Horse Lovers Summer Book Club
Kids through young adults can enjoy great books about horses this summer. During June and July, we will meet at the barn to talk about the selected books. The goal of this club is to encourage reading for pleasure and follow the path to lifelong learning. Your child does not need to be a student at North Atlanta Equestrian to join.
Cost: $10-20 per session. If you already have a copy of the book or get your own in advance, you can deduct $5 from the cost of session. The registration form can be downloaded below. Materials will need to be ordered in advance so the payment is due ahead of time and is non-refundable.
Dates: Wednesdays - Children 5-6 PM and Young Adults 6-7:30 PM
5/27 at 6 PM (information session & pick up materials), 6/10, 6/24, 7/8, and 7/22
Location: North Atlanta Equestrian, 118 Old Mill Rd., Cartersville, GA 30120
What Is Included:
Booklist & Topics: Each session must have at least 4 participants or it will be cancelled. Please register early!
CHILDREN 8-12 (who can read chapter books) - $20 per session - 5-6 PM
1. 6/10 - Summer Pony by Jean Doty. Original copyright 1973; reprinted 2008. 139 pages.
Ginny has always dreamed of having her very own pony, so when her parents agree to rent her a pony for the summer, Ginny is thrilled! But when Mokey arrives, she is shaggy, dirty, and half-starved–not at all what Ginny had in mind. Can Ginny still have the summer of her dreams?
2. 6/24 - Black Beauty by Anna Sewell Copyright 1986. 72 pages.
This compelling tale of a spirited young Thoroughbred captured the hearts of readers throughout Victorian England when it was first published in 1877. This masterfully illustrated classic is skillfully adapted by Newbery Award-winning author Robin McKinley and remains faithful to the original. A timeless tale of courage, hope, and strength.
3. 7/8 - King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry Deluxe edition; Original copyright 1946; reprinted 2001. 173 pages
Newbery Medal award winning children's literature.. He was named "Sham" for the sun, this golden-red stallion born in the Sultan of Morocco's stone stables. Upon his heel was a small white spot, the symbol of speed but on his chest was the symbol of misfortune. Sham and his friend, the stable boy Agba, have adventures take them from the sands of the Sahara. to the royal courts of France, and finally to the green pastures and stately homes of England. For Sham was the renowned Godolphin Arabian, whose blood flows through the veins of almost very superior thoroughbred. Sham's speed -- like his story -- has become legendary.
4. 7/22 - The Ginger Horse by Maureen Daly Copyright 1964. 89 pages.
Set in an early 20th century Scottish mining town, this story revolves around 13 year old Rob, his older brother, his father, and school friend Katie, Rob faces the choice to accept what's available in his village - most men work in the coal mine starting about age 12 - or study and strive for something else that will eventually take him away from his town, friends, and family. Rob's strong compassion for animals leads him to befriend a ginger-colored pony and, with Katie's help, find a safe place to set the pony free.
TEENS-YOUNG ADULTS (advanced readers) - 6-7:30 PM
Cost: $10-20 per session. If you already have a copy of the book or get your own in advance, you can deduct $5 from the cost of session. The registration form can be downloaded below. Materials will need to be ordered in advance so the payment is due ahead of time and is non-refundable.
Dates: Wednesdays - Children 5-6 PM and Young Adults 6-7:30 PM
5/27 at 6 PM (information session & pick up materials), 6/10, 6/24, 7/8, and 7/22
Location: North Atlanta Equestrian, 118 Old Mill Rd., Cartersville, GA 30120
What Is Included:
- some books to keep
- opportunity to read great fiction and non-fiction about horses and equestrians
- craft or creative activity (children only)
- discussion of the literature
- social time with friends
- will be on time
- have read the books and other assigned reading materials before each session
- will be prepared to join group discussions
- bring a snack & drink, if desired
Booklist & Topics: Each session must have at least 4 participants or it will be cancelled. Please register early!
CHILDREN 8-12 (who can read chapter books) - $20 per session - 5-6 PM
1. 6/10 - Summer Pony by Jean Doty. Original copyright 1973; reprinted 2008. 139 pages.
Ginny has always dreamed of having her very own pony, so when her parents agree to rent her a pony for the summer, Ginny is thrilled! But when Mokey arrives, she is shaggy, dirty, and half-starved–not at all what Ginny had in mind. Can Ginny still have the summer of her dreams?
2. 6/24 - Black Beauty by Anna Sewell Copyright 1986. 72 pages.
