THE SADDLE CLUB 1: HORSE CRAZY.

Saddle Club #1

by Bonnie Bryant

Carole Hanson and Stevie Lake have been best friends ever since they met at Pine Hollow Stables. So when Lisa Atwood joins their ridinggroup, the girls aren't sure she's got what it takes. Lisa may be the smartest student in the classroom, but she's got a lot to learn when it comes to horses. . . .

Genres: Horses, Childrens, Animals, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Fiction, Realistic Fiction

Paperback

First published June 28, 1988

About the author

American author of children's books. She is best known for creating the intermediate horse book series The Saddle Club, which was published from October 1988 until April 2001. The Saddle Club chronicled the adventures of thirteen-year-old Lisa Atwood and twelve-year-olds Stephanie "Stevie" Lake and Carole Hanson. The series was static in time; the girls never aged in 101 books, 7 special editions, and 3 Inside Stories.

Bonnie Bryant also wrote two spin-off series: Pony Tails, aimed at beginning readers, and Pine Hollow, aimed at teenage readers. The 16 Pony Tails books followed the lives of eight-year-olds May Grover, Corey Takamura, and Jasmine James. Pine Hollow featured Carole, Lisa, Stevie, and their new friends in a series set four years after The Saddle Club. Unlike The Saddle Club, Pine Hollow conformed to a realistic timeline. The 17 books took place over the span of less than a year. Later a television show called The Saddle Club, based on the books, was filmed in Australia.

Bonnie Bryant wrote at least 38 The Saddle Club books and 2 Pine Hollow books herself; after that they were taken over by a team of ghostwriters, a common practice in long-running children's book series. Ghostwriters for the Saddle Club and Pine Hollow books included Caitlin Macy (sometimes credited as Caitlin C. Macy), Catherine Hapka, Sallie Bissell, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Helen Geraghty, Tina deVaron, Cat Johnston, Minna Jung, and Sheila Prescott-Vessey.

Bonnie Bryant is also the author of many novelizations of movies, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Karate Kid, and Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, written under her married name, B.B. Hiller. She also collaborated in the ghostwriting of The Baby-sitters Club Super Special #14: BSC in the USA, published under the name of its creator, Ann M. Martin.

Bonnie Bryant was born and raised in New York City. She met her husband, Neil W. Hiller, in college, where they both worked on the campus newspaper. They had two sons, Emmons Hiller and Andrew Hiller. Neil Hiller died in 1989. Many of Bonnie's books are dedicated to him.
***from wikipedia.org

Reviews

[Brit McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was younger, girls under twelve read books about horses, not vampires.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one series I never got a chance to read growing up, I was already into Pony Pals and Thoroughbred and Heartland and Phantom Stallion...but being as it was such a popular series, I am curious about it. I watched the first to seasons of the television series a couple weeks ago and enjoyed them despite the young age group (Max isn't bad to look at either ;D) I mean, I cried when Cobalt died and when Veronica sold Garnet and when Comanche got sick and was nearly shot after he got away from Stevie. The lessons learned about growing up are useful for people of any age.

As for the book series, I don't know if I will make it through all 100+ of them, mostly because they aren't in stores anymore and I have to order them online, but they are just another "guilty pleasure" to add to my list right under Thoroughbred. I know no matter how old I get I will always love these horse stories. I may read higher end literature like Animal Farm and The Bell Jar or more modern material like James Patterson or Nicholas Sparks, but it is still nice to take a break from that and go back to my childhood where I would spend the summers reading on my porch roof rather than working. People may look at me weird or laugh when I say I read Thoroughbred or The Saddle Club, but whatever. I'm not ashamed of it, I am actually excited by it because I'm reading about something I love and learning about it too.

Besides, I can easily read three or four of these books in a day, if I have nothing else to do.

[Erma Talamante · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review pending/Reread pending...

This is the book that started it all... An obsession that lasted YEARS. Even now... I still have these books boxed and tucked away in storage. (One of these days I'm going to have to go pull everything out and go through it all - even I don't know what all I got in there anymore. Just the main stuff really...)

