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Saddle Club #9
Hoof Beat
Carole trains Samson, Pine Hollow's new foal; Stevie has a visitor from Washington, D.C.; and Lisa begins writing "Hoof Beat," a weekly column for the local newspaper.
135 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1990
9 people are currently reading
194 people want to read
About the author
Bonnie Bryant
384 books200 followersAmerican author of children's books. She is best known for creating the intermediate horse book series The Saddle Club, which was published from October 1988 until April 2001. The Saddle Club chronicled the adventures of thirteen-year-old Lisa Atwood and twelve-year-olds Stephanie "Stevie" Lake and Carole Hanson. The series was static in time; the girls never aged in 101 books, 7 special editions, and 3 Inside Stories.
Bonnie Bryant also wrote two spin-off series: Pony Tails, aimed at beginning readers, and Pine Hollow, aimed at teenage readers. The 16 Pony Tails books followed the lives of eight-year-olds May Grover, Corey Takamura, and Jasmine James. Pine Hollow featured Carole, Lisa, Stevie, and their new friends in a series set four years after The Saddle Club. Unlike The Saddle Club, Pine Hollow conformed to a realistic timeline. The 17 books took place over the span of less than a year. Later a television show called The Saddle Club, based on the books, was filmed in Australia.
Bonnie Bryant wrote at least 38 The Saddle Club books and 2 Pine Hollow books herself; after that they were taken over by a team of ghostwriters, a common practice in long-running children's book series. Ghostwriters for the Saddle Club and Pine Hollow books included Caitlin Macy (sometimes credited as Caitlin C. Macy), Catherine Hapka, Sallie Bissell, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Helen Geraghty, Tina deVaron, Cat Johnston, Minna Jung, and Sheila Prescott-Vessey.
Bonnie Bryant is also the author of many novelizations of movies, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Karate Kid, and Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, written under her married name, B.B. Hiller. She also collaborated in the ghostwriting of The Baby-sitters Club Super Special #14: BSC in the USA, published under the name of its creator, Ann M. Martin.
Bonnie Bryant was born and raised in New York City. She met her husband, Neil W. Hiller, in college, where they both worked on the campus newspaper. They had two sons, Emmons Hiller and Andrew Hiller. Neil Hiller died in 1989. Many of Bonnie's books are dedicated to him.
***from wikipedia.org
Bonnie Bryant also wrote two spin-off series: Pony Tails, aimed at beginning readers, and Pine Hollow, aimed at teenage readers. The 16 Pony Tails books followed the lives of eight-year-olds May Grover, Corey Takamura, and Jasmine James. Pine Hollow featured Carole, Lisa, Stevie, and their new friends in a series set four years after The Saddle Club. Unlike The Saddle Club, Pine Hollow conformed to a realistic timeline. The 17 books took place over the span of less than a year. Later a television show called The Saddle Club, based on the books, was filmed in Australia.
Bonnie Bryant wrote at least 38 The Saddle Club books and 2 Pine Hollow books herself; after that they were taken over by a team of ghostwriters, a common practice in long-running children's book series. Ghostwriters for the Saddle Club and Pine Hollow books included Caitlin Macy (sometimes credited as Caitlin C. Macy), Catherine Hapka, Sallie Bissell, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Helen Geraghty, Tina deVaron, Cat Johnston, Minna Jung, and Sheila Prescott-Vessey.
Bonnie Bryant is also the author of many novelizations of movies, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Karate Kid, and Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, written under her married name, B.B. Hiller. She also collaborated in the ghostwriting of The Baby-sitters Club Super Special #14: BSC in the USA, published under the name of its creator, Ann M. Martin.
Bonnie Bryant was born and raised in New York City. She met her husband, Neil W. Hiller, in college, where they both worked on the campus newspaper. They had two sons, Emmons Hiller and Andrew Hiller. Neil Hiller died in 1989. Many of Bonnie's books are dedicated to him.
