The Flying Horse (Once Upon a Horse #1)

by Sarah Maslin Nir, Laylie Frazier (Illustrator)

Overview

From Pulitzer Prize nominee Sarah Maslin Nir, the author of the memoir Horse Crazy, The Flying Horse is the first in a series of fictional middle-grade novels inspired by real horses and the people who love them—illustrated with black-and-white art by Laylie Frazier

Trendsetter is a horse destined to fly—in more ways than one. Sarah is a horse-loving seventh grader who has a secret and a fear of losing the one thing she loves most in the world. Separated by an ocean, a horse and a girl’s parallel struggles to be their best include lots of luck and grit, some stubbornness, and a few failures. It is only when they find each other that the two kindred spirits find themselves. Together they learn that what’s important in life isn’t greatness—it’s being great at being you. Inspired by a real horse and a real girl, The Flying Horse will make horse-lovers’ hearts soar.

Once Upon a Horse series
The Flying Horse (#1)
The Jockey & Her Horse (#2), written with Raymond White Jr.
The Star Horse (#3)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419776700
Publisher:	Amulet Paperbacks
Publication date:	08/06/2024
Series:	Once Upon a Horse
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 7.25(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Sarah Maslin Nir is a New York Times reporter, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and the author of Horse Crazy: The Story of a Woman and a World in Love with an Animal and The Jockey & Her Horse, published by Cameron Kids. She lives and works in New York City. Laylie Frazier is a fine artist and illustrator inspired by the natural world. And while she doesn’t ride horses, she loves to illustrate them. Frazier lives in Houston, Texas.

Editorial Reviews

2023-05-24
The stories of a horse named Trendsetter and a girl named Sarah unexpectedly intertwine.

The first foal of the season born to his farm in Luttelgeest, Netherlands, Trendsetter is viewed as exceptional from the start, and he’s expected to become a talented show jumper. But between the pressure of competition and unfeeling trainers, stubborn Trendsetter refuses to perform at two crucial events, and a new owner takes him to America to train as an Olympic horse. Meanwhile, over 3,000 miles away in New York City, Sarah, a horse-loving 10-year-old, struggles with her schoolwork because she has trouble spelling. As years go by, she decides to stop doing her homework altogether, but when her beloved grandmother falls ill, Sarah is inspired to try again in order to write Grandma Frieda’s story of fleeing Austria to escape Jewish persecution. Chapters alternate between Trendsetter’s and Sarah’s perspectives and include life lessons within the context of the story. As their stories move closer to their linked destiny, Trendsetter and Sarah finally meet in an ending that will melt hearts and leave readers dabbing away happy tears. Readers will readily draw parallels between the two characters, both of whom struggle with doing what’s expected of them and who flourish with kindness and encouragement. Physical descriptions of characters are minimal.

An uplifting tale that will especially resonate with horse lovers. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-14)

Kirkus Reviews