Blackjack: Dreaming of a Morgan Horse (Morgan Horse Series) [Paperback]

Ellen F. Feld (Author), Wordhelper Editing Services (Editor), Jeanne Mellin (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Morgan Horse Series | Publication Date: May 1, 2004

Winner of the national book award, "Children's Choices" co-sponsored by The International Reading Association and The Children's Book Council! Blackjack, the first in the Morgan Horse series, introduces the character of Heather Richardson. A young horse-lover, Heather has been haunted by dreams of a very special Morgan Horse. She soon learns that the horse really exists and is thrilled when she is asked to care for him. With the help of Blackjack's owner, Heather learns to ride and show the horse and the two quickly form a very special bond. When tragedy strikes and Blackjack falls into the hands of an abusive trainer, Heather must find a way to rescue her horse before it is too late...

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grades 4-7--Heather's dream of a beautiful black stallion becomes a reality when the substitute bus driver, Chauncy, just happens to have a farm with 14 Morgans including a stallion. Heather is invited to visit and soon she is working there and riding Gallant Image, whom she nicknames Blackjack. Chauncy recognizes the special chemistry between horse and rider and encourages Heather to ride Blackjack in an important horse show. Everything seems almost perfect until Chauncy suffers a heart attack, and the horses have to be sold. Gallant Image is sent to a trainer who mistreats him. Convinced that the animal has no real talent, the owner agrees to sell him to Heather, who, with great patience and kindness, returns Blackjack to his former greatness. Although Heather and some of the other characters are likable and sympathetic and the story moves along at a reasonable pace, the plot strains credibility as each crisis comes to a happy conclusion in what seems to be a short amount of time. Knowledgeable horse lovers will be astonished at how quickly Heather becomes a skilled rider and overcomes all of the adversity thrown in her path. This story's appeal will be limited to only the most die-hard horse-story readers.

Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A wonderful story about the special bond between a girl and her horse. There is something in this book for everyone who likes horses." --- Brian Sosby, Editor, Equestrian Magazine

"Blackjack is a delightful book that will pull the heartstrings of any horse lover - it belongs in your Morgan library." --- The American Morgan Horse Association

"These books are packed with information about the care and training of horses. The reader will experience the thrill of competition in the ring as Heather and Blackjack participate in shows and the feeling of flight as she and Rusty jump the fences. The stories are well constructed with exciting plots and interesting characters. The strongest characters are the horses that exhibit their personalities as they face life's challenges. Anyone who loves horses will love this series." --Catholic Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 199 pages
• Publisher: Willow Bend Pub; Revised edition (May 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970900236
• ISBN-13: 978-0970900234
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,047,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Award-winning author Ellen Feld began writing about horses more than twenty years ago. Her first writing jobs were for horse magazines. At first, she wrote for small, regional publications, but within a few short years her work began to appear regularly in large, national publications. Her articles have appeared in publications such as The Morgan Horse, Stable Management, Equestrian, Young Rider, Just About Horses, Horsemen's Yankee Pedlar, Tri-State Horse, and The Appaloosa Journal.

One day, back in 2001, while waiting for her next assignment to come in, Ms. Feld wrote a short story about a Morgan Horse. Several of her friends encouraged her to expand on the story and try writing a book. That short story became the first chapter of "Blackjack: Dreaming of a Morgan Horse." The book went on to win a coveted 'Children's Choices' award, co-sponsored by The International Reading Association and The Children's Book Council. The book was then picked up by an international toy company and packaged with a toy horse made to resemble Blackjack, the star of the series. Blackjack continues to sell well and to date has sold over 30,000 copies.

Ms. Feld continues to write horse stories for children. She has published seven books, with two more due out in late 2012. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two children, ten horses, and assorted pets.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a YA horse-book that's realistic!, May 5, 2005

By 

Laurie A. Neely (Western Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blackjack: Dreaming of a Morgan Horse (Morgan Horse Series) (Paperback)

I love Ellen Feld's Morgan Horse books. I love them because they don't ask the reader to believe that teenaged girls can solve crimes, stop the destruction of rural America, or take a half-starved rescue horse on Monday and win the KY Derby on him the following weekend. OK; I'm exaggerating. It usually takes them at least 6 months before they win the Derby.
Ms. Feld's books are realistic in their portrayal of the human and equine characters, and accurate in their descriptions of tack, veterinary care, etc.
As a once-upon-a-time horse-crazy teenager grown into a horse-crazy middle aged person, and both a bookseller and tack store owner in years past, I appreciate the fact that Ms. Feld's books aren't filled with inaccuracy and improbable fantasy. It has always seemed to me that many YA stories that are, presuppose that the readers are not very knowledgeable about horses.
Five stars and a bag of carrots to Ellen Feld's books.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book for Kids of All Ages!, April 26, 2002

By 

Susannah L. Hopkins (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blackjack: A Morgan Horse (Paperback)

I was preparing to camp out at the barn where I board my pregnant Morgan mare so I could keep an eye on her if she went into labor. Normally I would be fighting to stay awake, but I had brought this book along. Once I picked it up, I didn't put it down until it was finished. I absolutely loved it! The way it's written, it allows you to take the place of the teenager and feel everything she's feeling. You get mad, anxious, sad, and ecstatic! My mother started reading it after she heard me talking about it. I can't wait for more from this author!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blackjack, Dreaming of a Morgan Horse, January 30, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Blackjack: Dreaming of a Morgan Horse (Morgan Horse Series) (Paperback)

AWSOME!! I can't wait to read the other ones!!!