Ariel's Journey by Doug Kane & Christy Wood

Ariel's Journey by Doug Kane and Christy Wood is a fantasy book. The book starts out in a 'normal' world with Kim and Emily, two sisters whose parents own Icelandic horses they keep behind their house. They are great friends with many girls, like Darcy, from the 4-H club that they attend. However, girls from the club often make fun of Kim and Emily for their love of the Icelandic ponies. After Emily gets into a fight with another girl from 4-H, Emily and Kim's mother decides to arrange for all the girls to go on an overnight trail ride in hopes they will bond. This begins an adventure that brings the girls to a 'fantasy' world where they will discover more about their horses and themselves.

I liked Ariel's Journey initially because it was about horses, a genre that I enjoy a lot because of my own horseback riding experiences. The characters were likeable and believable, as well as the relationships they share with their horses. However, after the girls transport into the other world I lost interest in the book. Instead of a page-turner, the book turns to a lot of description and I found myself flipping past many parts. I didn't feel satisfied with the way the author sums things up at the end of the novel. Many loose ends tie up quickly and without depth. I would recommend this book for horse loving children under the age of 12; however, I would not recommend this book if you are looking for a fast-paced adventure story.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Westerville, OH USA