Keeping Captain

by N.L. Sharp

Summer is finally here and Carly McCallister is ready. She and her barrel-racing horse Captain have been preparing for the first horse show of the season since the last snow drift disappeared from their back pasture in April. Unfortunately, her parents have been making plans for the summer, as well. They are preparing to move to a city three hours away, so they can more easily care for Carly’s elderly grandparents. Unable to find an affordable place to board Captain, her parents make the difficult decision to sell him. For Carly, the summer becomes a race against time as she struggles to find a way to stop the sale of Captain and convince her parents to reverse the chain of events that have begun to unfold in their lives. A contemporary realistic fiction novel set in rural Nebraska, Keeping Captain is a novel for eight-to-twelve year olds. It explores the difficult choices individuals are forced to make as they try to balance their own wants and desires with the needs of those they love. (Amazon.com)

123 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2016

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think any young girl who likes horses will enjoy this story about Carly's tireless efforts to keep her beloved horse Captain when her family has to move away. It touches on many coming of age themes like the aging and loss of grandparents, moving away from home and long friendships, platonic friendship with boys, and being an athlete. I wish the book had continued for another chapter so we could learn more about how Carly's life changes affected her, but perhaps those will be told in a future book.

[Bonnie Lacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful book

This book is perfect for any young horse lover! It’s obvious the author has a working knowledge of horses and equipment. I loved the characters—especially Carly. She is full of energy and good at plotting to get her own way, even when she knows it’s not always the right thing to do.

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a fun book, right up until I reached the last few chapters, and then for me, it just didn't come together.

The main character, Carly, wants desperately to keep her gymkhana horse Captain, although her parents are planning (for family reasons) to move into a small city. Everything she plans and tries doesn't work. [SPOILER ALERT] Finally, a farmer says she can keep Captain at his place outside town for free, so long as she does chores for him. But Carly instead changes her mind and lets Captain go to a friend's little sister. I felt that Carly gave up too easily, especially considering the farmer's offer, and for a middle-grader to give up her passion, to me, that was just too sad. [END SPOILER]

This is a lovely book, otherwise. The quality is excellent — good editing, well proofed, appealing cover — but the ending, for me, fell flat. Enjoyment + disappointment = three stars. Regardless, N.L. Sharp goes on my list of authors to watch, especially when I'm in the mood for a realistic and enjoyable horse story. Hope she can write fast!

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read for middle school students! This novel speaks to readers who have experienced the anxiety of moving, love of animals, changes in family dynamics, competition, and friendship. Although it is set in the late sixties, the themes will resonate with today's middle level readers, as well as adults. Readers will find Carly's relationship with her grandfather heartwarming and bittersweet, as she recalls his words of wisdom during a tumultuous summer. The author's positive message of perseverance, strength, and selflessness will inspire young readers. Great choice for reluctant readers, as the pace is quick and engaging. (Also published on Amazon.com)

[Jeanie Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its timeless feel makes it a wonderful book for young people. The realistic portrayal of the protagonist's feeling will resonate with middle school readers. The surprising choice the main character makes at the end provides a satisfying conclusion.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is fine, the writing is fine, the characters are fine.

For the little bit of "plot" that there is, it is completely predictable -- and for some elementary readers, that is completely fine.

But that's about it.

Set near a (fictional) rural town in Nebraska during the late 1960's, Carly loves barrel racing with her horse, Captain -- and they are pretty good, too. Unfortunately, due to the failing health of her grandparents and a job opportunity for her father, Carly's parents have decided to move to the city (Lincoln), and dad has promised to sell Captain to his boss before they leave. (Predictable) drama ensues.

This is a safe little book. Maybe this story came from the author's own personal experience, but I can tell you that in 1967, Lincoln was only very barely a teeny, tiny "city". My mother's family moved from one house to another (in Lincoln) that year, and they kept horses on their property. Granted, it was near the edge of town (now the center of town), but a new high school had just opened less than a mile away, so it wasn't completely isolated. I don't know -- some of the descriptions kind of rubbed me the wrong way, though I kept reminding myself it is a fictional book. Meh.