Ride On by Faith Erin Hicks

Ride On is an equestrian graphic novel that horse aficionados will devour.

Ride On by Faith Erin Hicks. First Second, 2022, 218 pages.

Reading Level: Middle Grades, Ages 8-10

Recommended for: ages 8-12

There’s a new girl at Edgewood Stables, and Norrie, the unofficial assistant barn manager, is both intrigued and ticked. The girl, Victoria, is a good rider, but she comes from Waverly Stables, Edgewood’s archrival (in Norrie’s mind). Also, she’s standoffish. And she was selected to help train the stable’s new horse, Winter. The nerve!

Norrie is addicted to drama, but the other riders can take Victoria at face value, never guessing her backstory. Like the rest of them, she loves horses, but has begun to doubt that she loves them enough. Or even, in a sense, that she deserves them. But life is about balance–about learning to be appreciative without becoming fanatical.

There’s a natural affinity among horse-lovers, and eventually even Norrie comes around to draw the new girl into the Edgewood society. It helps that they all love the same sci-fi series, but solidarity is worth more than skill when it comes to the first exhibition, with Waverly in “friendly” competition.

It’s a simple story, but horse-lovers will eat it up. Indeed, they might want a little more focus on the horses and less on the characters, even though Norrie is a loveable (if sometimes frustrating) drama queen. One can be a complete equestrian and The message about bonding over a shared interest is always a winner.   

Overall Rating: 4

• Worldview/moral value: 3.5
• Artistic/literary value: 4.5

Read more about our ratings here.                 

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Reviews: Two horsey novels: Storm Horse and War Horse.
• Reviews: Shannon Hale’s “Friend” series recalls middle-school relationships: Real Friends, Best Friends, and Friends Forever.
• Resource: See our list of recommended graphic novels.

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