Skip to main content

Review: Bea and the New Deal Horse

By

Bea and the New Deal Horse
By L.M. Elliott
New York: Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2023. Fiction. 375 pages.

When Beatrice and her sister, Vivian, are abandoned by their father in a hayloft one night, they are forced to figure out how to convince the farm owner to let them stay. The girls offer to help with odd jobs around the farm and Mrs. Scott, the farm owner, decides to take them in until their father returns. When Mrs. Scott discovers that Bea is good with horses, she decides to help her get ready to participate in horse competitions to sell the horses to get money to help the farm. Bea forms a strong bond with the chestnut horse that has previously been untamable and in the process gets even closer to Mrs. Scott as they learn more about each other. 

This historical fiction novel takes place during the Great Depression in Virginia and includes many events during the story to show what happened during that time. It includes penny auctions, references to The New Deal, Bonus Army march to Washington, droughts, and other events. This book has a strong feel of community and found families and would be especially loved by those who like horses.  

Labels:

Comments

Ms. Yingling said…
I loved this one! It's popular with my readers who like horse books as well as those who like historical fiction. I especially liked Mrs. Scott. Thanks for the review!
February 19, 2024 at 2:09 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Mixed-Up Owl

By
The Mixed-Up Owl  Written by Marzena Sowa Illustrated by Joanna Lorno New York : Hippo Park, 2025. Picture Book. When Owl can't sleep at night, he heads off to see if any forest animals can help him understand why, and even more so, how to fix it!  Unfortunately, all the animals Owl runs into at night are asleep and all the animals he meets during the day are too rude or too busy to answer him.  Will Owl give up or will a chance meeting with a grumpy hedgehog provide all the solutions Owl was looking for? The premise of an owl trying to stay awake during the day because all the other animals around him do is very fun. Kids who know that owls are nocturnal will get a kick out of Owl's confusion and be quick to try to tell him what's going on.  Readers who don't know many facts about owls (or nocturnal animals in general) will get a brief introduction to the different ways animals sleep. The illustrations are charming, especially cute Owl and his expressive body langua...
Post a Comment
Read more

Display: Be A World Traveller

By Suzanne
Real Castles Around the World Written by Kaitlyn Duling Vero Beach, Florida : Rourke Educational Media, 2025. Informational. 48 pages Take a trip around the world as you read about the most impressive castles ever built! Explore fierce fortresses, castles that have inspired stories, uniquely colorful castles, and the history behind them all as you Travel to Real Castles Around the World! Part of the Travel to Children s Book Series, this 48-page nonfiction book explores castles both past and present, the kings that inhabited them, and knights that fought to protect them! Lower the drawbridge, cross the moat, and travel to real castles from all around the world as you learn about our magical history with fun-filled facts and vibrant photos. History Book Features: Before- and after-reading activities. Extension activity. Glossary About Rourke Educational Media: We proudly publish respectful and relevant nonfiction and fiction titles that represent our diverse readers, and are designed to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: Grounded for All Eternity

By
Grounded for All Eternity By Darcy Marks New York : Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, 2022. Fiction. 375 pgs. Malachi, Crowley, and Lilith are just your average, normal, middle-school kids. That is, if you consider living in the suburbs of Hell and having black feathered wings normal. They want to enjoy their school free vacation, but Hell is on lock down after the soul of Reverend Samuel Paris, leader of the 1693 Salem witch trials, escapes. Malachi and his friends travel to Earth, looking for some fun, but accidentally bring the Reverend's soul with them to modern day Salem, Massachusetts. Chaos ensues, and Malachi meets many new types of characters, such as witches, angels, and humans. Malachi and his friends must work together to return Reverend Sam's soul to Hell, or else all of Salem will be destroyed. Or worse, be grounded for all eternity.  Read this book for the ultimate Halloween experience, and if you want to revisit the ...
Post a Comment
Read more