***from wikipedia.org
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 23, 2024
This was one of the first Saddle Club books I read, back in the early 1990s. I wasn't too impressed with it, and gave my copy away. I remembered it being mostly about people, than horses, but there is more horse action in it than I remembered.
Samson gets halter training lessons (or lack thereof) from the Saddle Club. Max owns the foal. Why isn't he doing it? And why did he wait so long to put a halter on Samson? Kids' book series logic -- where we mortals are not meant to understand.
The story is mostly told from Lisa's point of view. Somehow, this 13 year old gets a column with the local newspaper. That would never happen today, and I really doubt it would've happened in 1990, when this book was first published. The moral of this book was that gossip is not news ... well, actually ... it is. It's currently a $3 BILLION (US) annual industry. My own crippled mother is addicted to this stuff, and has been for decades. She quit cigarettes cold turkey, but ain't quitting this.
Arguably, what Lisa wrote was not gossip. Speculation, failed attempts at humor, but not actually gossip. People told her their stuff was missing -- and the stuff was. That's not really gossip, since the stuff did actually go missing. Gossip would be "A source at Pine Hollow said that Veronica was a kleptomaniac." See the difference?
There are continuity problems in this book, such as Samson being only two months old, and Stevie being mentioned as a 12 year old, when she turned 13 in book 6. Lisa also notes that her mother did NOT want her to be a straight-A student. Since when? The slightly dumbed-down writing style started in the last book continues here, making me wonder if Bonnie Bryant actually wrote this ... or if she just started to not care anymore.
Another reviewer commented on the cover of the original edition that the artist did Lisa dirty -- and that reviewer was absolutely right. Although the cover was done in 1989 or 1990, I lived during those years, and I can tell you that hair style was not popular. The story is quite dated, with clothing and hair styles from the 1980s described.
There is a pet store in this book that sells puppies, and the girls go and cuddle puppies. I wanted to vomit. Pet store puppies were always from puppy mills, and those puppies most likely would soon be dead from parvo or another disease, since they often didn't get vaccinated. If they survived to adulthood, they often died young due to inbreeding.
Samson gets halter training lessons (or lack thereof) from the Saddle Club. Max owns the foal. Why isn't he doing it? And why did he wait so long to put a halter on Samson? Kids' book series logic -- where we mortals are not meant to understand.
The story is mostly told from Lisa's point of view. Somehow, this 13 year old gets a column with the local newspaper. That would never happen today, and I really doubt it would've happened in 1990, when this book was first published. The moral of this book was that gossip is not news ... well, actually ... it is. It's currently a $3 BILLION (US) annual industry. My own crippled mother is addicted to this stuff, and has been for decades. She quit cigarettes cold turkey, but ain't quitting this.
Arguably, what Lisa wrote was not gossip. Speculation, failed attempts at humor, but not actually gossip. People told her their stuff was missing -- and the stuff was. That's not really gossip, since the stuff did actually go missing. Gossip would be "A source at Pine Hollow said that Veronica was a kleptomaniac." See the difference?
There are continuity problems in this book, such as Samson being only two months old, and Stevie being mentioned as a 12 year old, when she turned 13 in book 6. Lisa also notes that her mother did NOT want her to be a straight-A student. Since when? The slightly dumbed-down writing style started in the last book continues here, making me wonder if Bonnie Bryant actually wrote this ... or if she just started to not care anymore.
Another reviewer commented on the cover of the original edition that the artist did Lisa dirty -- and that reviewer was absolutely right. Although the cover was done in 1989 or 1990, I lived during those years, and I can tell you that hair style was not popular. The story is quite dated, with clothing and hair styles from the 1980s described.
There is a pet store in this book that sells puppies, and the girls go and cuddle puppies. I wanted to vomit. Pet store puppies were always from puppy mills, and those puppies most likely would soon be dead from parvo or another disease, since they often didn't get vaccinated. If they survived to adulthood, they often died young due to inbreeding.
