Tag Archives: equestrian

Happenstance Farms: A New Home by S. McMichael (Book Review)

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​Change can be difficult, especially for Savanna. When she gets a new trainer at a new barn, she can’t help thinking about how much she’ll miss Colts & Company. More than that…she’s a little scared. What will happen when Savanna swallows her fear and takes a chance on Happenstance Farms?
A fun, relatable story about a girl and her pony, your child will love keeping up with the adventures at Happenstance Farms. With charming characters, lots of laughs, and social-emotional learning, this book is the perfect addition to any home or classroom library.
 
 
Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
 
 
 
 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from iRead Book Tours. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
 

No matter the age, people experience first-day jitters. We fear, as being the newbie, if people will like us. We wonder if we’ll fit in. When we start a new school, class, job, etc., insecurities surface. In Happenstance Farms: A New Home by S. McMichael, Savanna faced fears upon her first day at the new farm. 


No matter where your “first day” happens to be, no matter your age, you might encounter emotions like Savanna. This book will create a perfect opportunity to ask your child(ren) if and when they’ve experienced first-day jitters and how they handled them. 


For teachers, maybe read Happenstance Farms: A New Home on the first day of school when many students feel uneasy. Ask students if they’ve ridden a horse before or live(d) on a farm. Happenstance Farms: A New Home can also be read before taking a field trip to a farm. 


As for my house, we plan on taking riding lessons this coming summer, so this is the perfect book for my home. Even if we weren’t planning the equestrian event, this book would be a welcomed addition to our library. We enjoyed the story and the lovely illustrations by Justo Borrero. Coffee, the horse, was pretty and Eli, the German Shepherd, was adorable. We loved how expressive Eli was in all the images. You could almost see him bouncing off the pages, excited to play with Savanna. 


I highly recommend this book. 
 
Amazon info:
Reading age: 3-8 years
Grade level: preschool – 3

 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: 
❤❤
 
 
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author:
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McMichael serves as the Senior Manager and Information Technology Business Partner for Training Solutions and Global Training Systems & Services in Boeing Global Services. She is a disabled veteran with more than 16 years of domestic and international experience in air traffic management and operations.  

McMichael holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, a master’s certificate in project management, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Southern Illinois University.  She is a recipient of The Boeing Company CTO Technical Excellence Award, Women of Color in Technology

“Rising Star” award, U.S. Air Force Air Traffic Training Achievement Award, and the International William A. Parenteau Memorial Award from the Air Traffic Control Association.  McMichael serves on the Advisory Board of SSM St. Charles Health Center, and the Missouri Hunter Jumper Organization board.

 

 
 

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Gallant: The Call of the Trail by Claire Eckard (Book Spotlight)

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Content Rating
:  PG-13 : It’s a saga about love, relationships, personal growth and adventure, set against a backdrop of endurance racing. A strong middle grader/pre-teen could read it.
 

A gripping journey of a young girl and a foal who are raised together in The Valley of Hearts Delight. Gallant and Gracie have a special bond, rarely seen between a human and a horse. Separated by a bad accident when Gallant is five, each gets a second chance of happiness pursuing the long-distance sport of endurance riding, neither knowing they are leading parallel lives. Will Fate bring them together again? Gallant’s arch nemesis, The Almighty Flash, threatens to destroy all that Gallant has worked for. His misguided ambition and greed, developed at the hands of an abusive owner, has created a darkness in his soul that turns to blind fury when his endurance career is threatened.
 
Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Target
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Target
 
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author:
​Award winning Author Claire Eckard combines her love of writing with her passion for animals to create memorable children’s books that are fun to read, but also include valuable life’s lessons. Claire grew up in England and moved to Hawaii in her early twenties where she married her husband of thirty-four years. Together they raised two sons, Mitchell and Matthew. Claire is inspired by her two Granddaughters Mila and Ella, as well as the beautiful backdrop of the Arizona mountains where she lives. Claire has a farm full of animals, and has spent many years as a board member and volunteer of her local animal shelter.
 
 
Connect with the author:
 
 
 

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