When I was younger, I absolutely ate up any book that the American Girls franchise published. And for good reason! Even after all of these years, when I re-read this one yesterday, I was sucked into this story, and I couldn't really believe how good it was. And when I say good, I mean, if I ever have little girls, these are the kind of books I want them to read. The mystery was intriguing, the history was enthralling, and the writing was good. It wasn't dumbed down, and it was surprisingly intelligent. As cheesy as it sounds, I owe a lot to these American Girl books, and they really made me the reader I am today. Annie was a character that you just couldn't help but root for, and I was dying to find out what had happened to her horse! It was also really cool to read about a period of history that I don't remember learning much about in school. I think that's just another appeal of the American Girl books--they cover so many different periods of history that there is bound to be something to spark the interest of young readers. And like I said about the writing--it was so excellent. It's challenging enough to work the minds of young readers, but easy and addicting enough to have them keep reading. One thing that I especially picked up on was that there was just the right amount of descriptive passages to really work the imagination of young girls, which I think is very important in establishing readers. Overall, I was very pleased, even reading this again years after my first time reading it, and I know I'll be keeping these books to pass along someday!
Annie Dawson lived at the Red Buttes Pony Express Station in 1860. One of her favorite riders was Bill Cody, and her favorite horse was Magpie. However, one night Magpie became wild and dangerous. The men thought she had gone loco, but Annie was sure something else was wrong. She had to find out what was wrong with Magpie and get her well before the men shot the poor pony.I like the History Mystery books which are written for girls ages 10 and up. They are exciting and also teach about events of the past.
What do You think about Hoofbeats Of Danger (2002)?
Oh I loved this one! First of all, it helped that right now I'm teaching the kids about the Pony Express so finding a book that gives a little bit of an 'insider' look at life on a home station is a good thing. Also we get to meet Bill Cody as a kid, whom I liked a lot. This started with a sick horse that had me wondering where in the world the mystery or danger part of anything was coming from. Then as I read the story came together, building the suspense and ending with a bang that is truly worthy of American Girl. Honestly they do very well with their books.Would I recommend this book? Definitely! Add it to your homeschool curriculum when you're teaching the old west and the days of the pony express. Well worth it!
—Kristine Pratt
