The One Dollar Horse

Name: William Joseph
Price range: $

by Lauren St John

Interest age: 11+
Reading age: 10+

Published by Orion Children's Books, 2013

About this book

Casey Blue lives with her father who has just got out of prison, in a tower block in Hackney, London. Despite her urban existence, Casey loves riding at a stable near her home and dreams of one day becoming an equestrian champion and riding at Badminton. When she and her father rescue a horse from the knacker's yard, Casey names him Storm Force and her dogged care and perseverance soon sees him transformed into a healthy and impressive thoroughbred.

Casey cannot believe her luck when a mysterious benefactor offers to sponsor her, making her dream of riding at Badminton look like it might come true, however, Casey's journey to Badminton does not run smoothly…

Despite the urban setting of this novel, The One Dollar Horse is an old-fashioned pony story, complete with quaint dialogue and a likeable but innocent teenaged heroine.This is a gentle book which will hold particular appeal for horse-mad readers.

About the author

Lauren St John was born in Gatooma, Rhodesia, now Kadoma, Zimbabwe. Aged 11, she and her family moved to Rainbow's End farm and game reserve, the subject of her acclaimed memoir, and she grew up surrounded by animals, including eight horses, two warthogs and a pet giraffe. After nearly a decade as golf correspondent to The Sunday Times, followed by a sojourn in the US, riding the tour buses of alt. country stars like Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle and the Dixie Chicks, she wrote the bestselling White Giraffe series. Dead Man's Cove, the first in her new mystery series about 11-year-old detective, Laura Marlin, won the 2011 Blue Peter Favourite Story and Book of the Year Awards.

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