Who remembers reading classic books about horses growing up? Black Beauty comes to mind, and also Margueritte Henry’s books. Yamile Saied Méndez’s Horse Country Series is a welcome modern take on this genre. The series focuses on Caroline, daughter of the ranch manager, who has been raised at the aptly named Paradies Ranch. Caroline fiercely loves this place and the horses. And while mucking out the barns is probably never anyone’s favorite chore, she has always been expected to take care of any needs the horses have. Caroline’s father has long managed the ranch for absentee owners, but now a new owner arrives to live on the property with plans to reopen the training facility with professional staff and her own daughter, Chelsie. Caroline’s world is quickly turned upside down as Chelsie’s experiences and expectations are far different from Caroline’s. Book one in the series, Can’t Be Tamed, introduces readers to the girls, the ranch, and the horses that the audience will come to love as their own. Each book in the series brings new riders to the training school and new adventures as the girls' friendship grows and their lives become more entwined with the horses and students at the new riding school, aptly named Unbridled Dreams. This middle grade readers series is perfect for those who have just graduated from the early chapter books and might feel overwhelmed with longer books. Come in to shop this and many more titles at Words of Windsor, Monday through Saturday, 10 am-6 pm.
Article by Sam Webb
Originally published in Windsor City Lifestyle