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Backyard Horses #1
Horse Dreams
Fourth-grader Ellie James has a great imagination. She spends a lot of time daydreaming of owning a black stallion show horse and winning trophies in the horse show. But when the answer to all her dreams and prayers gallops into her life, will Ellie be able to recognize it? Join Ellie and her quirky family in their exciting, horse-loving adventures.
160 pages, Paperback
First published August 17, 2011
29 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
About the author
Dandi Daley Mackall
352 books299 followersA professional writer for over 20 years, Dandi Daley Mackall has written dozens of articles for popular magazines and published around 500 books for children and adults alike, with sales of over 4 million.
A frequent guest on radio and television talk shows, she lives in rural Ohio with her husband, three children, horses, dogs, & cats. Awards include the Edgar Award for Best YA Mystery, the Helen Keating Ott Award for Contributions to Children's Literature; Distinguished Alumni Award from Mizzou; ALA Best Book; Christian Children's Book of the Year, Amelia Bloom, Mom's Choice Awards. Her YA novel, My Boyfriends' Dogs, is now a Hallmark movie.
A frequent guest on radio and television talk shows, she lives in rural Ohio with her husband, three children, horses, dogs, & cats. Awards include the Edgar Award for Best YA Mystery, the Helen Keating Ott Award for Contributions to Children's Literature; Distinguished Alumni Award from Mizzou; ALA Best Book; Christian Children's Book of the Year, Amelia Bloom, Mom's Choice Awards. Her YA novel, My Boyfriends' Dogs, is now a Hallmark movie.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
May 9, 2018
About this book:
“Fourth-grader Ellie James has a great imagination. She spends a lot of time daydreaming of owning a black stallion show horse and winning trophies in the horse show. But when the answer to all her dreams and prayers gallops into her life, will Ellie be able to recognize it? Join Ellie and her quirky family in their exciting, horse-loving adventures.”
Series: Book #1 in the “Backyard Horses” series.
Spiritual Content- 1 Samuel 16:7 at the beginning & Ephesians 3:20 at the beginning; Prayers; Singing a hymn; Talks about God; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God & God-things; Mentions of prayers & praying; A couple mentions of Sunday school classes; A mention of a blessing.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘crummy’ and a ‘stupid’; A bit of eye rolling; Mentions of animals being put to sleep & stun gunning a horse; A couple mentions of hating something; A couple mentions of jealousy;
*Note: A few mentions of Club Scouts; A mention of Elvis.
Sexual Content- N/A
-Ellie James, age 9
P.O.V. switches between them
160 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Three Star
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
{ Add ½ to a full star for young horse fans. }
What a nice, light read! Quite a bit of seeing Ellie’s faith as well, which is always good. Ellie is so cute! I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one, so I do plan to read the next book in the series. :)
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
“Fourth-grader Ellie James has a great imagination. She spends a lot of time daydreaming of owning a black stallion show horse and winning trophies in the horse show. But when the answer to all her dreams and prayers gallops into her life, will Ellie be able to recognize it? Join Ellie and her quirky family in their exciting, horse-loving adventures.”
Series: Book #1 in the “Backyard Horses” series.
Spiritual Content- 1 Samuel 16:7 at the beginning & Ephesians 3:20 at the beginning; Prayers; Singing a hymn; Talks about God; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God & God-things; Mentions of prayers & praying; A couple mentions of Sunday school classes; A mention of a blessing.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘crummy’ and a ‘stupid’; A bit of eye rolling; Mentions of animals being put to sleep & stun gunning a horse; A couple mentions of hating something; A couple mentions of jealousy;
*Note: A few mentions of Club Scouts; A mention of Elvis.
Sexual Content- N/A
-Ellie James, age 9
P.O.V. switches between them
160 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Three Star
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
{ Add ½ to a full star for young horse fans. }
What a nice, light read! Quite a bit of seeing Ellie’s faith as well, which is always good. Ellie is so cute! I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one, so I do plan to read the next book in the series. :)
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
September 30, 2011
Ellie James is in the fourth grade. She is obsessed with anything horse related. She is constantly getting caught day dreaming about horses in class. Maybe that is why when Ellie spots a real horse, no one believes her. It was shaggy and covered in mud. When Ellie gets home, she tells her dad about the horse but he also does not believe her. Ellie’s mom arrives home and informs the family that her day went well until she lost a horse. Will Ellie’s dream horse become a reality?
Horse Dreams is the first book in the Backyard Horses series. This book is a quick, enjoyable read. This book is the perfect read for a young girl ranging from ten to twelve years old. The chapters were short and the writing was simple without being too wordy. I liked this because I know that having read some books to my nephews that younger children have a short attention span, so if the book is not quick than they will lose interest fast. The font was something that I noticed instantly. It was about a fourteen point font. Large enough that a young reader could have no problems reading this book by themselves. The title of each chapter was spelled out and shown underneath the word in sign, so that you knew how to say the words in sign language. At the end of this book is a glossary of horse terminology as well as the alphabet in sign language. So this book is not only one that you can read with your daughter but is also educational.
Horse Dreams is the first book in the Backyard Horses series. This book is a quick, enjoyable read. This book is the perfect read for a young girl ranging from ten to twelve years old. The chapters were short and the writing was simple without being too wordy. I liked this because I know that having read some books to my nephews that younger children have a short attention span, so if the book is not quick than they will lose interest fast. The font was something that I noticed instantly. It was about a fourteen point font. Large enough that a young reader could have no problems reading this book by themselves. The title of each chapter was spelled out and shown underneath the word in sign, so that you knew how to say the words in sign language. At the end of this book is a glossary of horse terminology as well as the alphabet in sign language. So this book is not only one that you can read with your daughter but is also educational.
July 23, 2012
One little girl dreaming of owning a horse and planning on all the ways she can work on her parents to talk them into getting her a horse. Cry? Beg? Throw a fit? It's never worked before.... Unfortunately it hasn't stopped her from daydreaming in class and getting into trouble - and that's how the book opens. I loved how involved Ellie gets in her daydreaming up to and including "daydreaming" up a horse outside her classroom window - or is it real? If so, no one believes her...
Horse Dreams is very well written, doesn't talk down to kids and it doesn't seem as though Dandi MacKall is lecturing or "teaching" the kids who read it a lesson. I was very impressed with her method of helping Ellie come to understand her parents point of view about why she can't have a horse. The wonderful part of the book though is that Ellie shows a maturity by the end of the book as she helps an abused horse find a new home and Ellie accepts that her job is to help this "backyard horse" relax and let others help her. I really liked this little girl and I'm looking forward to reading other books in this series.
You can begin reading this series aloud to your younger children around Grade 1 and the reading level is for kids 4th grade and up (it's actually very easy to read and moves quickly).
Much thanks to Dandi MacKall and Tyndale Publishing for donating this book for review and giveaway. I was not paid for my review services and was not required to provide a positive review.
Horse Dreams is very well written, doesn't talk down to kids and it doesn't seem as though Dandi MacKall is lecturing or "teaching" the kids who read it a lesson. I was very impressed with her method of helping Ellie come to understand her parents point of view about why she can't have a horse. The wonderful part of the book though is that Ellie shows a maturity by the end of the book as she helps an abused horse find a new home and Ellie accepts that her job is to help this "backyard horse" relax and let others help her. I really liked this little girl and I'm looking forward to reading other books in this series.
You can begin reading this series aloud to your younger children around Grade 1 and the reading level is for kids 4th grade and up (it's actually very easy to read and moves quickly).
Much thanks to Dandi MacKall and Tyndale Publishing for donating this book for review and giveaway. I was not paid for my review services and was not required to provide a positive review.
August 16, 2011
Horse Dreams by Dandi Daley Mackall
Ellie James is a fourth grader who loves horses. She begs, cries and prays for a black stallion of her very own. She daydreams about them when she’s supposed to be paying attention in class. One day Ellie announces that she really has seen a scraggly, muddy pinto out the classroom window. She is laughed at and reprimanded until the imaginary pinto is seen by the whole town avoiding capture by animal control and the sheriff’s department. Ellie and her mom, who volunteers at a local cat farm, help the pinto recover from neglect at the cat farm so that it can be transferred to a horse rescue elsewhere. Even as she fights getting attached, Ellie’s dreams of a black stallion start turning into the pinto.
This is the first Dandi Daley Mackall book I’ve read and she has done a great job of creating a believable story for young girls who love horses. I read most of the book in one night—it is very hard to put down once you start. While the storyline does talk about God and prayer, it is not overly preachy. I loved this book and plan to buy for my own daughter—a fourth grader who loves horses.
I read this book through NetGalley in order to give an honest review.
Ellie James is a fourth grader who loves horses. She begs, cries and prays for a black stallion of her very own. She daydreams about them when she’s supposed to be paying attention in class. One day Ellie announces that she really has seen a scraggly, muddy pinto out the classroom window. She is laughed at and reprimanded until the imaginary pinto is seen by the whole town avoiding capture by animal control and the sheriff’s department. Ellie and her mom, who volunteers at a local cat farm, help the pinto recover from neglect at the cat farm so that it can be transferred to a horse rescue elsewhere. Even as she fights getting attached, Ellie’s dreams of a black stallion start turning into the pinto.
