Hoofbeats: Katie and the Mustang #1 [Paperback]

Kathleen Duey (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Hoofbeats

Orphaned at age six and taken in by a heartless couple, nine-year-old Katie Rose spends her days doing chores and dreaming of going west to find her Uncle Jack. Then Mr. Stevens brings home an unbroken Mustang, and Katie's world changes. Katie is drawn to the horse's wildness, and he seems to sense her need for companionship. So when Katie learns that the Stevenses plan to join the expansion West&150without her or the Mustang&150she makes a desperate decision to go on her own. And she will not leave the Mustang behind.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Reviewed with Kathleen Duey's Katie and the Mustang: Book Two.

Gr. 3-5. These titles in the new Hoofbeats series introduce nine-year-old orphan Katie Rose, who has been taken in by an unhappy, childless couple, the Stevenses. Katie's life is one of drudgery, with her only solace being her growing bond with a mustang that is being mistreated by Mr. Stevens. Katie is hopeful when the Stevenses decide to follow the Oregon Trail--until she learns that Mr. Stevens plans to shoot his horse and abandon her in an orphanage. Desperate to go West, the girl and her horse, accompanied by Hiram Weiss, the Stevenses' hired hand, set out on their own. The second volume follows the travelers across Iowa, where Katie and her horse leave Hiram behind. Duey's strengths lie in attention to setting details and effective characterizations. Katie and Hiram are especially well drawn; both have been badly hurt and are relearning how to trust. Though italicized comments heading each chapter represent the mustang's viewpoint, the main story is realistic in both tone and subject. A good start to a series that will be popular with both young equestrians and history buffs. Kay Weisman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (May 24, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142400904
• ISBN-13: 978-0142400906
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #908,011 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I have published over 80 books for children of all ages and YA/Adult readers. Many have won state and national awards and all of them have brought me the kind of fan mail that writers love to get.

Two from today's email (Jan 27 11)
Dear Ms. Duey,

I am 8 years old and I live in Catalonia (Spain). I just finished reading your book "Moonsilver" with my mom, and I really liked it. I want to ask you, what was your dream in 3rd grade? I'm asking you because at the end of the book, it says that the series of the Unicorn's Secret books is based on a dream you had in 3rd grade. I am in third grade right now, so I'm really curious!!!
Please tell me

(writer's name)



Dear Ms. Duey,

I loved your book the Unicorn's Secret. Me and my mom read it together. I like your books because I like unicorns and your story was very exciting. I like to draw unicorns. They are one of my favorite animals. I have two stuffed animal unicorns. One is named Sparkle. I sleep with her every night. Did you always want to be a writer? Have you ever seen a real unicorn? I am in 1st grade. I love to read. When I grow up I want to be a animal trainer and I want to train unicorns if I can find one.

LOVE , (writer's name)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YA readers are writing a lot, too. Most say something like this one:

I have been waiting for the third book in Skin Hunger trilogy forever. Ok not forever but it feels like it. When is it coming out? How long will you make me wait? I love these books and am really needing to know what happens to Sadima and Hahp!!!!!


I know, me, too. Please read below.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If it is later than 6:30am PST, I am probably writing, even if I am on an airplane. I might be working on a faerie book or writing about unicorns for grade school kids, or I could be lost in something dark, detailed, and strange for YA/adult readers. The third book in the Resurrection of Magic Trilogy is dragging me through the woods. I am working on it every day, and am Skying instead of traveling to schools and libraries until I get it DONE. It's taking wild amazing turns and I love it.

If I am not working...I might be answering readers who contact me through my website: http://www.kathleenduey.com Thanks to everyone who gets in touch with me on Facebook, my blog, http://kathleenduey.blogspot.com/, Twitter, and all the other ways to reach me. I can't keep up anymore, but I try to answer questions and I send out signed bookplates when I can. It means so much to know that you like my books.

I appear at schools, bookstores, and teach at writers' conferences nationwide and internationally. There is a schedule on my website and I try to keep it current.
And more and more... I Skype. It's a wonderful way to meet readers in classrooms and at libraries, I love to drop in on book clubs and critique groups, then get back to work!

Book news: The Unicorn's Secret books are getting lovely new covers by Sandara Tang, an amazing artist based in Singapore. The fan mail astounds me.
Sandara is the cover artist for the new kid's series The Faerie's Promise, too. Excerpts from all my books are on http://www.kathleenduey.com

YA NOVEL ONLINE/IN PROGRESS: RUSSET fans: http://russet-one-wing.blogspot.com/
I am accumulating entries and will tag you all when there is more to read. Give me your contact info and I will add you to the alert list. kathleenduey at earthlink dot net

The third book of my YA/adult trilogy is in the works now. I don't have a release date yet because I still writing like MAD. But it will be ASAP, I promise. The story is taking amazing turns and dragging me through the woods the way the first two did. Thanks!!!! to the thousands of people asking when it will come out.

You have no idea how happy that makes me.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good new series from Kathleen Duey., May 23, 2004

By 

Rebecca Herman (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hoofbeats: Katie and the Mustang #2 (Paperback)

Young Katie, orphaned in an epidemic, is taken in by Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, a childless couple. But then she learned that they planned to kill the mustang horse she had befriended and take her to an orphanage in St. Louis. With the help of Hiram, the farmhand, Katie is able to escape the Stevenses and take the mustang with her. Hiram, who has no family of his own, feels he must protect Katie and offers to take her on the long journey west so she can live with her relatives in Oregon. But just the journey to Independence, Missouri -- the starting-off point for the Oregon Trail -- is difficult and dangerous, and the mustang still doesn't trust Katie fully.

Young readers who enjoy historical fiction will be sure to enjoy this series for its setting, and fans of horse stories will love Katie's bond with the mustang. A sweet story that I highly recommend to young readers.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely book for any girl who loves The American Girls, August 1, 2005

By 

Kelly (Sugar Land, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hoofbeats: Katie and the Mustang #1 (Paperback)

I finished this book in one day, and found it to be incredibly engrossing and educational. It reminded me a lot of The American Girl Books, which showcase real girls in a historical setting. That is the same purpose with the Hoofbeats series. Set on an Iowa farm is the laste 1800's, the book paints a very vivid picture of life for Katie, a 9 year old girl recently orphaned. I would recommend this book strongly to anyone with a daughter who loves horses, history, and reading altogether. This made for a very enjoyable afternoon!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing New Series for Middle Readers, October 6, 2004

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hoofbeats: Katie and the Mustang #1 (Paperback)

The year is 1847, and nine-year-old orphan Katie Rose is ecstatic when Mr. Stevens brings home a wild Mustang, for it's the first bit of happiness she's felt since an epidemic wiped out her family three years ago, causing her to be forced to live with the evil Mr. and Mrs. Stevens. Katie finds herself drawn to the Mustang, and realizes that he trusts her to a certain extent, and even lets her work with him. Soon, Katie and the Mustang have a strong bond with each other. Then comes the news. Mr. Stevens plans on following the Oregon trail, which is perfect for Katie, for she will be able to find her Uncle. But then she finds out that Mr. Stevens plans on sending her to an orphanage and killing the Mustang before they leave. Now Katie and the Mustang, with the help of a ranch hand named Hiram, have decided to runaway, and escape their terrible fate before it's too late.

Kathleen Duey has created an extremely enjoyable new series for fans of historical fiction, and horse lovers. Her characters are kind, and intriguing, and paint a wonderful picture of what growing up in the year 1847 was like. Katie is a sweet character, whom readers will feel an instant bond with, and readers will feel the same way towards the Mustang. Filled with wonderful descriptions and adventures, this is a book that cannot be missed.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper