On the Edge of Revolution

Saddles, Stars and Stripes #1

by Deborah Kent

Eliza Carter loves working for her father during the summer holidays. She drives her own team of horses, led by her special Conestoga horse, Clipper, hauling heavy wagons full of grain. But life changes dramatically when tensions in the new colony begin to rise and her twin brother joins local farmers in armed resistance against their British rulers. Suddenly she finds herself examining her beliefs and loyalties. Where will she stand when national resentment boils over into revolution? And will she come to her brother's rescue when he needs her?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Childrens, Horses

176 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Deborah Kent was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby Little Falls. She graduated from Oberlin College and received a master's degree from Smith College School for Social Work. For four years, she was a social worker at University Settlement House on New York's Lower East Side. In 1975, Ms. Kent moved to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where she wrote her first young-adult novel, Belonging. In San Miguel, Ms. Kent helped to found the Centro de Crecimiento, a school for children with disabilities. Ms. Kent is the author of numerous young-adult novels and nonfiction titles for children. She lives in Chicago with her husband, children's author R. Conrad Stein, and their daughter, Janna.

Reviews

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very nice historical fiction, easy for seven years upwards to read, with drawings to help understand some terms. A Conestoga horse was not a breed I am familiar with, but Wikipedia says this was a type of draught horse which could be used for riding, up to 17 hh and which pulled the Conestoga wagons and goods carts.
A girl who likes riding a horse trains him to be the leader of her father's team. Clipper was seen as a troublemaker but that was because he wanted to be in the lead. He is in the background as the customs agents rummage through the merchant premises and impose extra taxes, showing us why the settlers dislike the rule of Britain. Then issues arise like possible horse thieving, a man important in the district deciding he is going to take Clipper and a fomenting revolution.
Great involving story and I like to see draught horses given the pride of place.
This is an unbiased review.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some lying, but not without reason or remorse.

[Madeline Henricksen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"On the Edge of Revolution" is about a girl named Eliza who lives on a Pennsylvania farm in 1774. She has her own horse named Clipper, leader for one of the three teams that pull wagons on the farm. When Eliza's twin brother, Jeremy, is supposed to ride his lead horse, Maura, and her team to the governor's mansion, he doesn't. What he does instead is go to his best friend's house to make a plan to conquer the British. Eliza takes on the responsibility of finding him. She sets out riding her big Conestoga horse, Clipper. When she finds her brother, she learns about what they are doing in time to warn them that the redcoats are coming. I recommend this book to anyone that loves horses and wants to learn about the Revolutionary war.

[Alina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started this series years ago and absolutely loved it, but the library didn't have, nor would they buy, this book even though the had the other three. Years later I finally just bought it, and even though this is well below my reading level, it brought on good memories.

I don't have much to say about this other than it was a cute, quick read and one of the less cliché horse stories I've read. Had I read this a few years ago I probably would have rated it higher because I loved books like this.