This book is a dream come true. A "summer horse" of your own, living in a cabin, canoeing, and more - what's not to like? Except...Charley did not plan on spending the summer at camp. When her parents announce that they are getting a divorce and Charley and her brother will be going to camp, Charley only agrees to go when her brother talks her parents into sending her to a horse camp. Charley arrives at camp, only to discover that her dream of life at camp and the actual camp situation don't exactly mesh.

This is a sweet book that takes a compassionate look at a girl grieving the divorce of her parents and trying to adjust to a camp that didn't turn out as planned. Anyone who has experienced divorce will be able to relate to the array of emotions that plague the protagonist. This story delves into the heart of Charley who begins to learn about herself, the world around her, and the feelings of other people. It's not just about horses. The reader meanders through many twists and turns and vicariously experiences finding joy in unexpected places.

So.....does Charley survive the summer at camp? Does the summer end up being a dream come true? You will have to read the book to find out! This book will appeal to girls who love horses and will also be a comfort to children who have experienced divorce in knowing that they are not alone.

I enjoyed this book. This isn't the first YA book I've read about a girl going to an American summer camp that teaches riding. But it is one of the very few books I've read about someone learning to drive a horse. And the others were either historicals or sulky racing stories.

Charley is upset when her parents say they are getting a divorce. Her brother suggests that as they are both being packed off to summer camp to get them out of the way - I've read that before too - Charley should learn to ride, since she loves horses. She reluctantly complies and ends up riding a thirty-year old flea-bitten grey, not knowing anything. Every other girl can ride. Unfortunately Charley was expecting to get started on a pony and doesn't get on well with a full-size horse. Some other girls sneer at her and she's upset, which I've read before, so she runs off and meets the lonely black horse on its own in a field - I've read that trope before too.

From then on the book takes on its own life and becomes much more interesting. We learn about kayaking as well as equestrian issues. We see reasons why characters behave as they do. We see that parents do care for kids.

A couple of issues:
A girl who loves horses doesn't smash up her china horses.
A girl who loves horses doesn't hesitate to go with someone else who is learning to ride, even if she can't afford to ride. She just wants to be around horses and learn.
The protagonist is self obsessed and never asks if there is anything she can do to help her brother.
Why would the instructor not hold a horse still, while the pupil mounts for the first time ever?
There has been no film made of 'The Black Stallion And Satan'. I googled it right away when I read the line, because I wanted to watch it. No. Just the three films and a spinoff TV series.

I would read more books by this author, and recommend the read for girls from eleven to sixteen, or horse lovers of any age. I downloaded an e-ARC. This is an unbiased review.

A sweet read about a girl going through a changing family situation so what's the solution, they send her and her brother away to separate summer camps. For Charley that is the first time at a horse camp and all that comes along with it. The book had a few issues i felt with the story narrative, but overall a good kids read.
Definitely a book that I would buy for my niece who loves horses.
Thanks for my ARC NetGalley.

“Be careful what you wish for”. Eleven-year-old Charley (never Charlene!) is fascinated by horses. She reads and re-reads horse books, and dreams of having a “horse friend” to love someday. That day arrives as a result of some serious problems within her family. Within days of her parents announcing their intent to divorce, Charley is shipped off to a summer riding camp. A dream come true? Hardly that! The camp is one for experienced riders, and not only has Charley never ridden a horse, she’s actually never even been near one! To make matters worse, a posse of mean girls set out to make her life miserable from the start.
Although her riding experiences turn out very differently from what she expected, Charley learns to accept things the way they are with the help of the camp counselors and the two cabin mates that befriend her. She learns to take pride in the sport she excels at, canoeing, and gains confidence in her riding abilities by learning to accept assistance..
One thing that really stood out to me was the time setting, 1959. Although I grew up later in the ‘70’s, Charley’s world was very similar to mine. No cell phones or electronic devices of any kind were present, and her time was spent reading as many books as she could. Also, Charley makes a comment upon finding out about her parents’ impending divorce, that she doesn’t know any other kids with divorced parents. Ah, the way things “used to be”.
I would recommend this to middle-grade readers, and horse-lovers of all ages!
**Thank you, Netgalley, for approving my request for this book.**

This is a well written book that will appeal to horse lovers of all ages. It deals with Charley's pain of her parents divorce, being bullied at camp and how happiness can be found in unexpected places. It was a wonderful story and I highly recommend it. I can't wait to see what Judith Shaw writes next. Thank you Girl Friday Productions-Laughing Dog Press via NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.