PREACH IT, GRACE

In Count’s middle-grade novel, a young girl bonds with her elderly neighbor’s pony and is distraught when he sends him away.

Twelve-year-old Grace has fallen in love with the pony next door, a buckskin gelding she names Preacher (because his whinnying and pacing remind her of her dad’s sermons at church). Preacher belongs to Mr. Harvey, an irascible old widower for whom Grace’s mother prepares food and whom Grace has adopted as her “grump-pa” (“Thank you, Grace. You’re very kind to a grumpy old man”). When Mr. Harvey hurts his foot, Grace leaps at the chance to help him feed Preacher. Soon, she’s grooming the pony and preparing him to have his hooves clipped. When she tries to ride him, however, the ensuing accident only serves to convince Mr. Harvey and Grace’s mother that Preacher is dangerous. Desperate to show otherwise, Grace signs up for summer horse camp and riding lessons. She’s sure that if she learns the ropes herself, she’ll be able to train Preacher—and maybe even buy him from Mr. Harvey. Her hopes are dashed when she comes home from camp to find Preacher gone; Mr. Harvey, who is suffering from dementia, has sent him away and can’t remember where. Will Grace ever be reunited with her beloved horse? Count crafts a straightforward narrative with easy, cantering prose. Grace is an endearing protagonist, full of love, optimism and excitement—but, on the flip side, she also exhibits a debilitating urgency and a flurry of “what if?” doubts. The relationship she forms with Mr. Harvey is a heartfelt bond that, when revealed, proves unexpectedly touching. Mr. Harvey himself is a well-drawn character, both his dementia and his affectionate nature hidden beneath a gruff exterior, an aversion to religion, and lingering grief over his wife’s death. The story is full of horse-talk and equine adoration sufficient to warm the hearts of all those who love ponies (in real life or on the page).

Sweet pony fiction that ticks all the boxes and delivers depth beyond genre.