At Top Speed

Quartz Creek Ranch

by Kiersi Burkhart, Amber J. Keyser

Key Features Description Sixth grader Ella can't seem to stop feeling angry but when she is sent to a horse camp for struggling teens, she must learn to manage her feelings if she wants to ride. Sixth grader Ella can't seem to stop feeling angry but when she is sent to a horse camp for struggling teens, she must learn to manage her feelings if she wants to ride. Product Details Item #: NTS828455 9781338284553 Paperback Book 240 4 - 7 Lexile® 740L Guided Reading GR Level T DRA 40 - 50 Key Features Item #: NTS828455 9781338284553 Paperback Book 240 4 - 7 Lexile® 740L Guided Reading GR Level T DRA 40 - 50

Paperback

Published January 1, 2017

About the author

Kiersi Burkhart lives and works as an author and freelance writer in Wyoming. She grew up a cowgirl in Colorado and can still run the barrel race. Despite owning her own business, she manages to find time to dismantle the patriarchy and play plenty of Pokemon. She lives with her best friend, a mutt named Baby, and her partner at the foot of the mountain.

Reviews

[Wendy MacKnight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved horse books, and this one didn't disappoint. At Top Speed is the story of Ella, a girl reeling from a broken home, an overbearing father and her own anger, who goes to Quartz Creek Ranch for the summer. While riding horses and making new friends, Ella's prickliness gradually recedes. And her bond with the beautiful horse Eight leads her to take up barrel racing. Coached by new friend Jordan, Ella will learn valuable lessons about herself, about friendship, and about what success really means.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nowinski, Hanna At Top Speed 232 pgs. Darby Creek (Lerner) 2017. $17.99 Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G Violence: G

Ella is excited to go to horseback riding camp. But the other campers are not that easy to get along with, especially her roommate Jordan. Even worse, when she is assigned a horse, it doesn’t seem to mind her. It feels like her summer is going to be a disaster and her temper may get the best of her.

Of course, there are many student readers who are going through a horse obsession, like I myself did. Having some horse books in the collection seems like a must have, but I just didn’t care for this book. The characters are SO unloveable and hard to connect with, I just felt irritated and found myself feeling bad for the grownups in the book. If a reader can make it past this lengthy section, they will love the well written horseback riding and the mostly realistic evolution of the main character. The cover would be a huge draw.

EL –OPTIONAL Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...

[Karen Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific new series (see notes at the end about the series in general).

Although each book as a variety of characters with different issues, the main one in this installment was about a girl who felt she had to be perfect, and obnoxiously better than everyone else. I don't see this dealt with very often and it was done well here.

Here are my notes about the series in general:

This was written with just the right amount of predictability for the age group (middle reader). Kids with problems go to a horse ranch for "therapy." This was handled sensitively with not too much graphic information about situations. Kids find they are worthy of being understood and respected, and there is an underlying belief in redemption.

Kids grow in steps, not all at once, and the changes are believable.

The series would speak to troubled kids and it would teach the value of compassion and kindness to kids who aren't so troubled.
Other concepts - value of hard work, high expectations, and of teamwork.
Kids who like horses would be drawn to this, but really, any kid could enjoy them.

[Heather Herring · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. . . Worst thing was the end. Winning time being 20.9?? I know junior riders in MICHIGAN running 16s so what size pattern are they running? And kicking someone out cuz the horse is prancing that tiny amount? A horse could rear and do much worse and they'd still let the horse in. Other that that it was good but that didn't make any sense to me. I'm a barrel racer myself so that just annoyed me

[Bob Bakke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't the sort of book that I normally read but I enjoyed the experience! The good character development creates an ending with a realistic sense of triumph, keeping this novel grounded and relatable. Recommended.

[Mr. Skipper's GT Cafe]

one copy?

[NOVALEE · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love it so much you need to read