Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Strong characterizations and polished digital art distinguish Hicks's pleasurable graphic novel of building friendship through shared devotion. As summer ends, best friends Hazel and Norrie, along with laid-back Sam, the only boy rider at Edgewood Stables, are intrigued by the arrival of a skilled new rider, Victoria, to Edgewood. Droll, quiet Hazel recognizes Victoria from a schooling show at upscale Waverly Stables, prompting chatty Norrie to conclude that Victoria was sent to infiltrate Edgewood. Indifferent to Norrie's welcome ("I'm here to ride, that's it") and subsequent irritation and shunning, Victoria remains focused on training a young gelding while healing from a friendship breakup with a privileged and demanding Waverly rider. When the Edgewood trio discovers that Victoria shares their fondness for vintage sci-fi show Beyond the Galaxy, Victoria's iciness begins to thaw, and the riders bond while discovering strength in supporting each other. Featuring funny dialogue ("Let the shunning commence!") and Hicks's (Comics Will Break Your Heart) signature art--including sharply rendered horses in motion--this attentively layered, low-stakes graphic novel is told with an insider's understanding of both stable culture and fandom. Sam reads as Black, Norrie cues as South Asian, and Hazel and Victoria present as white. Ages 10--14. Agent: Bernadette Baker-Baughman, Victoria Sanders & Assoc. (Aug.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
In this vivacious graphic novel by the author/illustrator of One Year at Ellsmere (rev. 7/20), horse-mad Norrie mistrusts the new rider at the stable, Victoria, because she previously rode at rival stable Waverly. For her part, Victoria reacts coldly to Norrie's "Edgewood Stables welcome," insisting she's there to ride, not make friends. The encouragement of Norrie's two other stable friends, Hazel and Sam, and a mutual love of the Beyond the Galaxy TV show lead to a detente, and the new foursome plans both to compete at a Waverly schooling show and to dress up as the show's characters for a fan event. Scenes alternating between home, school, and the barn keep the illustrated panels fresh and compelling, while the characters' physical vitality and charismatically drawn facial expressions elicit reader engagement as the friends face personal hurdles of the family, academic, and equestrian variety. The portrayal of stable life, its jealousies and dramas (including the brief mystery of why Victoria quit riding at Waverly), and the ride-or-die friendships forged there will be recognized by some readers and aspirational for others; inclusive characterization (Sam is the only boy but not the only person of color at the stable) makes all equestrians welcome. With snappy dialogue and spot-on pacing, the pages fly by, making this breezy read appealing to horse lovers, sci-fi-fandom aficionados, and those who live for excellent graphic novels alike. Anita L. Burkam November/December 2022 p.87(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The arrival of a new girl creates drama at a riding stable. Drama is the last thing Victoria needs: She arrives at Edgewood Stables from rival Waverly Stables following a blowup with former best friend Taylor that leaves her shaken. Taylor has her own horse and takes riding and showing very seriously. Victoria is a good rider, but she understands that her accountant mom will never be able to buy her a horse, and she wants to have time for other things, like watching her favorite science-fiction show, Beyond the Galaxy. Despite a rocky start at Edgewood, she develops friendships with the other middle schoolers in the barn: uber-extrovert Norrie, quiet Hazel, and Sam, who is the only boy. Her new friends are not only Beyond the Galaxy fans, they also help her regain her own confidence in herself and around horses. The story is told from both Victoria's and Norrie's points of view, with flashbacks to Victoria's friendship with Taylor. The emotional arc is realistic and finely developed, with the underlying message, emphasized by illustrations depicting riders with a broad range of skin tones and body types, that there are many ways to be a rider. Norrie is cued as South Asian; Sam reads as Black, and the other main characters appear White. The horses are well done, too. The clean, jewel-toned artwork is especially strong at portraying emotions through facial expressions and body language. Combines sensitive character exploration with horses: a blue-ribbon winner. (Graphic fiction. 9-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
