Storm Horse

October 1, 2016
A boy in rural Holland works to keep the horse he rescued from the sea. On Flip's 12th birthdayJuly 6, 1966police come to his Amsterdam apartment to inform him that his father, a petty criminal, is dead. Flip's mother vanished years ago; his only other relative, taciturn Uncle Andries, takes him home to his farm on the small island of Mossum. On Mossum, horses do the farm work, and only the doctor and the hotel owner, Mr. Mesman, own cars. Flip adapts to farm life, in particular forming bonds with his young cousin, Renske, the family horse, Laila, and a silent island visitor he dubs the Ghost Girl. When a shipwreck sends the men of Mossum out in the village lifeboat, Flip and the Ghost Girl rescue a horse entangled in the wreckage. With its owner presumed drowned, Flip gets temporary custody of the horse and names it Storm. Mr. Mesman, however, has designs on Flip's uncle's land and sees Storm as a way to gain control. Garlick's charactersrace not assigned but presumed entirely white, as this is Holland in 1966vary in complexity. Flip, his aunt, uncle, and cousin are all well and truthfully drawn. Mr. Mesman and his boys veer toward stereotype. The details of life on a remote island are interesting, but the setting will feel alien to many modern readers. Overall, a solid horse book with the bonus of a male protagonist. (Historical fiction. 9-13)

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February 1, 2017

Gr 3-6-When Flip's wastrel father is killed in a car accident with the car he has just stolen, Flip ends up on a farm on a tiny island in the North Sea with his taciturn uncle. Flip's mother ran away three years before and no longer writes. Flip's aunt and cousin are friendly, but bereft and lonely city boy Flip has to sleep in the barn and learn to do farm work to earn his keep. Everything changes for Flip when he rescues a horse from the sea during a terrible storm. "Storm" only responds to Flip, but the horse's fears, compounded by the bullying tactics of the wealthy Mesman boys and their hotelier and developer father, lead the animal into some expensive accidents, and it takes everything Flip can do to hold on to his horse and help his uncle save his farm. Garlick successfully creates the atmosphere of a rural island lost in time and at the mercy of the weather. The rugged islanders are used to dealing with the hardships and isolation of living in the middle of the North Sea, and Flip, who has come from a cramped basement apartment in Amsterdam where he lived with his criminal father, miraculously thrives on the island farm, discovering his hidden talent as a horse whisperer. Garlick's depictions of Storm's behavior are authentic and sympathetic, and animal lovers will identify with Flip's battle to protect his horse. Although the conflicts are simplistically resolved, with the farm saved, the wicked hotelier with his bullying sons dispatched, the mute girl suddenly speaking, and Uncle Andries unbending, young readers will find Flip and Storm's vindication and heroism ultimately very satisfying.

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 15, 2016
Grades 4-7 *Starred Review* In the space of one week, 12-year-old Flip's life is turned upside down. His father dies, and the boy must leave his home in Amsterdam to go live with his uncle Andries' family, whom he has never met. After the funeral, the two sail to the small North Atlantic island of Mossum, where Flip's new life is to begin. It takes an actual storm to cut through his gloom and loneliness. When the weather hits, the boy heroically rescues a massive horse from drowning in the churning waves. A deep bond forms between the two, but will Flip be allowed to keep the horse? Garlick's newest novel contains exciting island adventures for Flip and his horse, which he fittingly names Storm, and well-crafted twists and turns emerge as relationships deepen between Flip and his family. There is an honest portrayal of the hardships of farm life, while a conflict between native islanders and mainlanders adds another layer of complexity to the story. Bullies (adult and youth), a silent girl who hides in shadows, a wizened but wise farmhand, and Flip's supportive extended family round out the memorable cast of characters. Set in 1966, the book's island locale, plot, and characters are so well-defined that readers will be riveted to the narrative as it unfolds. A rare boy-and-his-horse story worthy of any collection.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)