This is the first Dandi Daley Mackall book I’ve read and she has done a great job of creating a believable story for young girls who love horses. I read most of the book in one night—it is very hard to put down once you start. While the storyline does talk about God and prayer, it is not overly preachy. I loved this book and plan to buy for my own daughter—a fourth grader who loves horses.
I read this book through NetGalley in order to give an honest review.
July 4, 2012
I don't read a lot of children's/young adult fiction, and I don't have a lot of experience with horses. That said, I really liked this book!
Ellie is a spunky and imaginative fourth-grader who dreams of having a horse of her own. When she spots a horse roaming around outside her school, she gets in trouble with her teacher for daydreaming. Soon, Ellie's whole family, and the town, are involved in a horse rescue that turns almost comical.
This is the first in a series about Ellie and her horses. Ellie's brother is hard of hearing, so she uses sign language to communicate with him. Each chapter title contains the sign language alphabet spelling as well as the English, and a glossary at the back of the book lists horse terminology and illustrates the entire sign language alphabet.
A good read for kids who like animals, horses especially. I'm looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
Ellie is a spunky and imaginative fourth-grader who dreams of having a horse of her own. When she spots a horse roaming around outside her school, she gets in trouble with her teacher for daydreaming. Soon, Ellie's whole family, and the town, are involved in a horse rescue that turns almost comical.
This is the first in a series about Ellie and her horses. Ellie's brother is hard of hearing, so she uses sign language to communicate with him. Each chapter title contains the sign language alphabet spelling as well as the English, and a glossary at the back of the book lists horse terminology and illustrates the entire sign language alphabet.
A good read for kids who like animals, horses especially. I'm looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
July 19, 2012
Ellie James wants a horse. It's all she dreams about. When a horse suddenly appears, will Ellie realize that this is her horse ?
Backyard Horses is a wonderful little series for horse lovin' girls ages 6-9. It is written in first person present tense, which was a bit hard to decipher at first.
Sometimes I thought that Ellie was a rather over confident girl by the way that she talked, but I think that's partially due to the tense and first person point of view. I liked the side characters and her brother Ethan who was deaf, I thought it was a nice touch to have Ellie, her friend and her family all using sign language as part of their natural communication.
Overall I would say that is a cute series that I wish I had around when I was much younger. I could relate to Ellie and how she didn't have a horse and all her other friend had tons of horses. A rather sweet book.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
Backyard Horses is a wonderful little series for horse lovin' girls ages 6-9. It is written in first person present tense, which was a bit hard to decipher at first.
Sometimes I thought that Ellie was a rather over confident girl by the way that she talked, but I think that's partially due to the tense and first person point of view. I liked the side characters and her brother Ethan who was deaf, I thought it was a nice touch to have Ellie, her friend and her family all using sign language as part of their natural communication.
Overall I would say that is a cute series that I wish I had around when I was much younger. I could relate to Ellie and how she didn't have a horse and all her other friend had tons of horses. A rather sweet book.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
June 6, 2013
Oh yes, forth grade I remember as I was a daydreamer too. Fun quick read, what is it about girls and horses? Written with insight for the forth grade reader, lots of action and drama.
January 22, 2018
Ellie James dreams of owning her own black stallion and dazzling the audiences in the local horse shows. However, with no shot of purchasing such a horse, Ellie keeps daydreaming—but once too often and lands in the principal’s office. She attempts a deal with her fourth grade teacher, to attempt three methods of obtaining her own horse for her upcoming science experiment—but no luck. Still she begs, prays and even cries, and when a skinny pinto runs wild in their small town, Ellie captures the terrified animal and temporarily rescues it from animal control, but for how long? And how will she ever get the horse of her dreams?
Horse Dreams is a well written and fun read for the younger girls and horse lovers of all ages. The sharp prose and subtle humor keeps readers connected, and the adroit spirituality encourages hope, perseverance and faith. And this prolific writer has dozens of horse books and other books for children.
Horse Dreams is a well written and fun read for the younger girls and horse lovers of all ages. The sharp prose and subtle humor keeps readers connected, and the adroit spirituality encourages hope, perseverance and faith. And this prolific writer has dozens of horse books and other books for children.
December 20, 2016
Typical Ellie: "I dream horses. I don't just dream about horses. I dream up horses so real I can smell horse. Horse is the best scent in the whole world. They could put that stuff into perfume and make a fortune."
4-th grader Ellie James dreams of and prays about having her own horse. But not just any horse. She dreams of a black stallion with which she'll surely win the Hamilton Royal Horse Show. So when a scrawny pinto comes into her life, she helps it, but doesn't think much about it. But can it be that God has more in store for her than she has ever dreamed?
I found this to be a fun quick read. Through the story, Ellie learns that God's plans aren't ours and that sometimes prayers get answered in a way we did not expect.
