Booklist Review

Gr. 4^-7. This first volume of a projected paperback series introduces a Virginia horse farm run by the Fleming family. Heartland specializes in helping horses with behavior problems. When Mrs. Fleming dies, 15-year-old Amy begins working through her grief by following in her mother's footsteps, helping a pony whose master has died and a show horse nervous around trailers. Meanwhile, practical older sister Lou tries to put the business end of the farm in order. There are hints of budding romance and rivalries with a neighboring farm, as well as family issues that need resolving, which will presumably to be tackled in future books. The writing style is unexceptional; emotions are intense throughout, and there are a lot of characters introduced and many loose ends, all expected in a first book. But horse lovers who have devoured and outgrown such series as Pony pals may like this, especially the idea that someone can work with troubled horses and have a normal teenage life at the same time. Catherine Andronik