Windy Creek Stables

November 18, 2024
Eleven-year-old animal lover Presley Elder-Sharaf yearns to become a professional equestrian. But due to her mother’s strict “no horses” rule, Presley has never even been near one, much less learned to ride. When Presley tags along with her veterinarian stepfather to visit the nearby Windy Creek Stables, she seizes the opportunity to at last spend time around her beloved equines. At the stables, she befriends classmate Harper Lawrence, whom Presley always took for a snobby teacher’s pet. Now Presley must somehow convince her mother to let her take lessons, which Presley plans to cover the cost of by volunteering at the stables. In her middle grade debut, a series launch, Patterson (The Exalted) utilizes earnest third-person prose to showcase Presley’s heartfelt enthusiasm for learning and new experiences, simultaneously providing an approachable primer to the world of horseback riding and a cohesive introduction to future protagonists. The result is a charming story that embraces friendship, responsibility, and the pursuit of one’s dreams. Presley’s mother has “dark mahogany” skin, and her stepfather has a “light brown Egyptian complexion”; one of Harper’s mothers has a “pale complexion” and the other has “maple-brown skin.” Ages 8–12. Agent: Molly Ker Hawn, Bent Agency.

February 1, 2025
Presley has never even touched a horse--does she have what it takes to be an equestrian? Presley adores reading books about her favorite animals and watching riding events on TV. But her mother, who's afraid of horses, has forbidden her from learning to ride--plus, the sport is too expensive. One day Presley tags along with her veterinarian stepfather when he examines a horse at Windy Creek Stables. Her wildest dreams begin to materialize when the owner of the stables lets her take riding lessons in exchange for cleaning stalls. Though Mom's still reluctant, she eventually caves. Presley's thrilled but nervous; she's self-conscious about being a Black girl in a sport dominated by wealthy white people--a feeling that's amplified when snobby Amy dubs her a "charity case." But she forms a tight bond with a girl from school, Harper, who cheers her on even as Presley worries about attending her first lesson. This fast-moving, accessible read balances more serious moments--such as Mom revealing the heartbreaking reason she's been so opposed to Presley learning to ride--with scenes of Presley reveling in her love for all things equine. Riding lingo and other details make this a surefire hit for horse lovers, but anyone seeking an absorbing read will be pleased. An upbeat tale of an intrepid young horse lover.(Fiction. 8-12)

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