A Pony Called Handy is a sweet story by Cindy Schulz for children aged 9 to 12. This is Cindy’s debut novel and is a straightforward tale of some children who love horses. I know nothing about horses and horse riding but it struck me as being quite an authentic story.
The book revolves around Anna who receives a pony for her tenth birthday. Anna doesn’t anticipate the angst that her birthday present will cause amongst her friends. She navigates these relationships with a maturity above her years. The story climaxes with some intense drama and resolves satisfactorily with the opportunity of further adventures for Handy.
At times I found the children’s honesty a little contrived but it helped create an understanding of what the children were thinking and feeling, as well as how sibling rivalry can play out.
I liked the picture of Handy on the cover. He looks exactly like the pony that is described in the book. The story is loosely based on Cindy’s childhood experiences so perhaps this photo is the original Handy?
Overall it was a fun easy read.
Thanks to Cindy for providing a free copy for review.