September 28, 2019
The One Where Lisa Becomes a Gossip Columnist
... and Trudy visits from New York
(Note that I'm rating these books on a scale reserved for childhood rereads and not literary reviews)
This was a great addition to the Saddle Club universe! I've forgotten how much Bonnie Bryant really experimented with these earlier volumes, and this is one of the cutest side stories that she built: having Lisa pen a column called "Hoof Beat" on the going-ons of the Pine Hollow stable for the local newspaper. Lisa gets way too invested in this assignment and ends up writing hurtful gossip, which she doesn't realize until she's alienated most of her friends and classmates. There's also a fun sidekick for Stevie in this book, the alternative New Yorker Trudy. This one was creative, different and fun, and continues a great run which Bryant started with #8 Horse Show" and which continues throughout the teens in this series. On to Riding Camp, where Stevie is about to meet Phil.
(Last note: the cover of the book I read isn't available on GR, but it's the lavender-and-yellow cover; that's the version of the series I had as a girl!)
... and Trudy visits from New York
(Note that I'm rating these books on a scale reserved for childhood rereads and not literary reviews)
This was a great addition to the Saddle Club universe! I've forgotten how much Bonnie Bryant really experimented with these earlier volumes, and this is one of the cutest side stories that she built: having Lisa pen a column called "Hoof Beat" on the going-ons of the Pine Hollow stable for the local newspaper. Lisa gets way too invested in this assignment and ends up writing hurtful gossip, which she doesn't realize until she's alienated most of her friends and classmates. There's also a fun sidekick for Stevie in this book, the alternative New Yorker Trudy. This one was creative, different and fun, and continues a great run which Bryant started with #8 Horse Show" and which continues throughout the teens in this series. On to Riding Camp, where Stevie is about to meet Phil.
(Last note: the cover of the book I read isn't available on GR, but it's the lavender-and-yellow cover; that's the version of the series I had as a girl!)
June 17, 2008
I thought this book was ok
I wouldn't read it again
I wouldn't read it again
September 24, 2017
Lisa starts writing a column about Pine Hollow in the Willow Creek gazette, Stevie gets a new "sister", and Carole tries to begin training Samson. For this book, every character basically has a plot line all to themselves.
The most distinctive is Lisa's. Although originally inspired to write by watching Carole training Samson, Lisa seems to quickly forget the foal's first lessons when she finds out things are disappearing in the stables - and she's certain Pine Hollow has a thief. He accusations make the rest of the students, not to mention Max and Ms. Reg, disagreeable towards her new hobby.
Meanwhile Stevie has a visitor living with her for a few weeks, New York City girl Trudy. She has a very... distinctive dress style, and her descriptions are by far the most fun and amusing. Not to mention creative!
Carole's goal to train Samson falls in the background because of Lisa's column, but is set back anyhow where Stevie trains Samson for Carole, and instead of training him, teaches him games!
Trudy was a truly awesome character to read about, and I'll bet you that Bonnie Bryant had loads of fun creating her. I didn't like how Lisa doesn't even end up writing about Samson, her original inspiration, and the way the whole newspaper thing was handled was just kind of... weird and awkward. Carole's training was, as it would be, quite logical and a learning experience.
I would have liked it a lot more (I like reading about writers) if there had been less drama with the newspaper. I really remember these books being less dramatic, I guess I had a bigger tolerance for that when I was younger.
The most distinctive is Lisa's. Although originally inspired to write by watching Carole training Samson, Lisa seems to quickly forget the foal's first lessons when she finds out things are disappearing in the stables - and she's certain Pine Hollow has a thief. He accusations make the rest of the students, not to mention Max and Ms. Reg, disagreeable towards her new hobby.
Meanwhile Stevie has a visitor living with her for a few weeks, New York City girl Trudy. She has a very... distinctive dress style, and her descriptions are by far the most fun and amusing. Not to mention creative!
