The Forgotten Filly

In honor of my favorite part of the Olympics, Dressage, I am presenting this book for everyone to enjoy! Karle Dickerson was a writer for the Thoroughbred Series. A series of books written for the horse crazy set. This book has the same theme but different characters.
The story, "The Forgotten Filly" is centered around a young girl named Joelle who has bred her horse Dance Away. Joelle's horse means the world to her and she can't wait for Dance Away to foal <give birth> so that she can start training up the new baby to follow in mama's footsteps, competing in jumping and dressage. The night Dance Away gives birth to a beautiful filly, Joelle is thrilled but upon the happiness comes sadness. Dance Away dies from a hemorrhage soon after. Joelle is devastated. Her father and mother, while sympathetic, remind her that is up to her to care for the foal. They get another horse into the nurse the baby, and leave it up to Joelle to begin training. Joelle isn't happy but to keep her parents off her back she does as little as possible with the foal. Her resentment is felt by the foal, who fails to bond with Joelle, is stubborn, and difficult to train. Joelle's father sees what is going on and decides to sell the foal.
Joelle's little brother Jeff is devastated with the announcement. Jeff is a six year old who recently suffered an injury that's left him wheelchair bound. Jeff has bonded with the foal and is angry with his sister for rejecting Dance Away's baby. But Joelle still can't bring herself to love the foal that caused her to lose her horse. It isn't until Joelle nearly loses her brother that she realizes that it is possible to love another horse as much as she loved Dance Away.
I liked this book for several reasons. The first was obviously because it was about horses. Many an hour was spent with them when I was growing up, and in my last year of going to college, I actually got on the college equestrian team. Granted, the competition wasn't fierce but still, it was great!
Horse themes aside, I found there was another reason to enjoy this book. The fact is, I really liked the way the story  presented a loss and how the loss can be worked through.  I think underneath all the "horsieess" of the story that a child can learn it is possible to recover for the sadness of a beloved pet dying. It was sad yes, but there was so much strength in the sadness. There was growth in it too and in the endn that is what we as parents want for our children. We can't shelter them from sadness but we hope they can learn and grow from it.
This is definitely a book that shows that lesson. So if you want your boys or girls to read a book that will have a positive effect on them this is the one!