Storm Chaser

( 1 )

Overview

For thirteen-year-old Jessie, living with her family on the dusty Wild Hawk Ranch in Nevada can be a bit lonely. Her friend Marybeth lives a few miles away, but she's two years younger than Jessie and she can sometimes be a pest. But Jessie loves the horses her father and brother break in each summer to sell to local ranchers and rodeo competitors. This year, she is determined to help train the horses, especially when she lays eyes on the wild, paint filly she names Storm Chaser. When Jessie's father tells her ...

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Overview

For thirteen-year-old Jessie, living with her family on the dusty Wild Hawk Ranch in Nevada can be a bit lonely. Her friend Marybeth lives a few miles away, but she's two years younger than Jessie and she can sometimes be a pest. But Jessie loves the horses her father and brother break in each summer to sell to local ranchers and rodeo competitors. This year, she is determined to help train the horses, especially when she lays eyes on the wild, paint filly she names Storm Chaser. When Jessie's father tells her she is still too young to help with the horses, she deliberately disobeys him by working with the filly behind his back. Then a fire destroys the barn and Jessie's family reluctantly turns their ranch into a vacation dude ranch to earn much-needed money. But Jessie is wary of Ariel, a rude and spoiled city girl who always expects to get her way. When Ariel announces she wants to buy Storm Chaser, Jessie's already fragile world begins to crack. What can she do to keep "her" beloved paint from being sold?

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Editorial Reviews

Children's Literature - Caitlin R. Bennett
Thirteen-year-old Jessica Warner lives with her family on their ranch, The Wild Hawk, where they raise cattle and specialize in training horses. Since cattle prices are low and they can only train so many horses a year, the family has some serious financial problems. A new herd of horses is brought in from the range, and instantly Jessica falls in love with a young multicolored female horse that she wishes she could keep for her very own to replace her own aging horse. When lightning strikes and a fire destroys the barn, it throws Jessica's family into even more of a financial crisis and removes any possibility of the horse becoming Jessica's. Along with selling all the new horses, the Warners decide to turn their home into a dude ranch to bring in extra income. Jessica thinks that it will be fun to meet guests her age, but after meeting Ariel, an older girl who criticizes everyone, Jessica learns to be true to herself and her friends. This fictional story is written primarily for young girls and will help them find a balance between what they think they want, and being true to themselves when peer pressure is involved. Even though this is a typical girl-and-her-horse story, an overall powerful message of self-discovery would reach any young girl—horse lover or not. Reviewer: Caitlin R. Bennett
School Library Journal
Gr 4–6—Jessica Warner, 13, plans to spend the summer helping out on her family's Nevada ranch, riding her faithful old horse, Rusty, and spending time with her friend Marybeth. When a fierce storm hits, the old barn catches fire. Rusty survives, but he can no longer be ridden. Jessica disobeys her father and begins working with a wild paint filly she has dubbed Storm Chaser. After the fire, the Warners decide to transform the working ranch into a vacation spot. When the first group of "dudes" arrives for a week of riding, weenie roasts, and swims at the lake, culminating with a cattle drive, things become complicated for Jess. One of the vacationers has her eye on Storm Chaser and makes a big show of wanting to buy her. Platt draws readers into life on the ranch and shares her knowledge and love of horses. The story unfolds at a smooth pace, introducing new characters and situations in a timely manner. The writing flows naturally with succinct descriptions and a light, yet exciting mood that is created from the beginning. Information on horse breeds and training ring true, and an author's note provides further detail on paint horses.—Bethany A. Lafferty, Henderson District Public Library, NV
Kirkus Reviews
A wild storm breaking over her family's Nevada ranch gives 13-year-old Jessie unforeseen opportunities. Lightning burns down their barn, which is stuffed with a year's worth of hay. They don't have money to rebuild, so her parents start a dude-ranch operation to raise extra income. Jessie, lonely for friends, is glad to help out, even when an obnoxious guest sets her sights on Storm Chaser, the beautiful filly Jessie has trained. Jessie's old horse has been badly injured in the fire, and she's let herself fall in love with Storm Chaser, but she knows her family needs the money Storm Chaser will bring. A former jockey, Platt has penned a solid, almost old-fashioned middle-grade horse story, full of the gritty minutiae horse-mad readers crave. Lovely horse details, fine characterization and a real sense of family combine to make an excellent book whose ending, while not surprising, rings true. (Fiction. 8-12)
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781561454969
  • Publisher: Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.
  • Publication date: 10/1/2009
  • Pages: 160
  • Sales rank: 696,631
  • Age range: 9 - 12 Years
  • Lexile: 800L (what's this?)
  • Product dimensions: 6.10 (w) x 8.50 (h) x 1.00 (d)

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Sort by: Showing 1 Customer Review
  • Anonymous

    Posted November 10, 2009

    Great Book!

    This was a great book that kept me interested the whole time, and I read it in one sitting. The plot is a little predictable, but certainly not much worse than most other horse books these days. Overall, good book, would definitely recommend!

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