I recommend Horse Dreams to Christian kids and tweens who love horses.
4-th grader Ellie James dreams of and prays about having her own horse. But not just any horse. She dreams of a black stallion with which she'll surely win the Hamilton Royal Horse Show. So when a scrawny pinto comes into her life, she helps it, but doesn't think much about it. But can it be that God has more in store for her than she has ever dreamed?
I found this to be a fun quick read. Through the story, Ellie learns that God's plans aren't ours and that sometimes prayers get answered in a way we did not expect.
I recommend Horse Dreams to Christian kids and tweens who love horses.
October 1, 2022
Great book! I have read the Winnie series and thought they were really cool so I decided to read these series.
These books are very short so I read them in less than an hour or so. Then I have to start the next one.
One thing that I would like to see more of is romance. I know these kids are only in 4th grade but I had someone special to me. Plus I feel like Ellie and Colt act older than they are.
But overall great book!
These books are very short so I read them in less than an hour or so. Then I have to start the next one.
One thing that I would like to see more of is romance. I know these kids are only in 4th grade but I had someone special to me. Plus I feel like Ellie and Colt act older than they are.
But overall great book!
June 23, 2018
Great kids book, especially for horse loving readers. The story is entertaining and the characters are engaging and likeable, but the book also contains a lovely message about prayer. There’s no preaching here, just relatable situations and characters. I also appreciated the inclusion of a deaf character.
Read
July 5, 2021This book changed my life.
I’ve never felt so changed just by one book.
I loved it so much I photocopied it and hung it on my wall!! This book just HAS to be read by any horse crazy girl out there.
-Kaya
I’ve never felt so changed just by one book.
I loved it so much I photocopied it and hung it on my wall!! This book just HAS to be read by any horse crazy girl out there.
-Kaya
February 18, 2023
Seems to be a cute little horse series for 9 year olds, clean and the stories are sweet and realistic. A bit of dejavu to the authors Winnie the Horse Gentler series so writing seems redundant, but still a good little horse series for horse crazy girls. 💕
July 26, 2017
Prayers and Horses
Great book for young readers about horses. Easy reading, unique characters, teaches kids about horse shows, sign language, and the power of prayer.
Great book for young readers about horses. Easy reading, unique characters, teaches kids about horse shows, sign language, and the power of prayer.
May 17, 2018
Very good read!
No crying no begging just years of praying for the perfect horse of her dreams! I loved this short story!
No crying no begging just years of praying for the perfect horse of her dreams! I loved this short story!
March 29, 2019
Well done
Capturing even to a grown up. No punctuation errors! Whew. Loved the story. Great ending!, good story for kids to adults.
Capturing even to a grown up. No punctuation errors! Whew. Loved the story. Great ending!, good story for kids to adults.
June 12, 2021
Fairly short but good book about girl who wants a dressage horse, but ends up with a rescue.
September 21, 2021
Predictable and likeable. Interested to watch character development in future books.
December 18, 2021
Ellie dreams of getting a horse
June 30, 2025
Read my complete review for this book on my website: This Joyful Nook
[I discerned this book a "No"]
I had hoped that Horse Dreams was going to be good when I held it at my library because the blurb proclaimed that it was about horses and God, which is exactly the kind of book I am looking for!
But it turns out that it didn’t hold up to my expectations.
The actual content was depressing and confusing. The characters weren’t very nice and there wasn’t any good moral to be learned. I didn’t find the main character to be very likable, which is one of the most important things you should do if you’re ever going to write a book.
I’m kind of getting picky at this point, but the text size in this novel is larger than I would’ve liked, and the book itself is awkward to hold.
I also thought I would mention that it gets very unrealistic at the end:
* SPOILER*
Ellie ends up falling in love with the weak pinto horse, and it follows her home the day before it’s going to get sold. Ellie then says she’ll keep and fence the horse in her backyard. She thought that her “great” plan would work because she didn’t technically steal the horse, it followed her home. But in reality, it doesn’t matter if you lead a horse into your backyard and fence it in or if it willingly walks inside. That’s stealing someone else’s property either way, no matter how much you justify it. This is a verse about what God thinks about stealing animals:
If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.
Exodus 23:4-5
*End of Spoiler*
Lastly, I couldn’t help but notice that Ellie was obsessed with getting a black stallion and winning trophies at a horse show. She basically admitted that God was a last resort in achieving her dream. This life isn’t about what God can do for us, it’s about what He’s already done through His Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins.
[I discerned this book a "No"]
I had hoped that Horse Dreams was going to be good when I held it at my library because the blurb proclaimed that it was about horses and God, which is exactly the kind of book I am looking for!
But it turns out that it didn’t hold up to my expectations.
