That's Not Hay in My Hair

February 1, 2016

Gr 5-7-After living in New York City, Jules and her writer mom, Emily, move to a 300-acre ranch Emily purchased in Texas after the sale of her first book. Jules soon learns that farm life is a far cry from life in the city. Her new small Texas town moves at a slow pace, close neighbors are a thing of the past, and raising animals proves to be more than challenging. With each chapter comes a new adventure as Emily and Jules reacquaint themselves with their horses, Maggie, R2, and Rocky, and their herd of longhorns. Unfortunately, Emily's horse, Maggie, develops founder (a painful condition affecting the feet of horses) and begins to decline in health. The plot progresses slowly, and the introduction of a new student, Minnie, at Jules's school holds promise for a subplot that never fully develops. As the book comes to a close, the pace accelerates, leaving Jules and her mom to face their most difficult decision yet. VERDICT Dedicated readers will overlook the slow progression of the plot and the overemphasized Southern dialect to experience the cycle of life and the hope that follows.-Susan Harris, Ridgeway High School, TN

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