What do you think?
Rate this book
Horses of Oak Valley Ranch #4
Pie in the Sky
Abby Lovitt doesn't realize how unprepared she is when she takes her beloved horse, True Blue, to a clinic led by the most famous equestrian anyone knows. The biggest surprise, though, is that Sophia, the girl who never makes a mistake, suddenly makes so many that she stops riding. Who will ride her horse? Abby's dad seems to think it will be Abby. Pie in the Sky is the most expensive horse Abby has ever ridden. But he is proud and irritable, and he takes Abby's attention away from the continuing mystery that is True Blue.
And then there's high school—Abby finds new friends, but also new challenges, and a larger world that sometimes seems strange and intimidating. She begins to wonder if there is another way to look at horses, people, and life itself.
Accompanied by the beautiful imagery of 1960s Northern California, Abby's charming mix of innocence and wisdom guide us through Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley's latest middle-grade horse novel.
And then there's high school—Abby finds new friends, but also new challenges, and a larger world that sometimes seems strange and intimidating. She begins to wonder if there is another way to look at horses, people, and life itself.
Accompanied by the beautiful imagery of 1960s Northern California, Abby's charming mix of innocence and wisdom guide us through Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley's latest middle-grade horse novel.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published September 11, 2012
25 people are currently reading
346 people want to read
About the author
Jane Smiley
133 books2,711 followersJane Smiley is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist.
Born in Los Angeles, California, Smiley grew up in Webster Groves, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, and graduated from John Burroughs School. She obtained a A.B. at Vassar College, then earned a M.F.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. While working towards her doctorate, she also spent a year studying in Iceland as a Fulbright Scholar. From 1981 to 1996, she taught at Iowa State University. Smiley published her first novel, Barn Blind, in 1980, and won a 1985 O. Henry Award for her short story "Lily", which was published in The Atlantic Monthly. Her best-selling A Thousand Acres, a story based on William Shakespeare's King Lear, received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1992. It was adapted into a film of the same title in 1997. In 1995 she wrote her sole television script produced, for an episode of Homicide: Life on the Street. Her novella The Age of Grief was made into the 2002 film The Secret Lives of Dentists.
Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel (2005), is a non-fiction meditation on the history and the nature of the novel, somewhat in the tradition of E. M. Forster's seminal Aspects of the Novel, that roams from eleventh century Japan's Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji to twenty-first century Americans chick lit.
In 2001, Smiley was elected a member of The American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Born in Los Angeles, California, Smiley grew up in Webster Groves, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, and graduated from John Burroughs School. She obtained a A.B. at Vassar College, then earned a M.F.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. While working towards her doctorate, she also spent a year studying in Iceland as a Fulbright Scholar. From 1981 to 1996, she taught at Iowa State University. Smiley published her first novel, Barn Blind, in 1980, and won a 1985 O. Henry Award for her short story "Lily", which was published in The Atlantic Monthly. Her best-selling A Thousand Acres, a story based on William Shakespeare's King Lear, received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1992. It was adapted into a film of the same title in 1997. In 1995 she wrote her sole television script produced, for an episode of Homicide: Life on the Street. Her novella The Age of Grief was made into the 2002 film The Secret Lives of Dentists.
Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel (2005), is a non-fiction meditation on the history and the nature of the novel, somewhat in the tradition of E. M. Forster's seminal Aspects of the Novel, that roams from eleventh century Japan's Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji to twenty-first century Americans chick lit.
In 2001, Smiley was elected a member of The American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 1, 2014
Champion horse by Jane Smiley
Champion horse by Jane Smiley is a novel about a girl named Abby Lovett lives on her farm and helps her dad with his horse training business. She has her own horse named True blue and is trying to train him to jump.
I decided to read this book because I have read and liked Jane Smiley's other books in this series (Nobody's horse, Secret horse, Mystery horse) but I also got it for my birthday so I obviously had to read it.
I was a bit disappointed with it as I found it quite boring and there didn't really seem to be much of a plot line.
A character that I found interesting was a girl named Sophia. In the book she is supposed to be rather interesting but I sill found her weird because she was a main character but all she seemed to do was not want to ride her horse, therefore making Abby ride him for her, and sort of half be friends with people depending on what she felt like. Like I said, I found her a bit weird.
One thing that this book made me think about was our motives for doing what we do. In this book lots of people get Abby to do things for them that she would want to do - but for themselves. For example, Sophia doesn't want to ride her horse so she offers Abby a ride on him then tells her she is doing so well on him and keep getting her to ride him but it is actually all to her benefit as she doesn't want to ride him but she doesn't want to openly say that. It made me think about my motives when I am doing things and that I shouldn't be selfish.
