Book review

The Outside of a horse

By: Ginny Rorby

          In this heartwarming book, Hannah Gale is in love with horses ever since her dad told her about his adventures in Nevada. Hannah’s mom died from cancer when she was little. Latter her dad married a woman named Sondra and he got called out to help in the war leaving his 13 year old and pregnant wife. Hannah misses her dad dearly and can’t wait till he comes home. She doesn’t particularly like Sondra and so the ranch down the road is the only thing that brings her close to her dad. One day she gets the courage to go and ask the owner for a job. The Owner says she can’t pay here but Hannah doesn’t care. She tells Sondra she got a “job” down at the stables so she will let her go with no questions.

          Later on her dad comes home but to Hannah’s surprise he is missing half of one of his legs. Now instead of being a “father”, he just drinks and sulks and has nightmares that keep everyone up. To get away from all this, Hannah goes to the ranch where she learns how to train and ride. She also finds out one of the women there has taken in a horse that is pregnant. For her 14^th birthday she asks her father if he will go to animal therapy. She thinks it could help him in the way the colt helped her. Will her father agree to go? If he does, will it make him better?