The actual content was depressing and confusing. The characters weren’t very nice and there wasn’t any good moral to be learned. I didn’t find the main character to be very likable, which is one of the most important things you should do if you’re ever going to write a book.
I’m kind of getting picky at this point, but the text size in this novel is larger than I would’ve liked, and the book itself is awkward to hold.
I also thought I would mention that it gets very unrealistic at the end:
* SPOILER*
Ellie ends up falling in love with the weak pinto horse, and it follows her home the day before it’s going to get sold. Ellie then says she’ll keep and fence the horse in her backyard. She thought that her “great” plan would work because she didn’t technically steal the horse, it followed her home. But in reality, it doesn’t matter if you lead a horse into your backyard and fence it in or if it willingly walks inside. That’s stealing someone else’s property either way, no matter how much you justify it. This is a verse about what God thinks about stealing animals:
If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.
Exodus 23:4-5
*End of Spoiler*
Lastly, I couldn’t help but notice that Ellie was obsessed with getting a black stallion and winning trophies at a horse show. She basically admitted that God was a last resort in achieving her dream. This life isn’t about what God can do for us, it’s about what He’s already done through His Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins.
June 24, 2014
Honestly, I only picked this one up, because it counts toward the Tyndale Summer Reading Program and I had access to it. I'm usually test reading books in the "boy" realm for future reading possibilities for my boys. Every once in awhile, I try out some "girl" reads, though.
This book is about Ellie and her dream of owning a horse. A beautiful, black stallion, to be exact. She's begged and cried and prayed for one for years. Ellie gets a lesson that prayers aren't always answered in the way we imagined them.
I don't know where this book falls in the series, but I feel like so many more details are probably filled in through the rest of the books, though it does read fine as a standalone. As you would expect from the title and cover, this book really is a great deal about horses. If your child doesn't care for them, this probably isn't the best choice. I imagine Christian fans of horses will love it, though!
I enjoyed the sign language addition to the story. Ellie's brother is deaf, and sign language is used. The chapter titles are even in sign language(along with words). There's a sign language alphabet chart in the back, along with a dictionary of the "horse" words used throughout the story.
I do have a few complaints. It's mentioned different times that the mom is WAY taller than the dad. I love this part! I think it's awesome to see that parents/couples don't always have to fit a mold. ((two thumbs up for that part)) BUT, I feel like the dad should have been given a backbone. At one point, the mom has to step up and "save" him when he's scared of a certain man. I was disappointed he wasn't created to be stronger, considering this is a Christian series. Also, I didn't care for the gossiping that went on within the story. There is one point that Ellie leaves where she's supposed to be, asking her friend to lie for her. She walks alone in the dark during this "adventure". There are no consequences, whatsoever, and that's just not okay!
If you can overlook those parts, this is a sweet and funny little story, and I really enjoyed it!
This book is about Ellie and her dream of owning a horse. A beautiful, black stallion, to be exact. She's begged and cried and prayed for one for years. Ellie gets a lesson that prayers aren't always answered in the way we imagined them.
I don't know where this book falls in the series, but I feel like so many more details are probably filled in through the rest of the books, though it does read fine as a standalone. As you would expect from the title and cover, this book really is a great deal about horses. If your child doesn't care for them, this probably isn't the best choice. I imagine Christian fans of horses will love it, though!
I enjoyed the sign language addition to the story. Ellie's brother is deaf, and sign language is used. The chapter titles are even in sign language(along with words). There's a sign language alphabet chart in the back, along with a dictionary of the "horse" words used throughout the story.
I do have a few complaints. It's mentioned different times that the mom is WAY taller than the dad. I love this part! I think it's awesome to see that parents/couples don't always have to fit a mold. ((two thumbs up for that part)) BUT, I feel like the dad should have been given a backbone. At one point, the mom has to step up and "save" him when he's scared of a certain man. I was disappointed he wasn't created to be stronger, considering this is a Christian series. Also, I didn't care for the gossiping that went on within the story. There is one point that Ellie leaves where she's supposed to be, asking her friend to lie for her. She walks alone in the dark during this "adventure". There are no consequences, whatsoever, and that's just not okay!
If you can overlook those parts, this is a sweet and funny little story, and I really enjoyed it!
July 20, 2014
Ellie James is a fourth-grader who loves horses and dreams about owning a horse of her own. She daydreams and prays about someday owning a black stallion. Ellie daydreams so much about horses (including in class) that when she tells her teacher that she sees a horse outside the school, no one believes her and they think she’s just daydreaming again. But is she?
“Horse Dreams” is a cute horse related story for pre-teen age girls. In the book, Ellie learns that prayers aren’t always answered in the way we want them to be or the way we expect them to be answered. Another theme of the book is that we shouldn’t judge people (or in this case, a horse) by how they look.