Anyways, I think I know what next year will bring, but that'll be for another post, not this here.

This is the first in a long running series. Probably one of the best running series for horse crazy girls out there (behind Farley's Black Stallion and Island Stallion books). I tried several over the years, and this was easily my favorite series.

As the first book, it was a bit weak as a stand-alone, but it's also got the weight of the entire series behind it (as well as a spin-off series for older readers).

As an unofficial member of the Saddle Club, I give this a resounding Yee-haw! lol

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Who knew in 1988 that Bonnie Bryant's The Saddle Club would eventually grow to one hundred one books, multiple spinoff series, and a television show? Young girls have seemingly always loved horse stories, but The Saddle Club earned more success than almost any comparable series. Horse Crazy starts with twelve-year-old Stevie Lake and her mother arguing about school. Stevie loves horseback riding but doesn't bring the same passion to math class, and her mother's patience is wearing thin. If Stevie's math grade doesn't improve, her parents won't pay for the Mountain Trail Overnight, a campout for riding students enrolled at the Pine Hollow Stables. Stevie and her friend Carole Hanson have been excited about the event for a long time, but what if Stevie can't go? It would be a bitter disappointment.

Like Stevie, Carole lives in the Washington, D.C. area and loves horses. Riding lessons at Pine Hollow Stables are a welcome distraction from the sadness of her mother's passing six months ago. Carole's father is concerned about her, but riding with friends is good medicine. Max Regnery, who owns Pine Hollow Stables and teaches the class, knows Carole is his best rider, and suggests she help the new student. Lisa Atwood isn't sure she'll like riding, but her mother insists she try; perhaps she can make friends with Veronica diAngelo, a student from a well-to-do family. Veronica seems to like Lisa, while Stevie's introduction to the new girl goes poorly, thanks to a mutual exchange of practical jokes that neither of them appreciates. Stevie has a lot on her mind: she's convinced that designing a math project good enough to raise her grade is impossible, but if she can earn the fifty dollars for the MTO, her parents might allow her to go. That means convincing neighbors to hire her for odd jobs, and Stevie has to persuade them she's worth the money. She isn't known for her reliability.

Learning to ride skillfully requires perseverance, and after each lesson Lisa wants to quit. But her horse, Pepper, is gentle, and she likes him. Lisa gets along well with Carole, though the ice hasn't thawed between Lisa and Stevie. Veronica looks down on Carole and Stevie, but treats Lisa decently until they begin spending more time together. Veronica always has to be in charge, which can be annoying. She also doesn't care about horses as Carole and Stevie do; she leaves Carole to do most of the work taking care of Veronica's horse, Cobalt. As the MTO dates approach, Stevie earns money by enlisting her own brothers and her friends to do chores for neighbors, taking a small commission off the top, but does she have the self-discipline to see her enterprise all the way through to the MTO? Will she and Lisa call a truce and become friends, so they're able to have fun together with Carole on the campout? Stevie, Carole, and Lisa are about to form one of the more famous groups in 1990s juvenile literature, a trio connected by their love of horses and riding together. The Saddle Club is born.

Horse Crazy is a solid start to Bonnie Bryant's long-running series. Girls who love horse stories will find a welcome companion in The Saddle Club, a franchise that won innumerable fans in its heyday. Horse Crazy has a bit more depth than it had to; I appreciate the author's commitment to do more than create a superficially appealing product for the target demographic. I might rate this book two and a half stars, and I look forward to continuing the series. I think I'm going to like it.

[BookofElves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a big fan of this show growing up, and found myself regularly watching the show throughout the years up until now🐴 So I had to start reading the book series!🥰

I love all the characters and how their personalities compliment and contrast each other!☺ I love all the horses and the stable (I would do anything to ride at Pine Hollow!😂🐴)

This was a light and enjoyable read about a new rider (Lisa) and the challenges she faces with the other riders when she joins Pine Hollow!🐴

This is an easy and fun read for horse crazy lovers!🥰

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a pre-teen rider myself, I loved this series. Eventually I outgrew it, but for a while there I gobbled down every Saddle Club book I could get my hands on. I can remember eagerly waiting for the next one to be published...