I don't have a favourite quote from this book as once a finished it, considering that there wasn't really a plot line, everything blurred in to one which I guess is what happens with boring books.
Therefore, I wouldn't really recommend this book.
Champion horse by Jane Smiley is a novel about a girl named Abby Lovett lives on her farm and helps her dad with his horse training business. She has her own horse named True blue and is trying to train him to jump.
I decided to read this book because I have read and liked Jane Smiley's other books in this series (Nobody's horse, Secret horse, Mystery horse) but I also got it for my birthday so I obviously had to read it.
I was a bit disappointed with it as I found it quite boring and there didn't really seem to be much of a plot line.
A character that I found interesting was a girl named Sophia. In the book she is supposed to be rather interesting but I sill found her weird because she was a main character but all she seemed to do was not want to ride her horse, therefore making Abby ride him for her, and sort of half be friends with people depending on what she felt like. Like I said, I found her a bit weird.
One thing that this book made me think about was our motives for doing what we do. In this book lots of people get Abby to do things for them that she would want to do - but for themselves. For example, Sophia doesn't want to ride her horse so she offers Abby a ride on him then tells her she is doing so well on him and keep getting her to ride him but it is actually all to her benefit as she doesn't want to ride him but she doesn't want to openly say that. It made me think about my motives when I am doing things and that I shouldn't be selfish.
I don't have a favourite quote from this book as once a finished it, considering that there wasn't really a plot line, everything blurred in to one which I guess is what happens with boring books.
Therefore, I wouldn't really recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2013
I think this might be my favorite book of the series. The characters feel real to me. Abby, the teenage protagonist who is starting her first year of high school, is sort of quiet and easygoing, and I feel that she's written like an actual 14-year-old. She has moments of fear and uncertainty, and she wrestles sometimes with concepts she can't quite work through. There is a sense of discovery, of her starting to figure the world out and being excited by figuring it out, that this book captures nicely.
I also like that this book tackles an issue that horse books rarely tackle: what if your horse has no talent for the activity you want to do with him? I see this in the dog world all the time. Somebody buys a dog for field work or agility, and the dog lacks talent or interest. If you love the dog and don't want to buy another, what do you do? A lot of people just keep trying to get the dog to do the work he's not suited for.
In the book, Abby has a horse named True Blue who seems physically well suited for jumping, but he's afraid to jump. She takes him to a clinic and follows the advice of the instructor, and unfortunately it was the wrong advice, because it makes the horse worse. She then takes him to a different clinic and they try a new technique. Unfortunately, this particular storyline does not fully resolve in this book -- I'm sure it will be taken up in book 5 -- so I don't know yet if Abby will succeed in making a jumper out of this horse or end up deciding that this horse should have a different job.
I also like that this book tackles an issue that horse books rarely tackle: what if your horse has no talent for the activity you want to do with him? I see this in the dog world all the time. Somebody buys a dog for field work or agility, and the dog lacks talent or interest. If you love the dog and don't want to buy another, what do you do? A lot of people just keep trying to get the dog to do the work he's not suited for.
In the book, Abby has a horse named True Blue who seems physically well suited for jumping, but he's afraid to jump. She takes him to a clinic and follows the advice of the instructor, and unfortunately it was the wrong advice, because it makes the horse worse. She then takes him to a different clinic and they try a new technique. Unfortunately, this particular storyline does not fully resolve in this book -- I'm sure it will be taken up in book 5 -- so I don't know yet if Abby will succeed in making a jumper out of this horse or end up deciding that this horse should have a different job.
January 20, 2021
Without even meaning to, I have fallen into a book series. What a pleasure! Pie In The Sky is the fourth book in the Horses of Oak Valley Ranch series. In this edition, Abby is about to enter high school 9th grade. She is giving riding lessons on Saturdays and training with her horse True Blue. Something has spooked Blue about jumping so Abby enters a class taught by a master horseman to work on their skills. There the class endure cutting remarks mingled with riding instruction. An another rider in class has great difficulty working her very expensive blooded horse,Pie In The Sky, that she quits the class in tears. Soon thereafter, Abby, is approached to exercise Pie. I find something so enchanting following along the story of a young girl coming of age. There is hope, yearning and growth in this character. Truly a soothing escape kind of book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2018
I recently read Pie in the Sky by Jane Smiley. I thought it was a very good book. In Pie in the Sky Abby has a has a horse named Blue. He is not very good at jumping so she takes him to a clinic. The man who does the clinic does not like Blue very well. A girl in Abby's class quits riding for an unknown reason. She askes Abby to ride her horse named Pie in the Sky. Abby and Pie in the Sky help his owner get back her confidence to ride. God gave Abby a chance to help Pie's owner. Anyone who likes horses and learning about God would like this book. I really liked reading about the different horses in the story. Pie in the Sky was a great read and I hope Jane Smiley writes another book
December 14, 2022
I didn't realize before I downloaded the audio book that it was a YA novel. I had read something else by Jane Smiley, and was interested in reading more of her work, so selected this one. About an hour into the book I kept wondering when the plot and characters were going to be developed and more complex; then I looked up the description and saw that it was "YA". Oh well, I continued on mainly for the sake of better understanding the level of a YA novel. It really was all about the main character and her relationship with her parents, schoolmates, horses and trainers. Perhaps a young girl who is horse-crazy would get into it, but it wasn't for me...
March 20, 2018
ready for the last one interesting middle to the story
April 10, 2018
I had been reading this book in between reading other books and when I finished it I realized it was one of the best books I’ve read.
September 26, 2018
I love these. They make me feel 12 again, at least inside my head.
August 12, 2019
i liked it
Read
February 21, 2023Another realistic, enjoyable horse story about Abby Lovitt, her horses, and the people in her life.
October 13, 2014
Abby, a young equestrian living in California in the 1960s, is thrilled that she has been invited to participate in a famous riding clinic. Naturally, she wants to show off her beautiful new horse, True Blue, sure that his performance will impress the temperamental instructor.
Things don’t go quite as Abby plans, however, when Blue turns out to be performing under par. Her riding abilities shaken, Abby gets a second chance when she is asked to ride rival/friend Sophia’s expensive mount Pie in the Sky instead.
Between riding Pie, trying to figure out what’s wrong with Blue, and starting high school, Abby suddenly has a whole lot of her plate. Will she leave Blue’s training behind to accept a lucrative offer to take over as Pie’s rider? Is it possible to become friends with your competition? Above all, can Abby figure out how to stay true to herself and her horse?
Pie in the Sky, by Pulitzer Prize winning author Jane Smiley, is a realistic read about the special bond between a girl and her horse that older readers will likely enjoy.
This review originally appeared on abookandahug.com
Things don’t go quite as Abby plans, however, when Blue turns out to be performing under par. Her riding abilities shaken, Abby gets a second chance when she is asked to ride rival/friend Sophia’s expensive mount Pie in the Sky instead.
Between riding Pie, trying to figure out what’s wrong with Blue, and starting high school, Abby suddenly has a whole lot of her plate. Will she leave Blue’s training behind to accept a lucrative offer to take over as Pie’s rider? Is it possible to become friends with your competition? Above all, can Abby figure out how to stay true to herself and her horse?
Pie in the Sky, by Pulitzer Prize winning author Jane Smiley, is a realistic read about the special bond between a girl and her horse that older readers will likely enjoy.
This review originally appeared on abookandahug.com
December 8, 2012
A must-read for horse lovers ages 10-16, and a delightful read for everyone else. My only disappointment regarding this book is that after I finished reading it, I found out that Jane Smiley's three other kids books are about the same protagonist, Abby Lovitt. This could explain why the writing style was imbued with a familiarity towards the characters, assuming many of the characters appear in the previous books.
Abby has finally made it to high school, and finds herself learning quite a bit about life, friendship, and of course, horses. She isn't the best rider, and she doesn't have the best horse, but she finds that she can still be the best with the help of some well-known trainers.
Abby has finally made it to high school, and finds herself learning quite a bit about life, friendship, and of course, horses. She isn't the best rider, and she doesn't have the best horse, but she finds that she can still be the best with the help of some well-known trainers.
Want to read
August 7, 2015This book is the fourth book In the series and it was very good. Abby goes to a horse clinic run by a famous horse trainer with her horse True Blue. When Abby gets there a girl named Sophia is there with her very expensive horse Pie in the sky. Sophia is a perfect rider but when she makes many mistakes during the clinic she stops riding. Someones got to ride her horse so when Abby gets the oppertuntity to ride him Abby doesn't know what to say. Will abby say yes and ride the most expensive horse she's ever ridden?
