Synopsis
We were coming up on the final barrel, the one closest to the barn. Now, one lightning turn around it and... The mare didn't turn. Instead, she had the bit in her teeth and was pounding straight for the barn, faster than she'd ever run before. I gave up trying to turn her. I just wanted to stop her. She was heading straight for the open barn door. There was only one problem. The doorway was high enough for a horse. But not for a horse with a rider on its back. If I didn't do something fast, I was about to lose my head. Bobbie Joe didn't set out to buy a limping blue roan mare-she wanted a colt she could train to barrel race. But the horse is a fighter, just like Bobbie Joe. Now all she has to do is train the sour old mare that obviously has a past. While she nurses the horse back to health, Bobbie Joe realizes that the horse, now called Blue Moon, may have more history than she first thought. With the help of the enigmatic Cole, she slowly turns the horse into a barrel racer. Blue Moon is Marilyn Halvorson's second book in the Orca Soundings series. Bull Rider was an ALA Quick Pick nominee. When she is not caring for cattle on her ranch, Marilyn spends her time writing.
Jonatha Masters - VOYA
Bobbie Jo is not sure how she ended up with Blue Moon. She went to the auction intending to buy a colt. Instead she came home with a stubborn, underfed, blue roan mare. Bobbie makes the best of it until Cole McCall has to help her train the horse. Cole is certainly not a typical cowboy; he has long hair and constantly teases Bobbie Jo by calling her Blue Jeans. Having Cole around does nothing for Bobbie Jo's ego. Bobbie Jo tries to focus on Blue Moon and how she can turn the mare into a champion barrel-racer, but Cole keeps invading her mind. The final straw comes when Cole reveals a secret that might take Blue Moon away from Bobbie Jo forever. In this new offering from the Orca Soundings books for reluctant readers, the plot moves quickly, and the reader immediately becomes attached to the main character and her dilemma. Reluctant readers will be able to stick with this book because it is short and to the point. There are no difficult vocabulary words or a complex plot with which to struggle. Admirably the story has not been toned down for preteens and teenagers. Both groups will find the book equally interesting and enjoyable to read. Teachers and librarians who work with reluctant readers should include this book in their libraries. VOYA CODES: 4Q 3P M J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Will appeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2004, Orca, 111p., pb. Ages 11 to 18.