Ellie’s brother Ethan is deaf and communicates with Ellie, her parents, and her friend using sign language. The title of each chapter is spelled out in sign language along with the English title and the whole sign language alphabet is listed in the back of the book along with a glossary of horse related words and terms. I thought both made a nice addition to the book.
I like the way Ellie’s faith is portrayed throughout the book and how genuine it feels whenever Ellie is praying or thinking about God and her relationship with him. Bible verses are also quoted at the beginning and the end of the book (1 Samuel 16:7 and Ephesians 3:20).
One thing to mention for parents is that in one part of the book Ellie leaves a horse show without telling anyone where she is going and walks alone to and from an animal farm a good distance away at night, which isn't a safe thing to do. Her parents never question her about this decision later in the book.
Also, one thing I wish had been written in the book was
This book was an enjoyable read and I think it is a great book for Christian girls, especially girls who like horses.
“Horse Dreams” is a cute horse related story for pre-teen age girls. In the book, Ellie learns that prayers aren’t always answered in the way we want them to be or the way we expect them to be answered. Another theme of the book is that we shouldn’t judge people (or in this case, a horse) by how they look.
Ellie’s brother Ethan is deaf and communicates with Ellie, her parents, and her friend using sign language. The title of each chapter is spelled out in sign language along with the English title and the whole sign language alphabet is listed in the back of the book along with a glossary of horse related words and terms. I thought both made a nice addition to the book.
I like the way Ellie’s faith is portrayed throughout the book and how genuine it feels whenever Ellie is praying or thinking about God and her relationship with him. Bible verses are also quoted at the beginning and the end of the book (1 Samuel 16:7 and Ephesians 3:20).
One thing to mention for parents is that in one part of the book Ellie leaves a horse show without telling anyone where she is going and walks alone to and from an animal farm a good distance away at night, which isn't a safe thing to do. Her parents never question her about this decision later in the book.
Also, one thing I wish had been written in the book was
This book was an enjoyable read and I think it is a great book for Christian girls, especially girls who like horses.
August 5, 2013
Backyard Horses was exactly the series I was looking for for my daughters, who love Jesus, love horses, and are in 3rd grade. Miss Mackall also wrote a series for older readers called "Winnie the Horse Gentler" and I tried that first but I'd recommend it for middle school students and up. Besides being harder to read, those books sometimes deal with harder issues that wouldn't be understandable by anyone younger than pre-teen. Backyard Horses, however, is a fairly new series and is written at around a 2nd/3rd grade reading level. Love, love, love this series!
My daughters love Ellie, the heroine of the story! There are so far 4 books in the series and we started with book 1 (this one) in order to read them, well, in order. The heroine of the story, Ellie, is a sweet, oftentimes feisty, day-dreaming 4th grader. In this book, she often day-dreams about her own horse. She decides to do a "science" experiment... she'll "beg, cry, and pray" for a horse of her own and find out what way works best for getting horses. I don't think it's spoiling anything to say that God will answer her prayer... but in a different way than she imagined.
I highly recommend this book to elementary school children. It's filled with a good story, important lessons, and a little girl who puts her hope in God. I also highly recommend Cowboy Colt, Chasing Dream, and Nightmare, the others in the series. By the way, you can earn this book for free by participating in Tyndale's Summer Reading Program through the end of August!
My daughters love Ellie, the heroine of the story! There are so far 4 books in the series and we started with book 1 (this one) in order to read them, well, in order. The heroine of the story, Ellie, is a sweet, oftentimes feisty, day-dreaming 4th grader. In this book, she often day-dreams about her own horse. She decides to do a "science" experiment... she'll "beg, cry, and pray" for a horse of her own and find out what way works best for getting horses. I don't think it's spoiling anything to say that God will answer her prayer... but in a different way than she imagined.
I highly recommend this book to elementary school children. It's filled with a good story, important lessons, and a little girl who puts her hope in God. I also highly recommend Cowboy Colt, Chasing Dream, and Nightmare, the others in the series. By the way, you can earn this book for free by participating in Tyndale's Summer Reading Program through the end of August!
August 3, 2014
I’m not sure why, but most children seem to love horse stories. I know I did when I was younger. I think many young readers can identify with a young girl spending time daydreaming about a horse of their very own. I think they can sympathize with a girl getting into trouble for daydreaming instead of focusing on schoolwork, or other things.
Aside from the the horse story, this book offers readers lessons in life. For example, we can dream of and pray for a certain thing, but sometimes God’s answer is different from what we imagined. We can learn from Ellie’s story that although sometimes God’s answer isn’t quite what we pictured, it is even better.
I love the sign language at the beginning of each chapter and the way that Mackall pulls in other issues facing children into her books, for example a sibling with a hearing impairment. Readers in similar circumstances will enjoy reading about characters like themselves and readers who are not in similar circumstances can learn about what it might be like with a sibling with special needs.
