Touch the Moon

For years Jennifer has dreamed of riding and anticipated her eleventh birthday when her father has promised her she will ride a horse. But when the "horse" she's anxiously awaited appears, he's only a small, glass figurine and the promise of riding lessons, not the beautiful golden palamino mare Jennifer expected. Disappointed beyond words, she runs to her favorite retreat high in a pine tree, throwing the tiny glass statue to the ground to break. Imagine her surprise when a real live horse appears, trapped in the tree branches below. But something is very strange about her new horse - for one thing, he can talk. He's arrogant, impulsive, petty, childish, afraid of tight spaces - and invisible to everyone by Jennifer. Brave enough to show more climb on her new mount's back, Jennifer finds herself taking a wild ride though the dark. She might find her way home again, but only if she can conquer both Moonseeker's fears and her own.

Told in brief chapters, and intended for younger readers, this brief story manages to hold true to equine behavior while still maintaining a fantasy element. Jennifer's relationship with her family, her father and with Moonseeker begins to change as the story progresses. Could be read for lots of layers, or just for enjoyment - fun, and not very dated feeling, despite the 1987 pub date. show less

Jennifer is disappointed on her birthday when her father gives her a little china horse and the promise of riding lessons instead of the real horse she's been expecting.