When Patricia Polacco’s father first introduces her to the "most shabby stable… ever seen," she is a little weary of learning to ride horses. However meeting "the woman with snakeskin boots" soon changes everything. Patricia or "Hollywood," is quickly accepted as one of Mrs. Mack’s gang, and spends nearly every summer day of her tenth year at the stables. She falls in love with a beautiful horse named Penny, and before long, is granted the opportunity to ride her!
From Patricia Polacco
THIS IS A GIRL AND HORSE STORY! I WROTE THIS FOR MANY REASONS...MOST ESPECIALLY TO HONOR TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT MEANT A GREAT DEAL TO ME. MRS.. MACK, BERNICE MACFADDEN, THE WOMAN THAT TAUGHT ME NOT ONLY TO RIDE ANY HORSE THERE IS, BUT SHE ALSO TAUGHT ME ABOUT VALUING HUMAN BEINGS NO MATTER HOW DIFFERENT THEY WERE FROM MYSELF. THE OTHER INDIVIDUAL IN THIS STORY THAT IS HONORED IS PENNY--MY SHINING COPPER PENNY, THE HORSE THAT I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO LOVE AND OWN FOR THE TIME. MRS. MACK GAVE HER TO ME, AND PENNY WENT BACK TO LIVE WITH MRS. MACK AFTER I GREW UP.
THIS STORY BOOK IS DIFFERENT THAN MOST PICTURE BOOKS IN THAT IT HAS CHAPTER HEADINGS AND MORE TEXT THAN MOST PICTURE BOOKS. I TRIED TO MAKE A BOOK THAT AN OLDER CHILD MIGHT LIKE TO READ. BUT A CHILD THAT IS TOO YOUNG FOR THE YOUNG ADULT PAPERBACK. IT IS A BITTERSWEET STORY ABOUT THE STRUGGLE OF LEARNING TO RIDE, EVEN WHEN I SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE. IT IS ABOUT FORTITUDE AND NOT GIVING UP...BUT IT IS ALSO ABOUT THE GIFT OF LOVE AND THE WONDER OF BEING YOUNG.