Carole's goal to train Samson falls in the background because of Lisa's column, but is set back anyhow where Stevie trains Samson for Carole, and instead of training him, teaches him games!
Trudy was a truly awesome character to read about, and I'll bet you that Bonnie Bryant had loads of fun creating her. I didn't like how Lisa doesn't even end up writing about Samson, her original inspiration, and the way the whole newspaper thing was handled was just kind of... weird and awkward. Carole's training was, as it would be, quite logical and a learning experience.
I would have liked it a lot more (I like reading about writers) if there had been less drama with the newspaper. I really remember these books being less dramatic, I guess I had a bigger tolerance for that when I was younger.
March 13, 2019
This is one of the girls-learn-how-to-be-better-friends books, which I always appreciate. Lisa's plot line about writing for the paper annoyed me as a kid, because I thought she should have known better than that? It seemed a bit out of character for someone who is usually pretty thoughtful.
That said, the Trudy story line Stuck With Me, omg. I destinctly remember the shopping montage with her and the idea of being in charge of your own style and dressing the way you like regardless of propriety or fashion was so fascinating to me. It was a formative idea for me.
So, sweet book. Satisfying ending. Standard runaway horse rescue bit. I need to a make a Saddle Club bingo.
That said, the Trudy story line Stuck With Me, omg. I destinctly remember the shopping montage with her and the idea of being in charge of your own style and dressing the way you like regardless of propriety or fashion was so fascinating to me. It was a formative idea for me.
So, sweet book. Satisfying ending. Standard runaway horse rescue bit. I need to a make a Saddle Club bingo.
October 25, 2022
WOW the cover for this one is so ugly. The illustrators did Lisa dirty.
I remembered this one giving me secondhand embarrassment in middle school, and it still did today! I think Bryant also did Lisa dirty in this one as her plot line feels way out of character; if she's a good enough writer to merit a column in the newspaper (living the dream!), then she should be a good enough writer to realize how her writing actually, y'know, would sound to others. Plus the whole "people are mad at me because they're jealous" angle is very unlike her.
I do love Trudy and her style, though. Wonder if she pops up in any other stories?
I remembered this one giving me secondhand embarrassment in middle school, and it still did today! I think Bryant also did Lisa dirty in this one as her plot line feels way out of character; if she's a good enough writer to merit a column in the newspaper (living the dream!), then she should be a good enough writer to realize how her writing actually, y'know, would sound to others. Plus the whole "people are mad at me because they're jealous" angle is very unlike her.
I do love Trudy and her style, though. Wonder if she pops up in any other stories?
March 22, 2022
In this book, Lisa begins writing an article for the paper, called Hoof Beat. She gets herself into some difficulties with the people at the stables for some of the things that she wrote in her articles. This was actually not one of my favorite books in the series, however, it is still a great series for young, horse loving kids.
June 4, 2019
Další z těch relativně slabších dílů. Lisa mi tady pěkně lezla krkem, holt jedničkáři často nemívají smysl pro morálku a odpovědnost. A nejvíc kouzelná byla stejně dvojice Stefi a Samson!
January 29, 2017
the girls finally make a friend who is not interested in horses. Good for them. Lisa became kind of a beat and couldn't see how her newspaper articles were nothing but malicious gossip until she saw how hurtful her words were and almost caused an accident. once again veronica is 100% bad, which I hate.
July 26, 2011
I wish this series had been around when I was 12, and horse crazy. I'm collecting them for my daughter now, though she is only 19 months old -- it's quite possible she will like horses someday!
They are lovely tales of friendship and good sportsmanship.
They are lovely tales of friendship and good sportsmanship.
August 10, 2010
"Shannon 12-25-91 Aunt Paula and Uncle Harvey"
August 4, 2011
A good series for horse crazy young teens. I loved it when I was younger.
April 1, 2017
lisa learns the lesson of how rumors can hurt people, even ones you are closest to.
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July 26, 2018Read the Norwegian edition.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews