The letter states that Jack¿s mare may have been sold to the Lovitts as stolen goods. A mystery unfolds, more surprising than Abby could ever expect. Will she lose her beloved Jack to his rightful owners?

Author Biography

Jane Smiley is the author of many books for adults, including Private Life, Horse Heaven, and the Pulitzer Prize–winning A Thousand Acres. She was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2001.

Jane Smiley lives in Northern California, where she rides horses every chance she gets. Her first novel for young readers, The Georges and the Jewels, also features Abby Lovitt and her family’s ranch.