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this series when I was younger and I would highly recomend it to little girls who love horses. I read all 101 books in this series and loved every single one! It teaches you alot about horses and friendship.

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

For many years, this was my absolute favorite series of books (and tv show), I was completely obsessed, and I still have about 40 of the books sitting on my shelf. I want to re-read The Saddle Club someday, because I have very fond memories of it <3

[Cassie Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am horse crazy too! I loved it!!!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

[Max · Rating 1 out of 5]

I like horses but saddle club is freaking stupid, cheesy, and makes me cringe. STAHP. Stahp making these books and stop the TV series too. They suck.
I can accept some girls or mid teens may adore this book, because its so 'horsey' and its what they think is proper writing skills. Horses are meant to be epic and free, not something to toy with and decorate.
Maybe I am just ignorant and I am missing out on whats so special.

[Saskia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the "Saddleclub" books when I was a child and loved them so much! I still have the 24 I read on my shelf today and though I would not be able to say what exactly happened in them, I will never forget how much I enjoyed them as a 12-year-old horse enthusiast!

Btw: The German covers are more than beautiful!

[Artep · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adorable. A bit too corny, a bit too black & white and a bit too predictable... but adorable.

Also, if the double-locked horse stalls don't turn out to be a Chekov's gun for one of the later books, I'll be deeply disappointed. Just saying.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

just like every horse book i come across. i push through to the end. but this one it was all worth whille. it made my laugh. gasp. and yell. it is a grest book for readers intressted in horses or even some one trying to improve thier reading but want it to be fun.

[Cassia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned that I love horses even more than I thought!!!

[Kirby · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are a kid into horses, this book is excellent. If you are basically anything else, including an adult that still loves horses and is rereading this, it’s mid. I think if the characters were younger and it felt less aimed at middle grade, I would give it four, but it just feels like it isn’t a timeless middle grade pitch. It’s simplistic in a way that worked in the 80s and probably doesn’t work so well anymore. It was a great nostalgic experience and the story is honestly pretty solid, but I think anyone ten or up these days would be doing a lot of eye rolling.

[D.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute series, but it definitely lacks the depth and creativity of The Baby-sitters Club, which is one of its premier contemporaries. Stevie and her gang just aren't as memorable or unique as Kristy, Claudia, Mary Anne, et al. Still, I do like The Saddle Club and will keep reading these books in an attempt to rediscover my misbegotten youth. ;)

[Brynne Schweigel-Skeers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun bit of nostalgia to read as an adult. Loved these books as a kid!

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute story, if a bit sedate.
For a book called horse crazy, it could have had more horse content 🐎

[Sonic Skye Spirit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joke’s on me for trying to write this in-app the first time when I knew I’d need to start and stop and handle interruptions! Ah well. I didn’t get THAT far in.

So I’ve been on a HUGE horse spiral the past 3-4 weeks. Like, horses are one of my first special interests, I’m never NOT interested in horses. But there’s the casual enjoyment, and then there’s the flow of the tide CONSUMING you under.

Apt that this book is called “Horse Crazy”, then!

Being as I’m not currently in a position to spend all day every day physically with horses, I’m falling back to the old coping mechanisms of my past—namely video games and obsessive reading. And look. The Saddle Club books were THE horse books when I was growing up.

Like, there were a few other series, but Saddle Club absolutely eclipsed them in just how widespread they were, and were my go-to. I tried to get into the Thoroughbred series, and read at least the first one or two books about Ashleigh and Wonder, but had difficulty staying on the series. And unlike Saddle Club, which has some status quo changes throughout, but you can easily pick up whatever copies the library has in that week and follow everything, Thoroughbred has a whole deal with the torch passing to new characters to be the main, and really seems to need to be read in at least some semblance of order. And I just didn’t like the tone well enough to invest my very few child resources into doing a completion run of a 72 book series.

That doesn’t mean I won’t use my resources now to read through all 94 + specials of the OG Saddle Club, though. Maybe even the younger-audienced Pony Tails, too, if I’m still feeling spicy after a hundred of these things. Probably not the Pine Hollow spin-off, though. That was targeted at an older audience, and looked to be a series of Very Special Episodes from the marketing and the experts I read at the time.

All that being said, this first book, where it all started, is…fine. It establishes the girls, the setting, some of the horses you’ll keep hearing about. It’s nothing amazing, but it’s fine, and a good example of what the books are gonna look like most of the time.

It also lets you know which tropes the girls will fall into. Lisa is the bookworm who’s good at school and the new rider. Stevie is the hyperactive ADHDer practical joker who gets into harebrained shit with the heart of gold, and Carole is the inattentive ADHDer dreamer girl whose special interest in horses eclipses all else she sees, and I love her. Then, bonus, Veronica is the bratty, spoiled rich girl.

All of them have more to them than just that, but those initial, brief summaries are how you’re introduced to the girls every book. And yes, though I do like that they’re written so that you can jump in anywhere…yes, it does get tedious. Cuz again, there’s a hundred of these things.

I wasn’t as appreciative of this as a kid, but nowadays I really like that the three main girls start out not owning horses, and that finding their horse and working with them is a continuing goal. Growing up, I tried to hang out in the books where they already had Belle and Starlight (and Prancer, but Lisa didn’t own her. Did Lisa ever end up getting a horse? I honestly don’t know!) because I’m impatient, and the tension was getting to me, but like. Good move, Bonnie Bryant. It should be a journey to getting your horse, especially your perfect horse. Chaos knows my first horse was a disaster, absolutely mismatched with then-me. Hilariously, named Belle. Them nearly getting the wrong horse, or getting attached to a horse that doesn’t work out…it’s good shit.

Chaos, I have a lot to say about this series in general.

Okay, so like. I fuckin’ hate Mrs. Atwood, and she is in top terrible form in this book! Chaos, is she always this bad!? Cuz I remember her being bad, but mostly just regular stuck-up bad. Like, I’m sorry, not even hearing your kid when they say they had a bad time and want to quit to just steamroll them over with gushing about the thing they want to quit and how lovely it is!? Fuck you, bitch. Like, she has Lisa already waaay over-scheduled, which sure, that’s a thing overly ambitious and social-climbing parents tend to do. But that doesn’t make it okay. Nor does pressuring her to make connections with the “right” people, like Veronica. Nor does LITERALLY NEVER LISTENING TO HER, or being able to have an actual conversation with her! Like, Lisa sees her mom’s not listening, and just shuts down because it happens so often. Carole even notices how Lisa’s mom still dresses her up like a doll. I know a big part of Lisa’s character arc in the series is her developing her sense of self more, but just. I want to flip tables over this, it’s just something that pulls at the edges of my own trauma, and that I saw harming my friends growing up. I hate it. Fuck you, Lisa’s mom.

I probably have a lot more I could say, but I got a bit daunted by all the different threads I wanted to pursue, and my own inability to organize them in any meaningful way, so I’m gonna end this one here. Next Saddle Club book: Horse Shy!

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So wholesome. I can’t really remember whether or not I read this series when I was a kid. It seems weird if I didn’t because I was very into horse books. Anyway, I enjoyed the simple lessons and the friendships in this and I might keep reading the series.

[Michelle Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found a copy with the old school cover in a Little Free Library so I had to claim it....it was a fun re-read for nostalgia and honestly, it holds up well for young readers who just want an enjoyable read. And you actually learn quite a bit about horses & riding, not that I ever put it to use when I had a whole Saddle Club collection in my library complete with plastic horse figurines I named after the horses in the books.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Andie Z. for TeensReadToo.com

THE SADDLE CLUB is a hugely popular series by Bonnie Bryant. In this first book, HORSE CRAZY, we are introduced to Stevie Lake, Carole Hanson, and Lisa Atwood. All three girls are very different: Stevie is a practical joker, Carole is obsessed with horses, and Lisa is a straight-A student, but they are brought together by their love of riding.

Stevie and Carole have been friends ever since they met at Pine Hollow Stables, and at first they're not sure that Lisa will fit in. But when Stevie's parents tell her that she can't go on the Mountain Trail Overnight unless she improves her grades, the girls decide to come up with a plan, and eventually the Saddle Club is formed.

This is a very fun and enjoyable series. The stories are quick, light reads, great for a day when you just want to relax with a book. The characters are all likeable and relatable, and HORSE CRAZY does a great job at introducing them and making you want to read more.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Synopsis: "Carole Hanson and Stevie Lake have been best friends ever since they met at Pine Hollow Stables. So when Lisa Atwood joins their riding group, the girls aren't sure she's got what it takes. Lisa may be the smartest student in the classroom, but she's got a lot to learn when it comes to horses. . . ."


My Review: It has been decades since I last read this book and thought it was about time I did again (especially since I have always ranked this series in high importance). It was really interesting to read this book as compared to middle grade and young adult books now. These characters seem so much more real, they have emotions, they are judgmental, they are selfish, but they are open to new relationships and experiences. While some of the aspects of the book are outdated (Stevie wins a Walkman from the cassette music store) I think that this could still be an influential book for those young girls entering the daunting world of the teen years.

[Kathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must have been around 11 or so when I started reading the Saddle Club books, but like most young girls who love horses, I became obsessed, in a good way. I ended up collecting the entire series. I read them like they were candy.

I really enjoyed reading about the characters, especially about how each one of them eventually obtained their horses. I related mostly to Lisa, but I enjoyed reading about how Stevie obtained her horse the most. I remember disliking a few books, mostly if they centered around Veronica too much, but on the whole I loved the series and read several of the books many times.

Throughout the series I picked up on a lot of horse terms and vocabulary and general horse know-how. I eventually sold the series off, but I wish I had kept a few of them around for sentimental reasons. Good series to get hooked on at the right age

[Penn 6]

There are three girls named Lisa, Carol, and Stevie. Lisa is the new girl, dressed in fine clothing gear for horse riding. Stevie and Carol mistake her to be a mean, snotty rich kid but finds that she is a true friend.

Stevie, Carol, and Lisa are now friends. They do everything together. They ride horses together, go shopping, hang out, and they want to go to a trip called MTO (Mountain Trail Overnight) but Stevie has poor grades they can't go without Stevie. Steview gives up but the trail must go on. But they will go on the trip even if they have to . . .

The book I read was Saddle Club: Horse Crazy #1 by Bonnie Bryant. I would recommend this book to horse lovers.

-Crystal, 6th grade

[Kim Burean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This kick-off to the Saddle Club series was actually pretty good. It had good character development and a good story. It focused more on the friend relationships among the girls at Pine Hollow Stables, then the Thoroughbred series that focused more on one girl and the horses. It did a good job of dealing with girls and friendship.

The girls in the book are 6th graders, but this book would appeal to girls in 4th - 7th grade. You would not have to be really into horses to like this series because the horses bring the girls together, but it's more about their relationships. The book is pretty dated (it was written in the 80's), as it has a storyline that deals with winning a tape player and the girl going to the music store to buy tapes. Other than that, the story holds up.

[Elizabeth Raymond]

I like this book so far because it switches around who's vision its in. There is a continued rivalry between Lisa and Stephanie.

I think stephanie's plan isn't going to work because she's having her brothers do the work and get the money.

I think it was good of Lisa and Stephanie to become friends because lisa helped stephanie with her project so they could booth go on the overnight horse camp.

I wish the book didn't end before they went to the horse camp. I liked this book because it was about horses.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not nearly as awesome as I remember when I read this series as a kid, but it kind of reminded me of what my sister told me recently about why she loves Jane Austen: when you read these books, you're "safe," you can relax, because nothing truly horrible or challenging is going to happen. This really brought me back to my own horse-crazy days, so even though it was a little slow and shallow for my tastes now, it was a fun trip down memory lane.

[Francesca Tamburini · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the tv show inspired by this series when I was a child, but I've never had the chance to read the books.
I finally found the first four books, finished the first one and I can't wait to read the next three. It's such a lovely story about friendship and horses and for me, a horse lover who's not ready to grow up yet, it's perfect.