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Centaur Rising
One night during the Perseid meteor shower, Arianne thinks she sees a shooting star land in the fields surrounding her family's horse farm. About a year later, one of their horses gives birth to a baby centaur. The family has enough attention already as Arianne's six-year-old brother was born with birth defects caused by an experimental drug―the last thing they need is more scrutiny. But their clients soon start growing suspicious. Just how long is it possible to keep a secret? And what will happen if the world finds out? At a time when so many novels are set in other worlds, Jane Yolen imagines what it would be like if a creature from another world came to ours in this thoughtfully written, imaginative novel, Centaur Rising . A Christy Ottaviano Book
272 pages, Hardcover
First published October 21, 2014
8 people are currently reading
599 people want to read
About the author
Jane Yolen
971 books3,231 followersJane Yolen is a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who has written more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lives in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
February 9, 2025
Centaur Rising was okay, but the dialogue was hard to understand in a lot of parts. The plot also could’ve had more detail, but it was a fine short read. I liked when Dr. Herks and Ari’s mom got married, and I didn’t expect them to meet Chiron at the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2014
CENTAUR RISING was a sweet story that combined historical fiction with fantasy and a very engaging way. Thirteen-year-old Arianne lives on a horse farm with her mother and her younger brother Robbie. Robbie is six and a thalidomide baby who was born with grave physical deformities. He doesn't have a pelvis his hands which are fused together grow out of his elbows. There is nothing wrong with his brains, though. He is full of six-year-old jokes.
They get up in the night one August to watch the Perseid meteor showers and Arianne sees an unusual flash of light. Some time later they learn that their elderly pony Agora is pregnant. When she gives birth almost a year later, her baby is a centaur. The family and their vet Dr. Herks immediately decide to keep the birth a secret. But secrets have a way of getting out.
In the quiet before they do, the family watches the centaur they've named Chiron, but call Kai, grow and learn and bond with them all. Kai quickly grows through the stages of babyhood and toddlerhood. Then he is discovered and many, including the rock star father who abandoned the family after Robbie was born, are eager to exploit him. It takes good planning and lots of love and luck to come up with a way to protect Kai but still give him a purpose.
Yolen interweaves information about therapy horses and information about Greek gods into this engaging story. But the core of the story is about love. Fans of horses and fantasies will enjoy this delightful story.
They get up in the night one August to watch the Perseid meteor showers and Arianne sees an unusual flash of light. Some time later they learn that their elderly pony Agora is pregnant. When she gives birth almost a year later, her baby is a centaur. The family and their vet Dr. Herks immediately decide to keep the birth a secret. But secrets have a way of getting out.
In the quiet before they do, the family watches the centaur they've named Chiron, but call Kai, grow and learn and bond with them all. Kai quickly grows through the stages of babyhood and toddlerhood. Then he is discovered and many, including the rock star father who abandoned the family after Robbie was born, are eager to exploit him. It takes good planning and lots of love and luck to come up with a way to protect Kai but still give him a purpose.
Yolen interweaves information about therapy horses and information about Greek gods into this engaging story. But the core of the story is about love. Fans of horses and fantasies will enjoy this delightful story.
October 17, 2017
After one of Ari's family's horses mysteriously becomes pregnant, she gives birth to a centaur. There are good elements that play here--Ari's search for magic, her realistically complicated family, a compassionate presentation of disability; combining centaurs with equine therapy is an effective source of inspiration. Even the corny songs may have worked for me when I was in this age group--the predictable and trite and exaggerated elements are all well within genre standards. Yet I find myself disappointed. Compare to Peter S. Beagle's In Calabria, which has a near-identical concept: it's not the intended audience that separates these books, but that in In Calabria magic is pervasive and profound, and informs character arcs and the climax; here, it's confined to the edges (and literal prologue and afterward), it's restrained, insufficient, immemorable--Ari herself would have been disappointed.
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August 11, 2017I LOVE this book. One of the best I've ever read. I definitely recommend this book for young readers.
December 12, 2014
Centaur Rising is unique from other urban fantasy books I've read in that it explores how an isolated incident of magic will be received by the human world. This is definitely the part that I loved most about the book. From seeing the family's initial reactions to how they dealt with keeping this secret to how they deal with peoples' reactions upon learning their secret. (Because you really can't hide a growing centaur boy forever.) Robbie's reaction is especially precious. Having been homeschooled for most of his life because the other kids at school made fun of his appearance (he's a thalidomide baby), he hasn't really had the chance to socialize with other young boys, and the way he takes to Kai, as they decide to name the centaur, is precious. It's also a great reminder that sometimes we should accept gifts / miracles for what they are instead of questioning them.
Another wonderful aspect about the book is that it provides a sketch on how people approach conflict. As more people find out about Kai, more people want to give their opinion on what should be done, providing the breeding grounds for dissension. Even when people seem to be in agreement on the surface, there is a lot of internal conflict as well with everyone struggling with his or her own demons and the adults keeping things from the kids (Arianne is thirteen, Robbie six). This makes it a great book to present to upper MG and younger YA readers because it shows them the different ways that people approach conflict and deal with the problem of keeping a secret. Given the troubles keeping a secret brings Arianne's family, it also raises the question of whether a secret is worth keeping. Is it worth keeping the secret, or would have transparency from the beginning have been better?
Despite the great themes in the book, I did have problems with the narration. I always felt like a future Arianne was relaying events to us. While this is case, the narrative distance made it hard to relate to the characters over the course of the story. Arianne the narrator seems to be so busy telling the story that she misses out on chances to explore her feelings in the moment and show us how it feels to be a part of these events. The dialogue also felt forced and the characters weren't well developed. Mostly, the characters were brought in as needed to make a point and disappeared afterwards until they were needed again. This is a missed opportunity to show us how an unusual event influences people. While we definitely see the community coming together, there definitely could have been more to the process. For example, while Mr. Suss is mentioned, we never really see him appear. I would have also liked to see more exploration of the changes in Joey's mother after she finds out about Kai. It's also problematic that Kai, the one upon whom everyone's attention is focused, never really gets a chance to speak for him. Even when he speaks up at the end, it's truly Arianne who makes the bargain in his place.
Nevertheless, this is definitely a story meant for younger readers. There are great themes for them to explore in this book, and the unique plot may capture their interest. I recommend this for those who enjoy MG/YA books with a magical feel.
For more of my reviews, check out my blog Imaginary Reads
Another wonderful aspect about the book is that it provides a sketch on how people approach conflict. As more people find out about Kai, more people want to give their opinion on what should be done, providing the breeding grounds for dissension. Even when people seem to be in agreement on the surface, there is a lot of internal conflict as well with everyone struggling with his or her own demons and the adults keeping things from the kids (Arianne is thirteen, Robbie six). This makes it a great book to present to upper MG and younger YA readers because it shows them the different ways that people approach conflict and deal with the problem of keeping a secret. Given the troubles keeping a secret brings Arianne's family, it also raises the question of whether a secret is worth keeping. Is it worth keeping the secret, or would have transparency from the beginning have been better?
Despite the great themes in the book, I did have problems with the narration. I always felt like a future Arianne was relaying events to us. While this is case, the narrative distance made it hard to relate to the characters over the course of the story. Arianne the narrator seems to be so busy telling the story that she misses out on chances to explore her feelings in the moment and show us how it feels to be a part of these events. The dialogue also felt forced and the characters weren't well developed. Mostly, the characters were brought in as needed to make a point and disappeared afterwards until they were needed again. This is a missed opportunity to show us how an unusual event influences people. While we definitely see the community coming together, there definitely could have been more to the process. For example, while Mr. Suss is mentioned, we never really see him appear. I would have also liked to see more exploration of the changes in Joey's mother after she finds out about Kai. It's also problematic that Kai, the one upon whom everyone's attention is focused, never really gets a chance to speak for him. Even when he speaks up at the end, it's truly Arianne who makes the bargain in his place.
Nevertheless, this is definitely a story meant for younger readers. There are great themes for them to explore in this book, and the unique plot may capture their interest. I recommend this for those who enjoy MG/YA books with a magical feel.
For more of my reviews, check out my blog Imaginary Reads
February 27, 2015
Immediate reaction - It was a good enough story just not very special.
It might have to do with the Centaur having to be so young - though he ages fast.
I also thought Yolen should have done a better job of linking the book to the 1960's. She only mentions thalidomide which might not mean anything to children today. I only had a vauge sense that it was around in the early sixties (thanks to Billy Joel's We Didn't Start The Fire"). Even I was off a bit when the drug thalidomide was used which is the years 1957-1962. Later in the story there finally a mention of Vietnam. With only two references to the 1960's it was easy to forgot as you were reading when the story took place. It does start with a date 1965 but, I had not remembered this.
On the plus side the story has some well drawn characters. I was taken with the solider now vet Dr. Herks who could take control of a situation. I also enjoyed the no nonsense Martha who talked to horses and would stand no nonsense. There is also hanging in the background a father who ran away after Robbie was born (the one affected with thalidomide).
Finally thought it is a good enough story. The intended audience would probably enjoy it more and be less picky about it. As for me I have been affected more by other children's books.
Quotes
"Puericetaurecephalitis. I just made it up. Dog Latin got boy-centaur disease." - Dr. Herks
"I knew this was true magic in our lives at last, and the answer was in the sky."
"Martha glared at him with a face that could turn a man to stone."
"Martha was no longer standing quietly with the pitchfork by her side. Now it was in her hands, the sharp tines pointing at the throat of a disheveled - looking redheaded man who was backed up against the barn."
"Dr. Herks cleared a path to the stall by picking people up and moving, them to one side, but in such a quick and gentle manner, no one had time or reason to complain."
"We're calling the police," he shouted. "In the meantime, I'm armed. And as a captain in the army, I have a gun permit, Trust me, I know how to shoot!" -Dr. Herks
"I also learned a new word-liminal, which means something caught between two different natures: like someone between life and death, or someone who is both horse and man. Or a werewolf. Or a faun. Or - I thought - someone like me, not quite a grown-up, not quite a kid. That's liminal.
It might have to do with the Centaur having to be so young - though he ages fast.
I also thought Yolen should have done a better job of linking the book to the 1960's. She only mentions thalidomide which might not mean anything to children today. I only had a vauge sense that it was around in the early sixties (thanks to Billy Joel's We Didn't Start The Fire"). Even I was off a bit when the drug thalidomide was used which is the years 1957-1962. Later in the story there finally a mention of Vietnam. With only two references to the 1960's it was easy to forgot as you were reading when the story took place. It does start with a date 1965 but, I had not remembered this.
On the plus side the story has some well drawn characters. I was taken with the solider now vet Dr. Herks who could take control of a situation. I also enjoyed the no nonsense Martha who talked to horses and would stand no nonsense. There is also hanging in the background a father who ran away after Robbie was born (the one affected with thalidomide).
Finally thought it is a good enough story. The intended audience would probably enjoy it more and be less picky about it. As for me I have been affected more by other children's books.
Quotes
"Puericetaurecephalitis. I just made it up. Dog Latin got boy-centaur disease." - Dr. Herks
"I knew this was true magic in our lives at last, and the answer was in the sky."
"Martha glared at him with a face that could turn a man to stone."
"Martha was no longer standing quietly with the pitchfork by her side. Now it was in her hands, the sharp tines pointing at the throat of a disheveled - looking redheaded man who was backed up against the barn."
"Dr. Herks cleared a path to the stall by picking people up and moving, them to one side, but in such a quick and gentle manner, no one had time or reason to complain."
"We're calling the police," he shouted. "In the meantime, I'm armed. And as a captain in the army, I have a gun permit, Trust me, I know how to shoot!" -Dr. Herks
"I also learned a new word-liminal, which means something caught between two different natures: like someone between life and death, or someone who is both horse and man. Or a werewolf. Or a faun. Or - I thought - someone like me, not quite a grown-up, not quite a kid. That's liminal.
November 6, 2014
Arianne and her family live on a horse farm in the 1960s. Arianne's rock star father abandoned them after her little brother Robbie was born. Robbie is a thalidomide baby with physical disabilities. One night the family goes out to the field to watch the Pleiades and Arianne witnesses a white light jumping in among the horses. Then their old pony Agora becomes pregnant and gives birth to a centaur. The little pony boy, who they name Kai after Chiron, becomes the focus of the family, the stable manager Martha and the vet Dr. Herks. They all pull together to keep Kai safe and away from prying eyes even if it means they lose some of their riders and boarders. Kai is a typical centaur with a horse body and a boy torso and head. He becomes one of the family as he grows at an astonishing rate. Of course no secret this big can stay a secret forever. It is up to the family to figure out how to keep control of the story and to keep Kai safe.
This was an interesting mix of historical fiction and fantasy. I thought it was really smart to set the story in the past because there is no way they would have been been able to keep the secret in the world of today's technology. I thought it was a great story about a family and the unconditional love they felt for each other. I don't think I have ever read a children's book with a thalidomide baby character so this was also a nice piece of history that kids are probably not familiar with. However, I will admit that I was a bit bored by the story. There was nothing wrong with it, but it just seemed very slow story with a lot of repetition.
This was an interesting mix of historical fiction and fantasy. I thought it was really smart to set the story in the past because there is no way they would have been been able to keep the secret in the world of today's technology. I thought it was a great story about a family and the unconditional love they felt for each other. I don't think I have ever read a children's book with a thalidomide baby character so this was also a nice piece of history that kids are probably not familiar with. However, I will admit that I was a bit bored by the story. There was nothing wrong with it, but it just seemed very slow story with a lot of repetition.
September 28, 2016
I liked this, but didn't love it. The problem was pacing, the things they feared were too easily resolved and too soon and the book fizzled to an end like a dud, not a firecracker. It also felt more than a little preachy. Not a bad book, but not a great one, either.
December 30, 2014
A sweet little story, though one that's probably best suited for adults to read to/with young children.
December 24, 2015
UGH! Really??
July 26, 2017
Hace años, una amiga mía y yo estuvimos buscando libros de un campo en concreto: los centauros en la fantasía. Buscábamos una novela que los incluyera como elemento principal y, aparte de Harry Potter, poco se salía de la norma de las novelas románticas. Hasta que apareció Centaur Rising, de Jane Yolen, una autora que desconocía por completo.
En España, Ediciones B publicó en la década de 1990 las dos primeras partes de su trilogía Great Alta: Hermana luz, hermana sombra y Blanca Jenna, además de algunos relatos. Sin embargo, en el mercado anglosajón Yolen es bien conocida. Ha sido premiada en dos ocasiones con el premio Nébula y en 2017 se le concedió el Grand Master Damon Knight Memorial, un premio muy prestigioso de la asociación de escritores de ciencia ficción de América (SFWA) y que ha sido otorgado a Ursula K. Le Guin, Anne McCaffrey, C. J. Cherryh, Connie Willis y Andre Norton, entre otros señores bien conocidos.
A caballo entre el middle grade, las obras consideradas para niños de entre 9 y 12 años, y el young adult, pues su protagonista tiene 13 años, Centaur Rising es quizás una de las obras más disponibles hoy en día de la autora.
Hacía mucho tiempo que no leía obras de este rango de edad y esta ha sido una grata sorpresa. Desarrollada a partir de un relato llamado “Centaur Field” (“Campo de centauros”), la novela nos descubre en el prólogo a una joven solitaria de 13 años, Arianne, que en una lluvia de estrellas en 1964 ve cómo una de las luces cae cerca de su granja. Meses después, una de los ponis da a luz a un potro medio humano, medio caballo, liminal entre dos mundos muy diferentes. Ari y su familia deciden cuidar al centauro y mantenerlo en secreto para evitar el rechazo de la comunidad en la que viven, pero guardar un secreto así de grande no será nada fácil, como veremos a lo largo de la obra.
Continúa en... https://lanaveinvisible.wordpress.com...
En España, Ediciones B publicó en la década de 1990 las dos primeras partes de su trilogía Great Alta: Hermana luz, hermana sombra y Blanca Jenna, además de algunos relatos. Sin embargo, en el mercado anglosajón Yolen es bien conocida. Ha sido premiada en dos ocasiones con el premio Nébula y en 2017 se le concedió el Grand Master Damon Knight Memorial, un premio muy prestigioso de la asociación de escritores de ciencia ficción de América (SFWA) y que ha sido otorgado a Ursula K. Le Guin, Anne McCaffrey, C. J. Cherryh, Connie Willis y Andre Norton, entre otros señores bien conocidos.
A caballo entre el middle grade, las obras consideradas para niños de entre 9 y 12 años, y el young adult, pues su protagonista tiene 13 años, Centaur Rising es quizás una de las obras más disponibles hoy en día de la autora.
Hacía mucho tiempo que no leía obras de este rango de edad y esta ha sido una grata sorpresa. Desarrollada a partir de un relato llamado “Centaur Field” (“Campo de centauros”), la novela nos descubre en el prólogo a una joven solitaria de 13 años, Arianne, que en una lluvia de estrellas en 1964 ve cómo una de las luces cae cerca de su granja. Meses después, una de los ponis da a luz a un potro medio humano, medio caballo, liminal entre dos mundos muy diferentes. Ari y su familia deciden cuidar al centauro y mantenerlo en secreto para evitar el rechazo de la comunidad en la que viven, pero guardar un secreto así de grande no será nada fácil, como veremos a lo largo de la obra.
Continúa en... https://lanaveinvisible.wordpress.com...
December 2, 2018
Jane Yolen uses a clever technique in her novel Centaur Rising by subtly incorporating tads of history in this fantasy. A young mare gives birth to a centaur, who is half horse and half boy after being exposed to a meteor shower. The mother’s pregnancy baffles the family because this young mare had not mated to their knowledge.
The mother Hannah, her daughter Ari and son, Robbie work on getting to know the young centaur, Kai and spend most of their time trying to shield him from outsiders. They fear for his safety, so they put their horse business on hold to keep neighbors and customers from coming to the farm.
But there are leaks to the press, yet Kai is ultimately accepted, and his mission is made quite clear. Young Robbie is always in a wheelchair because he has what was called thalidomide disease. In the 50’s and 60’s, pregnant mothers were being given this drug for morning disease. It caused severe deformity in many children and they had cleft hands and the appearance of a seal. The father had abandoned the family because he could not accept what had happened to his son.
As Kai grows stronger, he is rented out to give children like Robbie rides and offer them horse therapy. It has been used for years in many countries for children with disabilities as it offers them a sense of empowerment. Towards the end of the book Kai’s father, a mythical centaur god, Chiron comes from heaven to tell him that it is time for him to come home.
He has been sent on loan to help Robbie and other children like him heal and grow stronger. But is Kai ready to leave his earthly family? Is his newly-found family ready to part with this wonderful creature? Read Centaur Rising and see how this page turner ends!
The mother Hannah, her daughter Ari and son, Robbie work on getting to know the young centaur, Kai and spend most of their time trying to shield him from outsiders. They fear for his safety, so they put their horse business on hold to keep neighbors and customers from coming to the farm.
But there are leaks to the press, yet Kai is ultimately accepted, and his mission is made quite clear. Young Robbie is always in a wheelchair because he has what was called thalidomide disease. In the 50’s and 60’s, pregnant mothers were being given this drug for morning disease. It caused severe deformity in many children and they had cleft hands and the appearance of a seal. The father had abandoned the family because he could not accept what had happened to his son.
As Kai grows stronger, he is rented out to give children like Robbie rides and offer them horse therapy. It has been used for years in many countries for children with disabilities as it offers them a sense of empowerment. Towards the end of the book Kai’s father, a mythical centaur god, Chiron comes from heaven to tell him that it is time for him to come home.
He has been sent on loan to help Robbie and other children like him heal and grow stronger. But is Kai ready to leave his earthly family? Is his newly-found family ready to part with this wonderful creature? Read Centaur Rising and see how this page turner ends!
April 15, 2018
How do you handle a miracle? How would you handle a mythical creature not of this world who is born in your backyard?
Stories abound of humans who come in contact with the ethereal; many do not end well. When a centaur is born to a family rife with problems, hard decisions have to be made.
This is a family who loves each other fiercely, although the nature of that love varies from one person to the next. All of the characters are limned out, from the practical and stolid Martha who loves horses more than people to Garry Herk, a veterinarian who was also in the war. They rally around a newborn centaur who they name Kai and try to keep him safe, happy and protected while dealing with nosy neighbors, intruding news reporters and a sleazy ex-husband.
Kai is a happy child, whose existence is one that many children can only dream of and envy. The others try to shelter him without making him spoiled or fearful. He sees no difference between his dam Agora and his human mothers and is equally joyful about the parts that make him boy and horse without wishing that he was one or the other.
This is definitely a book for young readers. But I think older children will enjoy it as well for its dexterous meshing of the mundane and the magical. Once the others stop trying to name what Kai is and merely accept him, the reader accepts him, too. The ending of his story is surprising and awe-ful (no, that’s not a misspelling on my part) and it speaks to the secret yearning in the bosom of many young and not-so-young readers. There is magic about the world and occasionally it reaches out for us.
Stories abound of humans who come in contact with the ethereal; many do not end well. When a centaur is born to a family rife with problems, hard decisions have to be made.
This is a family who loves each other fiercely, although the nature of that love varies from one person to the next. All of the characters are limned out, from the practical and stolid Martha who loves horses more than people to Garry Herk, a veterinarian who was also in the war. They rally around a newborn centaur who they name Kai and try to keep him safe, happy and protected while dealing with nosy neighbors, intruding news reporters and a sleazy ex-husband.
Kai is a happy child, whose existence is one that many children can only dream of and envy. The others try to shelter him without making him spoiled or fearful. He sees no difference between his dam Agora and his human mothers and is equally joyful about the parts that make him boy and horse without wishing that he was one or the other.
This is definitely a book for young readers. But I think older children will enjoy it as well for its dexterous meshing of the mundane and the magical. Once the others stop trying to name what Kai is and merely accept him, the reader accepts him, too. The ending of his story is surprising and awe-ful (no, that’s not a misspelling on my part) and it speaks to the secret yearning in the bosom of many young and not-so-young readers. There is magic about the world and occasionally it reaches out for us.
September 23, 2021
I just read Jane Yolen's CENTAUR RISING and I highly recommend it. There is joy amidst the problems, love, family, horses, working hard, caring for one another, accepting differences, standing up for what’s right, and a bit of magic. I was reminded of lessons from Friends, the Quaker principles of speaking truth to power and working to achieve consensus in decision. Juv. Fiction, but good books are for all ages.
July 6, 2025
Set on a farm in the real world, a meteor shower happens one night, and the next morning the farm's pony is pregnant. There are no stallions around, so it's a mystery to the characters how it happened. A few months later, the pony gives birth to a centaur.
I really thought I'd stick this book out, but by the halfway point I realized I had no feelings for any of the characters and didn't care about how the story would be resolved. DNFed at 50% point.
I really thought I'd stick this book out, but by the halfway point I realized I had no feelings for any of the characters and didn't care about how the story would be resolved. DNFed at 50% point.
October 6, 2021
What would you do if a centaur was born on your cash-strapped farm? I would definitely take pictures and consider some scientific investigations. Luckily, those were less convenient approaches in the 1960s, and this family works more on protecting and teaching. It's a lovely story about the differences that challenge families, and the love that binds them together anyway.
March 6, 2023
I read this book way back in probably 2022, and I really liked it. I'm definitely going to re read it again, but from what I can remember, this book was very engaging. The only thing is how they made Chiron Kai's father. It was just so unoriginal, but other than that, amazing read!
June 19, 2018
A sweet tale of a Centaur born on a struggling horse farm. A piece for middle grade readers, it is a quick read, with characters who are fairly simple.
October 11, 2018
This was a very fun story. How in the world could a family have a centaur born on their farm and keep it a secret? Yolen makes this impossible event work and tells an enjoyable story.
March 21, 2019
Really sweet, magical little story about how our disabilities and differences make us beautiful and unique. I loved it.
June 21, 2019
Magical realism with centaurs? Why not! There aren't a lot of centaur books for kids, so if you're looking for a break from all the unicorns, give this one a try.
September 21, 2019
Centaur and a thalidamide kid. Good for a light read. Geared for about age 11.
April 11, 2020
It was very good, I overall loved it!!
January 18, 2024
Not Jane Yolen's best writing but it works.
March 12, 2017
Shows how people will support what people call "abnormal" "weird", etc.
July 17, 2017
Reseña de Centaur Rising en
La Nave Invisible
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November 18, 2014
Centaur Rising is a middle grade to young adult novel by Jane Yolen. Arianne has always wished for magic in her life, a meteor shower and some team work might just make that reality. During the Perseid meteor shower, Arianne thinks she sees a shooting star land in the fields surrounding her family’s horse farm. About a year later, one of their horses gives birth to a baby centaur. The family wants to protect the young boy and has had enough attention already. Arianne’s six-year-old brother was born with birth defects caused by an experimental drug, and their rock-star father has deserted them. They do not want the limelight, but soon the horse farm’s clients growing suspicious. How long can they keep their secret and everyone safe? What will happen if the world learns about the miracle on the farm?
Centaur Rising keeps with the record of Yolan never disappointing me. I really enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the premise. Arianne is a girl that has grown up faster than she should, and is still both compassionate and weary. Her father left the family when her younger brother was born with birth defects. Her outlook was realistic with still a wistful hope for magic and better things. I loved her younger brother’s determination and resilience, and her mothers efforts to protect them both. I will say that my favorite character is still Martha, a employee that is more of a family member on the horse farm. I think that the description of the centaur foal and his development was key to the story. It kept the wonder of his very existence, but also dealt with the practicalities and truth that made him much more human and real than most people here in reality, This is much more than a fantasy, more than a coming of age story, this is a look at how real people facing extraordinary circumstances still have to keep moving forward and dealing with the minute details that are often left out of books and television. I also have to say that I got a bit of a kick out of the fact that the farm where this all takes place just happens to be right here in Connecticut.
I really enjoyed Centaur Rising. Yolan, as usual, brings her characters to life. She leaves readers with a feeling that this family, this farm, could really be out there somewhere. Her characters are so real. Like in real life, there are funny moments, moments that make you want to scream, and moments that make it all worth while.
-- Reviewed by Sharon http://cheshirelibraryblog.wordpress....
Centaur Rising keeps with the record of Yolan never disappointing me. I really enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the premise. Arianne is a girl that has grown up faster than she should, and is still both compassionate and weary. Her father left the family when her younger brother was born with birth defects. Her outlook was realistic with still a wistful hope for magic and better things. I loved her younger brother’s determination and resilience, and her mothers efforts to protect them both. I will say that my favorite character is still Martha, a employee that is more of a family member on the horse farm. I think that the description of the centaur foal and his development was key to the story. It kept the wonder of his very existence, but also dealt with the practicalities and truth that made him much more human and real than most people here in reality, This is much more than a fantasy, more than a coming of age story, this is a look at how real people facing extraordinary circumstances still have to keep moving forward and dealing with the minute details that are often left out of books and television. I also have to say that I got a bit of a kick out of the fact that the farm where this all takes place just happens to be right here in Connecticut.
I really enjoyed Centaur Rising. Yolan, as usual, brings her characters to life. She leaves readers with a feeling that this family, this farm, could really be out there somewhere. Her characters are so real. Like in real life, there are funny moments, moments that make you want to scream, and moments that make it all worth while.
-- Reviewed by Sharon http://cheshirelibraryblog.wordpress....
September 24, 2015
Built off the backbone of a short story first published in Bruce Coville's collection Half-Human, Yolen has fleshed out the original story into a full middle-grade novel. I was very pleased to see this, as I thoroughly enjoyed Half-Human and "Centaur Field" was one of the better stories in it. Most things about the story are the same, but the setting is more firmly grounded in the mid-1960s, main character Arianne's baby brother who died at birth survived in this version but with severe birth defects from thalidomide, and the kids' estranged father actually shows up. Everything else has been rounded out and given more detail.
The book explores some pretty profound themes about family and acceptance of difference. Arianne's feelings of being caught between adulthood and childhood I think will resonate with its target audience of preteens and young teenagers. The family struggles with shielding its two unusual members--severely handicapped Robbie and baby centaur Kai--from the world and how to transition them into it when they realize they can't keep the world at bay forever. Arianne and Robbie also have to deal with realizing that their birth father is an awful person who cares only for himself--a difficult lesson for any child with a narcissistic parent from whom they want love that will never be given. Luckily the two children are supported by other adults who do love them unconditionally: their mother, barn hand and horse whisperer Martha, and local vet Dr. Herks.
This book is a fun and interesting exploration into an unusual "what-if?" concept. Yolen keeps things from getting too sappy, depressing or cliche with the sure hand of an experienced author of tales of the extraordinary for young people. The father tips a bit towards the cartoon villainous side of characterization, but to me he's really the only one who doesn't feel like a real person, just a monster in the background. That may in fact be Yolen's point in painting him as the real monster to contrast with Kai and Robbie, but if that's the case it's a bit heavy-handed and a bit too brief to be effective. Other than that I have no hesitations about recommending this book, particularly to fans of Yolen's already enormous catalog. Those of us that grew up reading her will be pleased to see she is still in form.
The book explores some pretty profound themes about family and acceptance of difference. Arianne's feelings of being caught between adulthood and childhood I think will resonate with its target audience of preteens and young teenagers. The family struggles with shielding its two unusual members--severely handicapped Robbie and baby centaur Kai--from the world and how to transition them into it when they realize they can't keep the world at bay forever. Arianne and Robbie also have to deal with realizing that their birth father is an awful person who cares only for himself--a difficult lesson for any child with a narcissistic parent from whom they want love that will never be given. Luckily the two children are supported by other adults who do love them unconditionally: their mother, barn hand and horse whisperer Martha, and local vet Dr. Herks.
This book is a fun and interesting exploration into an unusual "what-if?" concept. Yolen keeps things from getting too sappy, depressing or cliche with the sure hand of an experienced author of tales of the extraordinary for young people. The father tips a bit towards the cartoon villainous side of characterization, but to me he's really the only one who doesn't feel like a real person, just a monster in the background. That may in fact be Yolen's point in painting him as the real monster to contrast with Kai and Robbie, but if that's the case it's a bit heavy-handed and a bit too brief to be effective. Other than that I have no hesitations about recommending this book, particularly to fans of Yolen's already enormous catalog. Those of us that grew up reading her will be pleased to see she is still in form.
October 29, 2014
Centaur Rising is a middle grade to young adult novel by Jane Yolen. It is currently scheduled for release on October 21, 2014. Arianne has always wished for magic in her life, a meteor shower and some team work might just make that reality. During the Perseid meteor shower, Arianne thinks she sees a shooting star land in the fields surrounding her family’s horse farm. About a year later, one of their horses gives birth to a baby centaur. The family wants to protect the young boy and has had enough attention already. Arianne’s six-year-old brother was born with birth defects caused by an experimental drug, and their rock-star father has deserted them. They do not want the limelight, but soon the horse farm's clients growing suspicious. How long can they keep their secret and everyone safe? What will happen if the world learns about the miracle on the farm?
Centaur Rising keeps with the record of Yolan never disappointing me. I really enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the premise. Arianne is a girl that has grown up faster than she should, and is still both compassionate and weary. Her father left the family when her younger brother was born with birth defects. Her outlook was realistic with still a wistful hope for magic and better things. I loved her younger brother's determination and resilience, and her mothers efforts to protect them both. I will say that my favorite character is still Martha, a employee that is more of a family member on the horse farm. I think that the description of the centaur foal and his development was key to the story. It kept the wonder of his very existence, but also dealt with the practicalities and truth that made him much more human and real than most people here in reality, This is much more than a fantasy, more than a coming of age story, this is a look at how real people facing extraordinary circumstances still have to keep moving forward and dealing with the minute details that are often left out of books and television.
I really enjoyed Centaur Rising. Yolan, as usual, brings her characters to life. She leaves readers with a feeling that this family, this farm, could really be out there somewhere. Her characters are so real. Like in real life, there are funny moments, moments that make you want to scream, and moments that make it all worth while.
November 4, 2014
I usually stay away from horse lover books. I've never really been into equestrian fictional books, and the few I've read have been paranormal books. I partially picked this book up because it had been YEARS since I've read a book by Jane Yolen. I was pleasnatly shocked that I really enjoyed this book. Actually, after reading, I just wanted to tell all the characters,
I loved how the time period did not overshadow the overarching theme of disability and belonging. I had no idea there was a time of panic over an experimental drug that had disastrous effects on the baby. Yolen's notes were so interesting that I did some general informative research to better familiarize myself with learning about Thalidomide children.
The adult in me (the really immature adult) took a few minutes contemplating that during the meteor shower That old centaur did gods only KNOWS WHAT TO AN OLD PONY:
No child will dwell on that part. The book barely touches it, I just of course had to figure out the logistics of centaurs procreating in the world----because magical science is important. I'm not sure how I got stuck on that fact, I think since the pregnancy seemed like a "miracle" and the birthing process of a human-horse child aspects were mentioned, which allowed me to take my nonsense one step further.
What I love about children's books are the black and white contrasts of good and bad characters. I also love the magical neatly tied endings of making more of the impossible happen by Ahhhh! The magical quality of children's literature. Arianne and her brother, Robby, were just ADORBS! The secondary characters were lovable, the plot, pacing, and historical tidbits were engaging and this book would have crossover appeal.
Thanks for the ARC Edelweiss
I loved how the time period did not overshadow the overarching theme of disability and belonging. I had no idea there was a time of panic over an experimental drug that had disastrous effects on the baby. Yolen's notes were so interesting that I did some general informative research to better familiarize myself with learning about Thalidomide children.
The adult in me (the really immature adult) took a few minutes contemplating that during the meteor shower That old centaur did gods only KNOWS WHAT TO AN OLD PONY:
No child will dwell on that part. The book barely touches it, I just of course had to figure out the logistics of centaurs procreating in the world----because magical science is important. I'm not sure how I got stuck on that fact, I think since the pregnancy seemed like a "miracle" and the birthing process of a human-horse child aspects were mentioned, which allowed me to take my nonsense one step further.
What I love about children's books are the black and white contrasts of good and bad characters. I also love the magical neatly tied endings of making more of the impossible happen by Ahhhh! The magical quality of children's literature. Arianne and her brother, Robby, were just ADORBS! The secondary characters were lovable, the plot, pacing, and historical tidbits were engaging and this book would have crossover appeal.
Thanks for the ARC Edelweiss
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