The Black Stallion and the Shape-shifter [Hardcover]

Steven Farley (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Black Stallion

After being injured while racing in Ireland’s famous Foster Stakes, the Black and Alec head to the Irish coast to recuperate. While there, they are charmed by the pleasant people and intrigued by tales of the kelpie, a shape-shifting creature of myth who carries unsuspecting riders off to a watery grave. Alec meets a lonely local girl, Mora, who has found a stray pony. Alec, recognizing her love of horses, teaches her to ride. But when Mora disappears, Alec realizes that she has been carried off by the mythical kelpie. Now, Alec and the Black must race the shape-shifter, not realizing that if they lose, not only will Mora be lost forever, but so will the Black.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4–7—Alec and the Black's latest adventure takes them to Ireland, where the Black has a chance to once again prove his brilliance as a racehorse. Then an injury forces them to prolong their stay. When a girl, Mora, finds a pony wandering the beach, Alec and the stallion are drawn into a mystery involving a kelpie. At first, he dismisses the tales about these shape-shifters but when Mora disappears, his search for her leads him and the horse into a deadly struggle to save her from this legendary creature. This is a carefully crafted novel, with Irish legend and daily life woven throughout. The suspense builds slowly but steadily. The lightly drawn characters support the story line, and Mora is typical of many girls whose greatest wish is to have a horse of their own. Devoted fans of the series will enjoy this latest adventure with a supernatural twist.—Carol Schene, formerly at Taunton Public Schools, MA
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About the Author

Steve Farley is the son of Walter Farley, the man who created the Black Stallion and wrote 20 stories about the best-loved literary horse of all time. A freelance writer based in Manhattan, he travels frequently, especially to places where he can enjoy riding, diving, and surfing.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (January 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375845313
• ISBN-13: 978-0375845314
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,686,661 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not of his dad's caliber, January 25, 2009

By 

C. Chambers (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Black Stallion and the Shape-shifter (Hardcover)

This is the 2nd Black Stallion novel written by Steven that I've read. I read all of Walter Farley's books as a child and have re-read them as an adult. Steven just doesn't have his father's gift for story telling. The characters are flat. I'd call Alec insensitive in this book. At least he doesn't have a crew cut!

BTW, Steven, the word is "conformation" when you're talking about how a horse is put together, not "confirmation"! Shall we blame your editor?

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine horse story and mystery evolves, April 17, 2009

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Black Stallion and the Shape-shifter (Hardcover)

Walter Farley's son is taking up the reigns of his father's famous horse stories in producing a new addition to the old series, The Black Stallion and the Shape-Shifter. Here the Black and Alec Ramsey are heading to Ireland to recuperate from a racing injury, only to find a girl who loves horses is eager to learn to ride. When she vanishes after Alec agrees to teach her, villagers say she's been taken by a kelpie and is gone forever. Can there be such a thing as magic? A fine horse story and mystery evolves.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good story with a few flaws., February 23, 2009

By 

Dawn from CT "Horsefan 45+ years" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Black Stallion and the Shape-shifter (Hardcover)

The Black Stallion and the Shape-shifter is a nice addition to the Black Stallion Series.
I read the plot for this book in October and was not sure then if it would work. I am happy to say it does.
The Series has, from the beginning, some mystic, supernatural and science fiction elements running through it. And this book defintely has the supernatural elements.
Steven used various elements from the multiple stories about the kelpie and wove them together into an exciting story.
Alec and the Black's meeting of the kelpie on Long Island is a nice foreshadowing of what's to come. And when you meet the next one, you're not sure; is it or isn't it, but it seems so benign but isn't.
He also refers to earlier books which will help anyone new to the series. For example: the desert island where Alec and the Black bond, Hopeful Farm, Satan and Pam.
Also, this is the first book that acknowledges the passing of time from The Black Stallion,the first book, to this one. (Pg. 6) A nice surprise.
Mora, the fourth main character, is the normal teenage of today: sees a pony, wants a pony, catch it and then rides it. And then races it!! Personally I would never have mounted a strange horse or pony no matter how much I wanted to. And to race it? Never. However, she is a better character than others I read in other horse fiction being written today.
There are two races in this book. The Irish one which the Black is injuried in. And the last one. The most important one. Very good description of both these races.


The negatives. The first review is correct on the misspelling of conformation. But this person reaction to this is strange. I have found words misspelled, missing, lines missing or attached to different paragraphs in many books. An author does review their work. But they know what they are saying and so a proofreader from the publisher usually reads their works. And then there's the publishing of the book. All of them can still miss a mistake. It happens and I have some of those samples to prove it. (The White Dragon paperback edition, the last Beastmaster book to name two that have errors in them.)
Steven word usage in a few places read odd. Most of these were found in describing the Black's movement.
And the Black is injuried...again. Can we please not have that happen in the next book?

Overall I give this book a Good rating.