4 out of 4 stars
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Max never imagined she would lose her parents at such a young age. She also couldn’t have predicted that she would be forced to live in an orphanage with a woman who hates children. Max’s life at the orphanage is horrible. She’s not allowed to socialize with the other children, except only in passing and bread is the only thing she can eat. When her life at the orphanage becomes unbearable, Max packs her things and runs away in search of a new home and a new beginning.“We have a long road ahead of us, but I’m glad we’re in this together. It’s just us girls and our horses.”-Danny
She comes across a horse farm that not only fills her with nostalgia, but rekindles a passion she always had for horses. In secret, she takes up temporary residence in the barn and meets a brown horse named Belle, who she immediately takes a liking to. It is in the barn that she meets another orphaned, runaway girl named Danny, who also has a passion for horses. The two girls immediately become friends and continue to live in the barn in secret. When trouble seems to hit the owners of the farm, Danny and Max must work together to protect the horses and the place that they have started to call home.
Jillian Hannold’s The Hayloft Girls is a middle grade book that will touch the hearts of many readers. The author writes a compelling plot that immediately draws readers into the story. The scenes in the book were very descriptive and I could visualize every moment that the characters were experiencing. The author did well in her creation and development of Max and Danielle. Even though I knew they were fictional characters, I was sympathetic to their struggles and losses. I immediately became invested in them.
Danny and Max are both strong characters who are great examples to young readers. They have experienced loss and loneliness, but their resilience and determination keeps them from giving up. When we first meet Danny, she has a hard demeanor and a blunt way of speaking. As the story progresses, we see the warmth of her character when she’s with her favorite horse, Calypso and in scenes with Max. We even see moments of vulnerability from Danny when she states, “Apparently, people only want to adopt babies, not eleven-year-old girls, especially one that would rather wear muddy boots and torn jeans than dresses and high-heeled shoes.” We see this vulnerability with Max as well. The author does a great job in crafting both girls’ strengths and weaknesses.
If I had to give a negative, it would be that I wish the story was a little longer. I would’ve loved to learn more about Danny’s past or Max’s life at the orphanage. Even though it was a short novel, the book is filled with so much characterization and plot. It evokes many emotions and makes readers sympathetic to any child who has lived a difficult life. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this book to young girls as Danny and Max are strong characters that serve as a great example of inner strength and determination. This was a wonderful book that touched my heart and I know it will touch another reader’s heart as well.
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The Hayloft Girls
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