Grand Theft Horse

by G. Neri, Corban Wilkin (Illustrator)

Overview

Gail Ruffu was once a respected racehorse trainer known for her unconventional training methods. Then she became part owner of the Thoroughbred called Urgent Envoy, and everything changed. Her co-owners pushed her to speed up Urgent Envoy's training and eventually made her race him too early, until he developed a shin fracture.

One more race would kill him. But nobody heeded her warning. Gail had to act.

So on Christmas Eve, Gail stole her own horse. A modern-day outlaw, she lived out of her truck in order to move the horse to safe havens. She evaded private investigators and learned the law at night to take on a powerful Los Angeles attorney determined to crush her in court. As she stood up for the humane treatment of racehorses, she also faced down the system that could ruin them.

In this gorgeous graphic novel for young readers, G. Neri, author of the acclaimed Yummy and Tru & Nelle, retells the life of his cousin Gail, a pioneer who challenged the horse racing world for the sake of one extraordinary horse. With illustrations by brilliant newcomer Corban Wilkin, it is a must-read for horse lovers everywhere.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620148556
Publisher:	Lee & Low Books, Inc.
Publication date:	09/25/2018
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	501,772
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

G. NERI is the Eisner-nominated, Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author of Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty, which Flavorwire hailed as one of the top 25 essential graphic novels of all-time. He has written ten books for young people, including the Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award-winner, Chess Rumble, and his books have been translated into multiple languages in more than 25 countries. Mr. Neri lives on the Gulf coast of Florida with his wife and daughter. For more information, visit his website at www.gneri.com.

CORBAN WILKIN is the recipient of the 2012 Cape/Observer/Comica Graphic Short Story Prize for his comic But I Can't and was nominated for the 2014 British Comics Awards in the Emerging Talent category for the graphic novel Breaker’s End. He lives in London, England.

Editorial Reviews

07/09/2018
In what the author’s introduction calls a “secondhand memoir” about his cousin, G. Neri (Tru & Nelle) details Gail Ruffu’s lifelong love of horses and career as a racehorse trainer. When Ruffu buys her own horse, Urgent Envoy, the partnership turns sour as her co-owner demands to cut corners around the horse’s training and care. To protect Urgent Envoy from likely death, Ruffu rescues the animal on Christmas Eve, whisking him away to a secret location.She faces alienation, years of legal battles, and limited employment opportunities as her former partner makes her life miserable with investigations and surveillance. The narrative focuses primarily on Ruffu’s connection to Urgent Envoy but intersperses early encounters with horses. Using thick outlines, grainy backgrounds, and unflattering depictions, artwork by Wilkin (But I Can’t) evokes Will Eisner’s drawings and articulates the story’s descent into a dark world around racehorses and animal care. Neri’s storytelling captures the everyday dedication and sacrifice behind Ruffu’s tale and manages to feel both potent and unpretentious. Ages 12–up. Agent: Edward Necarsulmer IV,Dunow, Carlson & Lerner. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

09/01/2018
Gr 7 Up—Neri's graphic novel biography of his cousin Gail Ruffu mixes true crime and legal drama with horse racing and animal activism. When "horse whisperer" Ruffu met Urgent Envoy, she felt a deep connection. Teaming up with Bud Clayton and his horse racing syndicate, she invested in the horse as a co-owner and trainer. On Christmas Eve the next year, in 2004, Ruffu stole Urgent Envoy to keep him from racing to death after he developed a hairline shin fracture. But the others didn't see it that way. As they pressed charges and denied Ruffu's side of the story, Ruffu risked everything—her career, her horse racing license, potential jail time—for justice. This gripping seven-part exposé lifts the veil on corruption in the horse racing industry and introduces one of the sport's pioneers. As the narrative jumps through time and travels between locations (mostly Texas and California), readers learn more about Ruffu, including her "Air Force brat" upbringing and Creole heritage. Wilkin's boldly outlined pen-and-ink art is all angles and scratchy lines, expertly conveying emotions and action sequences. Appended photographs of the subjects enrich the work, as does a call-to-action afterword from Ruffu. VERDICT Superb. Ruffu's tenacity and the book's satisfying conclusion will appeal to fans of John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell's "March" trilogy.—Alec Chunn, Eugene Public Library, OR

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