This compelling tale of a spirited young Thoroughbred captured the hearts of readers throughout Victorian England when it was first published in 1877. This masterfully illustrated classic is skillfully adapted by Newbery Award-winning author Robin McKinley and remains faithful to the original. A timeless tale of courage, hope, and strength.
3. 7/8 - King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry Deluxe edition; Original copyright 1946; reprinted 2001. 173 pages
Newbery Medal award winning children's literature.. He was named "Sham" for the sun, this golden-red stallion born in the Sultan of Morocco's stone stables. Upon his heel was a small white spot, the symbol of speed but on his chest was the symbol of misfortune. Sham and his friend, the stable boy Agba, have adventures take them from the sands of the Sahara. to the royal courts of France, and finally to the green pastures and stately homes of England. For Sham was the renowned Godolphin Arabian, whose blood flows through the veins of almost very superior thoroughbred. Sham's speed -- like his story -- has become legendary.
4. 7/22 - The Ginger Horse by Maureen Daly Copyright 1964. 89 pages.
Set in an early 20th century Scottish mining town, this story revolves around 13 year old Rob, his older brother, his father, and school friend Katie, Rob faces the choice to accept what's available in his village - most men work in the coal mine starting about age 12 - or study and strive for something else that will eventually take him away from his town, friends, and family. Rob's strong compassion for animals leads him to befriend a ginger-colored pony and, with Katie's help, find a safe place to set the pony free.
TEENS-YOUNG ADULTS (advanced readers) - 6-7:30 PM
- 6/10 - The Horse with the Flying Tail: Nautical, the Palomino Show Jumping Champion ($10)
Nautical, one of the most famous horses in the history of show jumping, was a cow pony turned jumping super star . He was known for his bright palomino color and "flying tail" as he went over stadium jumps. Ridden in the late 1950s by Hugh Wiley, Nautical was the subject of the 1960 Disney movie, The Horse with the Flying Tail. The reading materials for this session are all available online. Access to a computer with an internet connection is required. Links to the readings will be provided. The readings consist primarily of news and sports articles including many written in the late 1950s. While this session does not focus on a specific book, it presents a variety of information so the reader can grasp the exciting historical significance of the great show jumper Nautical. During class, we will watch the Disney movie, a Nautical biopic, and discuss what what we read and watched.
Suggested prerequisite reading: The Eighty-Dollar Champion by Elizabeth Letts
** Reading List for The Horse with the Flying Tail (password protected) - 6/24 - A Sporting Proposition by James Aldridge. Copyright 1973. 206 pages. ($20)
This book is a "gem of human drama". It is centered around a poor, very stubborn 13-year-old boy and the proud, disabled daughter of a wealthy rancher. They have one thing in common: they both claim that a single pony belongs to them. Tensions rise as the townspeople take sides and a judge steps in to resolve the issue. This is a hard-to-find out of print book. Used copies will provided. During class we will talk about the book. We will consider watching the Disney movie based on the book, Ride a Wild Pony, if there is time and enough interest.
** Study Guide for A Sporting Proposition (password protected) - 7/8 Secretariat by William Nack. Original copyright 1975; reprinted 2010. 455 pages. ($20)
“Secretariat is an elegantly crafted, exhilarating tale of speed and power, grace and greatness, told with such immediacy that the reader is lost in the rush of horses and the clatter and ring of the grandstand.” —Laura Hillenbrand, bestselling author of Seabiscuit. Copies of the book will be provided. - 7/22 - The Hearts of Horses by Molly Gloss. Copyright 2007. 289 pages. ($20)
In the winter of 1917 many of the young ranch hands in an Eastern Oregon county have been called away to war. When 19-year-old Martha Lessen shows up at a rancher's doorstep looking for work breaking horses, the owner glimpses a shy young woman with a serious knowledge of horses. Martha gradually comes to feel enveloped by a sense of community and family she's never had before. And eventually, against her best intentions to lead a solitary cowboy life, she falls in love. Copies of the book will be provided.
Download the registration form here. If you have any questions, contact Denise Masters at dgmaster@yahoo.com or call 770-317-3853.
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Club Leader: Denise Masters is the mother of two teenage daughters and is an avid horse person. Denise has a Bachelor’s Degree in English from University of Texas at Austin, a Master's in English Education from Syracuse University, and a Master’s Degree in Library Science from Syracuse University. She taught middle school and high school English and worked in a high school library and an academic law library. She also was a Managing Editor for the ERIC Database (the Education Resources Information Center) and web developer for AskERIC. Denise currently runs a children’s book store on ebay called Lilybelle Books and an online gift store called American Horse Gifts.