This is a great series for kids, filled with interesting story lines, characters they can identify with, and messages they can learn from. Parents can enjoy the fact their children are reading a book with a positive message and learning that even though God’s answer might be different from what we imagined, he always answers prayers.
Aside from the the horse story, this book offers readers lessons in life. For example, we can dream of and pray for a certain thing, but sometimes God’s answer is different from what we imagined. We can learn from Ellie’s story that although sometimes God’s answer isn’t quite what we pictured, it is even better.
I love the sign language at the beginning of each chapter and the way that Mackall pulls in other issues facing children into her books, for example a sibling with a hearing impairment. Readers in similar circumstances will enjoy reading about characters like themselves and readers who are not in similar circumstances can learn about what it might be like with a sibling with special needs.
This is a great series for kids, filled with interesting story lines, characters they can identify with, and messages they can learn from. Parents can enjoy the fact their children are reading a book with a positive message and learning that even though God’s answer might be different from what we imagined, he always answers prayers.
August 10, 2016
I'm always looking for chapter books for my children but I'm tired of fairies, witches, and books with disrespectful children. I really loved this book and can't wait for my kids to read it! Fourth-grader Ellie loves horses and has prayed for 6 or 7 years to own a black stallion. Since she's only in 4th grade, that's almost her whole lifetime! I really liked how Ellie prayed to God about everything, like she was having a conversation with Him, checking in with Him. It showed that God is relevant, even to young children. Ellie learns a hard lesson---that God does not always give you what you want, but He'll always give you what you need---something even we adults need to learn. I didn't expect the book to be so funny; Ellie's parents were hilarious, some of the expressions her mother said made me laugh. I can't wait to share this with my kids. The only thing I'd point out to my kids is to not walk anywhere alone like Ellie did in the book; she left the horseshow, went to see her pinto, and then walked home all by herself. By that time, it was dark, too. Maybe that's okay in a town like hers but I'd just want my kids to know they should not do that. Other than that, I'd recommend this book to kids and adults.
August 4, 2011
Praying for champion black stallions and learning to actually see the beauty of what may be in front of you create the story of "Horse Dreams."
Ellie James likes to daydream and champion black stallions are the main characters inside these dreams. From the classroom to the bedroom, Ellie has been praying and dreaming of these horses for 10 years now. Come see what happens when Ellie's mom finds just a "backyard" horse and how Ellie's dreams come true when she finally opens her eyes and her heart to this wonderful animal. Beauty and championship bloodlines may not be so important after all.
Here is another children's book that I stumbled across and decided to read and review. I loved horses and horse stories when I was young growing up and this story reminds me of that time. It is a perfect story for young horse lovers and has a great story-line with it. The characters are very likable and you can't help but chuckle out-loud in places along the way.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for children's fiction that is a wonderful horse tale.
This book was provided to me by Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review.
Ellie James likes to daydream and champion black stallions are the main characters inside these dreams. From the classroom to the bedroom, Ellie has been praying and dreaming of these horses for 10 years now. Come see what happens when Ellie's mom finds just a "backyard" horse and how Ellie's dreams come true when she finally opens her eyes and her heart to this wonderful animal. Beauty and championship bloodlines may not be so important after all.
Here is another children's book that I stumbled across and decided to read and review. I loved horses and horse stories when I was young growing up and this story reminds me of that time. It is a perfect story for young horse lovers and has a great story-line with it. The characters are very likable and you can't help but chuckle out-loud in places along the way.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for children's fiction that is a wonderful horse tale.
This book was provided to me by Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review.
June 6, 2013
I purchased (Kindle version is currently free on Amazon) and read this kids book as research for a writing project. Horse Dreams is a cute tale, and perfectly suited for young horse lovers.
Here are a few things I especially liked:
* The chapters are short. Young people fairly often have short attention spans, so the succinct chapters are a plus.
* The chapter titles capture attention! I love how each title is demonstrated in sign language (with a sign language alphabet chart in the back.) The heroine’s brother is deaf, so this little touch gives the story authenticity and an extra level of charm.
* A “Horse Talk” glossary is helpful to those that aren’t familiar with horse-related terms.
* The first person point of view is engaging. Ellie is a lovable, spunky, daydreamer who loves horses.
* The present tense storytelling flows seamlessly. (I’m usually distracted by stories told in present tense. (Horse Dreams is an exception.)
Horse Dreams is a charming book, with an age-appropriate theme. The main character is easy to relate to and shows maturation throughout the story, displaying valuable character-building lessons.
Here are a few things I especially liked:
* The chapters are short. Young people fairly often have short attention spans, so the succinct chapters are a plus.
