Product Description

Parker's Olympic dream is at risk...Parker Townsend and Christina Reese haven't seen much of each other lately.Parker is competing in the Olympic trials in combined training and Christina is racing Thoroughbreds.When Parker meets Lyssa Hynde, things only get worse.

Lyssa, the daughter of a Montana rancher who rides her horse without a bit, has been winning everything and is fast becoming a celebrity.Christina instantly befriends Lyssa, eager to learn all her tricks.Parker's jealous of Lyssa, and it's affecting his riding.Will Parker let Lyssa ruin his shot at the Olympics?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #381950 in Books
• Published on: 2000-05-11
• Original language: English
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 192 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Strasser (Kidnap Kids; Help! I'm Trapped in Obedience School) covers all the bases in his latest middle-grade caper, whose winning elements include fully formed characters, snappy, credible dialogue and a quick-moving plot that tackles real-life issues with a light touch. Baseball fanatics, Ian and his friends would happily spend every afternoon on the diamond, but things get in the way: ordinarily cheerful Jenny begins refuting reasonable calls against her, runs off the field when she doesn't get her way and gradually becomes a no-show. On some days a group of high school tough guys, among them Jenny's stepbrother, throws rocks at the youngsters and forces them to abandon their games. Ian, an unusually level-headed and thoughtful 11-year-old, reaches out to the troubled Jenny and her stepbrother with the help of his perceptive mother who, the boy muses, sometimes would "ask just enough questions to get you thinking about something. Then she'd leave you to figure out the rest on your own." Strasser's solid story should score points with girls as well as boys, especially those more accustomed to holding a baseball glove than a book. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6-This novel centers on a group of ethnically diverse fifth- and sixth-grade boys and girls who gather to play baseball almost daily. Baseball is not the main focus of the action, however, and the book reads more like a soap opera than a sports story. Jenny's behavior on the field has changed drastically and her friends soon discover that her family is having problems. Her stepfather is in a drug-treatment center, her mother has had to get a job, and Jenny has to baby-sit for her younger brother and therefore can't play as often. Also, her semi-delinquent older stepbrother and his high school buddies disrupt the games by throwing rocks at the kids. In the end, Jenny's baseball pals help solve all of her problems so that they can all play in peace. The plot is heavy-handed and unrealistic, and the solutions are too convenient. The dialogue does not ring true for the age group. There is sparse baseball action and far too little comic relief. For a lighter approach, more play-by-play, and better writing, stick with Matt Christopher's many titles.
Kate Kohlbeck, Randall School, Waukesha, WI
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Joanna Campbell appears here with her six-year-old Thoroughbred, Meyersville Magic, known around the barn as CC. He's a son of Horatius out of Northwich by Timothy's Champ and is owned by Cathy Day. Formerly trained for racing, he is now being trained for eventing. Last Year he was the Maine Entry Level Champion in Combined Training.

Customer Reviews

great book!
i thought it was a great book! it makes sence that lyssa won the dressage test since elegance and beauty counts but the dressage judges don't not let you with just because your horse isn't pretty. (i know cause i ride dressage) as the saying. hadsome is as handsome does. overal a goog book

An awsome,funny and fantastic book!!!!!
This book was awsome! My mom and I read these books together all the time. It is a good book for all ages because it is easy to understand and there are not many hard words. These books inspire me to try new things when I am riding my horse. This book is about two teenagers who are in love, and they are big horseback riders. Cristina races horses and Parker does cross-country. When Parker was at an event with his horse Foxglove, he met a strang girl named Lyssa. She was riding a big gray horse, and she just went over a 3'6" oxer, a huge double jump. She was nice to Parker but when everybody at his farm started using her weird methods, he became very cross with her. Will Parker ever be friends with Lyssa? I think the author wants you to learn that everybody is different and that just because you have a different way of riding your horse that does not mean you can't be friends. I think the kind of reader that would enjoy this book is someone that love horses and enjoys reading about horses. I think this is a very good book to choose to read, because it is full of life, funny and never boring. Cristana is the girlfriend of Parker, and owner of Star (her horse.) and daughter of the famous jockey Ashley. Parker, is the boyfriend of Cristana, a great cross-country rider, owner of Foxglove (his horse.) Lyssa is an awsome cross-country rider, and owner of Blue (her horse.) This author has written all of the books in the seires, and trust me, there are a lot of books. I think that this book is different from other books because it is written in all the character's perspectives which shows everyone's point of veiw. It is not only a horse book it is also about the lives of teenagers and the problems they go threw. This author is very creative especially her great opening lines!!!!

Rider & Reader
Yes the best! I love the fact that its a break from racing don't get me wrong racings cool but eventings great!! even if you canfind a bunch of other seris on eventing ive already read them all and besides Joannas the best this is my all time fav book ( along with all the ones were chris is eventing and #50 team player-very sad but well writen book-) so anyways the only problem i had with this book is that chris still hasen't come to her senses about eventing. hasen't anyone but me noticed how gurumpy and snobby chris has become sence she stoped eventing?
and star dosen't seem like a very good horse shes always having problems sterling was way better! i miss her so much i read the horse of her dreams all the time! thats the best book its when every thing made seince...