The Big Secret

November 21, 2016
This first book in the Tales of Sasha series focuses on a horse who doesn’t fit in with her fellow equines. Sasha loves to run and longs to explore beyond the confines of Verdant Valley. Her displacement begins to make more sense after her parents reveal that they originally found her during a rainstorm—and after she sprouts giant wings from her back. Smoothly incorporated into each page, Sordo’s black-and-white artwork (not all seen by PW) has a fresh, cartoony look that feels squarely aimed at fans of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. The story’s straightforward language is well-crafted for beginning readers, and what the story lacks in humor it makes up for with adventure, particularly during Sasha’s accidental plunge off a mountain when her wings make their first appearance. Available simultaneously: Journey Beyond the Trees. Ages 6–8. Illustrator’s agency: Advocate Art.

November 1, 2016

Gr 1-3-A young horse who feels different from the rest of her community uncovers a family secret in this series debut. Sasha doesn't look like her sisters, and she can't seem to suppress her urge to run and jump when all the other horses are walking obediently in line. When the white patch on her back starts to itch and then to sparkle, her parents confess that she was actually found during a lightning storm and adopted into their family. Determined to unearth clues about her past, Sasha and her friend, Wyatt, climb to the top of the mountain where Sasha was discovered as a baby. While they don't find any answers, Sasha does realize that she has the ability to fly, and ends this first volume of her tales with a plan to explore beyond the forest border of her home. Controlled vocabulary, large print, and frequent illustrations make this an appealing title for beginning chapter book readers. However, the plot unfolds slowly and rather predictably. Most of the narrative follows Sasha through mundane activities that aren't improved by Pearl's slight world-building. Repeated emphasis on Sasha's white patch and inability to act like the rest of the horses clearly indicates the story's eventual arc; by the time Sasha learns that she is extraordinary, few readers will be surprised. The ending hints at further adventures and opportunities to flesh out Sasha's world, but students may not be engaged enough in the thinly drawn characters to continue the journey. VERDICT An unsatisfying series opener, suitable for large libraries that can't keep early chapter books on the shelves.-Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Hennepin County Library, MN

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2016
A young horse discovers the magical reason why she doesn't fit in.Sasha isn't like the other horses in her herd. She loves running and craves adventure more than the others, especially her ladylike older sisters. She struggles in school with an "itchy feeling" of anticipation, which leaves her fidgety, unable to stay still or pay attention. As much as she tries to behave, she can't fight her desire to run and jump--especially to jump. When the white patch on her back, the itching's source, begins to sparkle, she goes to her parents for answers and gets more than she expected. Sasha was adopted; she joined their family as a newborn when, during a huge thunderstorm, a blast of sparkling rainbow lightning left Sasha behind with a letter asking her parents to take care of her. Wanting to know more, Sasha and her best friend go hiking at the mountain where her parents found her. Near the top of the mountain, an accidentally-too-enthusiastic jump launches Sasha off the mountain--whereupon she sprouts wings from her white patch and flies. Energetic readers will relate to Sasha's manic, kinetic energy and envy her flight abilities. The sequel, Journey Beyond the Trees, releasing simultaneously, continues bold Sasha's quest for answers as she travels in search of her kind. Gentle black-and-white art emphasizes the horses' expressive eyes and manes. Sweet and spunky. (Fantasy. 6-8)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.