* The chapter titles capture attention! I love how each title is demonstrated in sign language (with a sign language alphabet chart in the back.) The heroine’s brother is deaf, so this little touch gives the story authenticity and an extra level of charm.
* A “Horse Talk” glossary is helpful to those that aren’t familiar with horse-related terms.
* The first person point of view is engaging. Ellie is a lovable, spunky, daydreamer who loves horses.
* The present tense storytelling flows seamlessly. (I’m usually distracted by stories told in present tense. (Horse Dreams is an exception.)
Horse Dreams is a charming book, with an age-appropriate theme. The main character is easy to relate to and shows maturation throughout the story, displaying valuable character-building lessons.
January 31, 2014
Title: HORSE DREAMS (Backyard Horses)
Author: Dandi Daley Mackall
Publisher: Tyndale
August 2011
ISBN: 978-1414339160
Genre: beginning readers
Fourth-grader Ellie James has a great imagination. She spends a lot of time daydreaming of owning a black stallion show horse and winning trophies in the horse show. But when the answer to all her dreams and prayers gallops into her life, will Ellie be able to recognize it? Join Ellie and her quirky family in their exciting, horse-loving adventures.
HORSE DREAMS is the first book in Ms Mackall’s Backyard Horses series. Ellie has always wanted a black stallion. She has a big imagination and no one believes her when she tells there’s a horse outside her school. No one believes her until her mother says something about losing a horse. And now everyone every one is looking for it. Will Ellie get her own horse?
Since this book is written for children, I let my daughter review the book. She says: I liked the story really much. I want to read more books by this author.
$5.99 paperback ($4.69 Kindle). 160 pages. For 6 – 10 year olds.
Author: Dandi Daley Mackall
Publisher: Tyndale
August 2011
ISBN: 978-1414339160
Genre: beginning readers
Fourth-grader Ellie James has a great imagination. She spends a lot of time daydreaming of owning a black stallion show horse and winning trophies in the horse show. But when the answer to all her dreams and prayers gallops into her life, will Ellie be able to recognize it? Join Ellie and her quirky family in their exciting, horse-loving adventures.
HORSE DREAMS is the first book in Ms Mackall’s Backyard Horses series. Ellie has always wanted a black stallion. She has a big imagination and no one believes her when she tells there’s a horse outside her school. No one believes her until her mother says something about losing a horse. And now everyone every one is looking for it. Will Ellie get her own horse?
Since this book is written for children, I let my daughter review the book. She says: I liked the story really much. I want to read more books by this author.
$5.99 paperback ($4.69 Kindle). 160 pages. For 6 – 10 year olds.
June 18, 2014
I know young girls generally like to read horse stories, so when I find a deal on one for my classroom Kindle, I always pick it up. I've got to be honest with you though, I am usually not looking forward to previewing them. My attitude about horse stories ranks right up there with fairy books, puppy/kitty books, and sports books, all of which tend to be so formulaic that I just can't stand them. Young readers like the familiarity and the sameness of it all. I get that, but for me to read them ahead of time... it's a chore. That being said, I firmly expected to give Horse Dreams a ho-hum three stars and move on. Mackall impressed me. Ellie's voice is natural and authentic, sure to resonate with the horse-loving reader. Her family is full of interesting characters that kept me going even though I didn't truly care whether she ended up with the horse of her dreams or not. An added bonus was the faith content. It was not forced or preachy, but again very authentic to the young believer. I will be happy to add this to my students' Kindle reading options.
June 20, 2014
"Horse Dreams" is a short, easy to read story about a young girl with a huge love for all things horses and a bigger than life dream of getting one of her own. Dandi Daley Mackall writes a sweet tale of prayer, the importance of it, and how God answers prayers. I loved that the author doesn't make prayer a "magic trick" but rather shows that God often chooses to answer our prayers in a way we don't expect or even want, but He knows is the best thing for us.
A couple of other unique aspects of this book is that the main character's brother is deaf, so the author includes a lot of sign language. For instance, each chapter title is spelled out in sign language, and there's an alphabet chart at the back as well. There is also a decently expansive glossary of "Horse Talk" for those who aren't familiar with "that" language. :) I appreciated both of these things, as I love that the reader is encouraged to learn along the way.
I think the book is probably perfect for the 6-12 age set, and is definitely geared that way.
A couple of other unique aspects of this book is that the main character's brother is deaf, so the author includes a lot of sign language. For instance, each chapter title is spelled out in sign language, and there's an alphabet chart at the back as well. There is also a decently expansive glossary of "Horse Talk" for those who aren't familiar with "that" language. :) I appreciated both of these things, as I love that the reader is encouraged to learn along the way.
I think the book is probably perfect for the 6-12 age set, and is definitely geared that way.
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