October 22, 2012
This is the fourth book in Jane Smiley's series about Abby Lovitt. It follows Abby into high school and her continued training of Blue. This is a quiet book, with not a lot of action, though there is plenty of information about training and jumping horses. Fans of the first three will enjoy this continuation of the story. It is not strong enough to stand on its own. Recommended for grades 4 and up.
Read
January 17, 2013Saturday, December 29: 50 minutes
Monday, December 31: 20 minutes
Wednesday, January 2: 20 minutes
Sunday, January 6: 45 minutes
Monday, January 7: 30 minutes
Tuesday, January 8: 25 minutes
Monday, January 14: 30 minutes
Wednesday, January 16: 30 minutes
Friday , January 18: 20 minutes
Saturday, January 19: 25 minutes
Sunday, January 20: 20 minutes
Monday, January 21: 30 minutes
Thursday, January 24: 45 minutes
Saturaday, January 26: 60 minutes
Monday, December 31: 20 minutes
Wednesday, January 2: 20 minutes
Sunday, January 6: 45 minutes
Monday, January 7: 30 minutes
Tuesday, January 8: 25 minutes
Monday, January 14: 30 minutes
Wednesday, January 16: 30 minutes
Friday , January 18: 20 minutes
Saturday, January 19: 25 minutes
Sunday, January 20: 20 minutes
Monday, January 21: 30 minutes
Thursday, January 24: 45 minutes
Saturaday, January 26: 60 minutes
May 27, 2013
Abby has been training her horse for competition. But True Blue isn’t responding to her training. Instead of going over the jumps, he just goes right through them and no one is impressed at his performance. But one of the judges reaches out to Abby to train one of his horses when a classmate stops riding. Pie in the Sky is a beautiful horse – and expensive. He has a mind of his own and will take some training in order to be a show horse. Is Abby up to the challenge?
July 25, 2017
I'm enjoying this series. I was glad to see Abby make friends with Sophia and get to understand her better. She continues to grow. I received this as an advanced readers copy from NetGalley. My edition did not have the wonderful illustrations. I think they are a great enhancement to the story. I would have loved this when I was a child. I plan to recommend the series to all my horsey patrons.
April 12, 2016
Abby a girl that lives on a ranch takes care of horses and dose lessons for her money she is 10 years old and her horse is named true blue. she was asked by her friend/instructor to take a riding clinic to help her to ride better she had to ride Sopeas horse pie in the sky in the clinic she learns to trust and how to help the horse.
Read
September 27, 2016I would have liked to know that this was a series. I thought it was just one book because it didn't leave any indication that it was a series at all on the cover. I was able to get through it even though I did not understand everything. Probably would have liked it better, if I had read the first three books.
November 27, 2012
I love this book and I love Jane Smiley! Horse Heaven is one of my all time favorites but this is a wonderful and fun teen read. Abby is a smart and thoroughly likeable protagonist. I think I shall read the others in this series.
Currently reading
January 22, 2014I have been in the middle of this book for a while now, and it not that it isn't interesting( it is!), but I have been caught up in my John Green books that I received for a holiday gift! I can't wait to get back into this great novel!
January 13, 2013
I really like this series, and this might be my favorite book. I think Jane Smiley has done a great job developing believable, likable characters with depth in a YA novel. I also really like that her horse knowledge shines through.
April 1, 2013
Although this is book four, it would have been nice to get a bit of background to catch up those of us who have not read books 1-3. Regardless, you have to really know the competive equestrian world in order stick with this book and enjoy it as it should be enjoyed.
May 11, 2015
gr 5-8 257pgs
late 1960s. Abby loves horses and can't understand why Sophia wouldn't want to ride her horse Pie in the Sky. But Abby doesn't mind too much because she is hired to ride Pie in the Sky to exercise him.
More a story about horses than a historical story.
late 1960s. Abby loves horses and can't understand why Sophia wouldn't want to ride her horse Pie in the Sky. But Abby doesn't mind too much because she is hired to ride Pie in the Sky to exercise him.
More a story about horses than a historical story.
September 1, 2012
Read our review here:
http://bookbloggingbeauties.blogspot....#
http://bookbloggingbeauties.blogspot....#
Read
March 12, 2013Pretty Good :)
January 19, 2013
I really like this series, it's quite horsey, and there is not much more to say. Not fabulous, not bad.
August 14, 2013
Another enjoyable book in this series.
August 6, 2016
Abby heads to high school and tries out another girl's horse and some new training techniques. I especially enjoyed her correspondence with a friend who left for boarding school.
March 17, 2014
good book alot of detail and if a horsey person will be able to pick up a couple of tips from this book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews