Riding the Pony Express

Saddles, Stars and Stripes #4

by Deborah Kent

When her father dies suddenly, 15-year-old Lexie McDonald is left an orphan in the Wyoming territory. Her brother, Callum, is on the run, accused of a crime he didn"t commit, and plans are in place to send Lexie to live with an aunt in New York City. Rather than be separated from her beloved horse Cougar, Lexie disguises herself as a boy and sets out along the dangerous Pony Express trail to find Callum and clear his name.

Genres: Historical, Historical Fiction, Horses

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

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

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the book exciting and fast paced, an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys children's books. Set in they Wyoming Territory, Lexie McDonald is threatened with being sent to live with an aunt in New York City after the death of her father. For a child in love with the wilds of Wyoming, New York City, even in the days of the Pony Express, is a death sentence. She would join her brother Callum, but he is in hiding after being falsely accused of theft. Lexie decides to "become a boy" and ride her beloved pony Cougar following the Pony Express trail to find her brother. The daughter of a Pony Express Station Master and sister of a Pony Rider, the idea is not so far fetched as it would be for any other girl. Along the way Lexie meets friends and encounters dangers that keep the story moving along well.

[Madeline Henricksen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Riding the Pony Express" is about an orphan called Lexie who has secret plans to run away during the night to join her brother who has been accused of a crime he did not commit. Lexie disguised herself as a boy and got kidnapped by horse thieves, but not her horse.

I recommend this book to anyone that likes the Saddles, Stars, and Stripes series because it is full with courageous girls and horses.

[Cala · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a historical fiction children's novel set during the Pony Express era. It is centered around a 15 year old girl's horseback adventures. While the plot is decent for this genre, it is predictable. The heroine always has luck on her side, to the point of actually being annoying. The situations she finds herself in could have happened? But some parts are hard to believe, so the historical parts of this "historical" fiction are sparse. I most likely wouldn't recommend this book to children, youth, or adults, simply because there are so many other books about this topic that are far better written and have more historical value.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is great for kids just starting out on chapter books through middle grade. For adults, it's more like a short story.

The story is solid and concise with plenty of action and adventure. It appeals to kids' sense of adventure without being condescending.