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Jeannie and the Gentle Giants
This YA novel tells how young Jeannie is taken from her home, placed with foster parents and is unable to discover the whereabouts of her ill mother. As a result, Jeannie withdraws into herself and can think only of running away. Gradually, however, her defenses are breached by two immensely large and wonderful workhorses and their perceptive and humorous owner. In turn, Jeannie learns about friendship, love and trust, and ultimately gains maturity and self-confidence.
154 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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February 27, 2021
Indeed, basic premise of Luanne Armstrong's 2002 middle grade novel Jeannie and the Gentle Giants is both sweet, evocative and heartbreaking, and I do especially love and appreciate how Jeannie is and feels drawn to the gentle giants of the book title (to Arnold's draught horses), how her close association and work with these impressively large but always unfailingly gentle creatures makes her sojourn in a foster family more tolerable and even finally much personally enjoyable (for her single mother has had a serious mental health episode, necessitating hospitalisation and Jeannie being sent into foster care).
However and that all having been said, and while Jeannie and the Gentle Giants is definitely both thought-provoking and optimistically supportive (and also glowingly demonstrates that families come in many different ways and guises), I do kind of think that Jeannie moves a tad too rapidly from despair, abandonment and even feelings of wanting to run away from her foster family to being not only accepting of the situation but seemingly at total ease and happy with Tom and Susan. And furthermore, even the quick and easy manner in which Jeannie becomes familiar with and adept at caring for and working with Arnold's horses (even while indeed very much a joy to read) feels at least to me somewhat unrealistic (not to mention that the episode where Jeannie and her new best best friend Shannon are followed by the latter's little sister while on their trail ride is such a common and stereotypical plot and narrative device, with of course, Jeannie then being the one to find little lost Shirley, that I had to actually groan a bit upon perusal, as I have read similar such anecdotes in at least ten or so horse or pony based novels since I was a child). And thus, while I generally did and still do much enjoy and appreciate Jeannie and the Gentle Giants, I remain nevertheless just rather mildly entertained, a bit underwhelmed and certainly not wowed in any way (although I do realise that for the intended audience, that especially for girls from about the ages of nine to twelve, and particularly if they are interested in horses, Jeannie and the Gentle Giants might very well more than hit the sweet spot)
However and that all having been said, and while Jeannie and the Gentle Giants is definitely both thought-provoking and optimistically supportive (and also glowingly demonstrates that families come in many different ways and guises), I do kind of think that Jeannie moves a tad too rapidly from despair, abandonment and even feelings of wanting to run away from her foster family to being not only accepting of the situation but seemingly at total ease and happy with Tom and Susan. And furthermore, even the quick and easy manner in which Jeannie becomes familiar with and adept at caring for and working with Arnold's horses (even while indeed very much a joy to read) feels at least to me somewhat unrealistic (not to mention that the episode where Jeannie and her new best best friend Shannon are followed by the latter's little sister while on their trail ride is such a common and stereotypical plot and narrative device, with of course, Jeannie then being the one to find little lost Shirley, that I had to actually groan a bit upon perusal, as I have read similar such anecdotes in at least ten or so horse or pony based novels since I was a child). And thus, while I generally did and still do much enjoy and appreciate Jeannie and the Gentle Giants, I remain nevertheless just rather mildly entertained, a bit underwhelmed and certainly not wowed in any way (although I do realise that for the intended audience, that especially for girls from about the ages of nine to twelve, and particularly if they are interested in horses, Jeannie and the Gentle Giants might very well more than hit the sweet spot)
Displaying 1 of 1 review