Mary's Song
by Susan Count
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Pub Date Oct 20 2016 | Archive Date Jun 04 2018
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Description
Enchanting tale of courage, love, loss, and hope. Don't tell anyone this is for children because I couldn't put it down.
Twelve-year-old Mary falls in love with a foal that is lame, just like her. The expensive surgery the foal needs has little chance to correct the problem. Still Mary plots and conspires to raise money to save the horse, even as time runs out. She sacrifices what she holds dear - the trust of her papa, to gain her heart's desire. But she could lose everything in her struggle to save the foal.
For tween fans of the classic horse books like The Black Stallion, Black Beauty and Misty of Chincoteague.
TxAuthors Best Book Award
Feathered Quill - 2017 GOLD Award
Purple Dragonfly - 2017 First Place
Literary Classics - 2017 Silver Award
Advance Praise
Mary’s Song, Book One of the Dream Horse Adventures, by Susan Count is a charming story sure to delight young readers and animal (especially horse) lovers. Young Mary is disabled and life offers very little outlet for her creativity and intelligence. She is a very talented artist and loves horses. Her doting and overprotective widower father spends a lot of time and money on various therapies to try to get Mary back on her feet, walking, running, and leading a normal life. Mary has resigned herself somewhat to life in a wheelchair until the day she meets her neighbour Laura (also twelve), and finds out about the lame foal she had seen hobbling around on the next-door property. Laura couldn’t be more different, but the girls strike up a firm friendship. Then Mary learns that Illusion, the lame little foal, is set to be euthanized because of her club foot, and because it’s not considered worth the time and money to save the little horse. Laura and Mary persuade Laura’s parents to give a six-week stay of execution to enable them to raise the money for Illusion’s very expensive operation. Can they raise enough money in time to save Illusion, and will Mary ever walk again?
There is so much more to this book than just the heartrending story of saving Illusion. The healing of both horse and young girl finds a wonderful theme in their parallel stories. The backdrop is the 1950s, which casts a completely different light on what kids would be doing, how they would behave, think, and entertain themselves. I found it a refreshing trip back in time, back to when things were perhaps simpler in many ways, but harder in that medicine and science still had some developments to achieve.
There are excellent themes for young readers, and the main one being a love of horses gives readers an idea of various aspects of riding, training, breeding and competing with horses, but without shoving facts down the reader’s throat. The wonderful and strong theme of love and friendship continues throughout, with love of family, not forgetting those once loved who have passed on, discovering new love when Mary’s dad meets someone special, and forging bonds of friendship with like-minded people.
Although there is a Christian theme, I found the author wove it into the story very well, again without overdoing it. That and the concept of faith, not only spiritual faith, but faith in oneself and others comes to the fore. Finally, the idea that a disabled person is not a broken person is very well handled. Interspersed is the idea that less able-bodied people can also achieve as much in their own way as an able-bodied person. Last but not least, I liked how much emphasis the author put on the theme of books, the joy found within the pages of old favourites and treasured books, the pleasure in reading, and indeed the importance of books.
This is an enchanting and moving story in so many ways, and young (and older) readers who are sure to enjoy it will also be delighted to know that the story continues. As the author says, “Saddle up and ride along!”
ByFiona Ingramon December 30, 2016Format: Kindle Edition
Featured Reviews
Ann F, Reviewer
This is a heartwarming story about a crippled girl and a horse. It might be listed for children but I loved it. Thank you #NETGALLEY for a free copy. I will be reading more books by this author.
DR P, Reviewer
How to have a friend? First, be a friend. Being a friend to another person takes
one outside of oneself, & one's own problems. By prioritising another's woes,
often our own can get solved as well. But it feels better, to be helping someone
else - taking our mind off of ourselves. Mary's Song is a good example of this, &
a reminder to never give up hope. Our God is the God of miracles, & He does
answer prayer!
Sarah S, Reviewer
Texas, 1952. Twelve-year-old Mary has spent much of her young life in a wheelchair due to a virus that also took her mother’s life. Despite her disability, she has big dreams, and one of her favorite activities is drawing the horses that live in the neighboring fields. “Each sketch was a wish to ride, wild and free, someday.” She becomes friends with fellow horse lover, Laura, and together the two strive to fulfill their aspirations.
Poignant and inspirational, “Mary’s Song” takes young readers along for a spirited ride. Along with a strong theme regarding friendship, the story has a gentle faith angle and also explores other issues germane to modern readers. One girl’s parents are too uninvolved in her life, while the other’s father is overly protective. The narrative delves into tough subject matter such as dealing with loss and disappointment and persevering amidst trials while still maintaining an overall optimistic tone. Middle-grade readers will be encouraged and entertained by this horse tale, which will appeal to those who enjoy some of the horse classics such as “Black Beauty”, “National Velvet”, and the works of Marguerite Henry.
Susan M, Reviewer
Mary is 12 years old and in a wheelchair as she can’t control her leg muscles. She often sits on the porch where she draws the horses in the next door neighbor’s pasture. She falls in love with a gorgeous red bay foal who is lame. When she finds out it is to be put down due to its lame leg, she decides she must save it. She has her friend, Laura helping her sell cookies and her horse books for sale at the fair. She doesn’t raise enough money. What will she do? I will let you discover all the other parts of this interesting novel.
The novel is about not giving up Inside this novel Mary does have adventures and a few secrets she keeps from her father. Mary doesn’t want sympathy from anyone due to her being in a wheelchair. She learns to not give up. It is a gentle novel. I won’t forget it!
Michelle K, Reviewer
Mary’s Song
by Susan Count
BooksGoSocial
Christian , Crafts & Hobbies
Pub Date 20 Oct 2016
I am reviewing a copy of Mary’s Song through BooksGoSocial and Netgalley:
Mary is a twelve year old girl who falls in love with a foal whose lame just like her. The surgery only has a small chance of correcting the problem but Mary is determined to raise the money for the foal.
I give Mary’s Song five out of five stars!
Happy Reading
Patricia B, Reviewer
I received this book free from NetGalley and the author for an honest review.
Heart-warming story about a girl who not only dreams of riding a horse but of just being able to walk. I have to admit that this book had me in tears several times, and yet I absolutely loved it. It is targeted toward young readers but I am sure adults will love it too, especially if they are horse lovers like I am. Looking forward to reading the next in the series.
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