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Bea and the New Deal Horse
This lyrical middle grade historical novel set during the Great Depression from award-winning author L. M. Elliott is a moving tale of the spirit of American persistence, found family, and the magical partnership between girl and horse. Winner of the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction!
Bea wakes to Daddy’s note in a hayloft, where he abandoned her with her little sister after the stock market crash took Daddy’s job at the bank, their home, Mama’s health and life.
How is Bea supposed to convince the imposing Mrs. Scott to take in two stray children? Mrs. Scott’s money and Virginia farm are drying up in a drought and the Great Depression, too. She might have to sell her beautiful horses, starting with a dangerous chestnut that has caused tragedy in the past and injures her stableman shortly after Bea arrives.
But wrestling with her own hurts and fears, Bea understands the chestnut’s skittish distrust. She sees hope in the powerful jumper—if he can compete at horse shows, they might save the farm, and maybe Bea can even win a place in Mrs. Scott’s heart.
Bea wakes to Daddy’s note in a hayloft, where he abandoned her with her little sister after the stock market crash took Daddy’s job at the bank, their home, Mama’s health and life.
How is Bea supposed to convince the imposing Mrs. Scott to take in two stray children? Mrs. Scott’s money and Virginia farm are drying up in a drought and the Great Depression, too. She might have to sell her beautiful horses, starting with a dangerous chestnut that has caused tragedy in the past and injures her stableman shortly after Bea arrives.
But wrestling with her own hurts and fears, Bea understands the chestnut’s skittish distrust. She sees hope in the powerful jumper—if he can compete at horse shows, they might save the farm, and maybe Bea can even win a place in Mrs. Scott’s heart.
382 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2023
21 people are currently reading
3236 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
July 22, 2025
Wow, what a book!!
(The ten-year-old me smiled, had teary eyes, gasped, and squeeeed! throughout this entire story!)
(Just to clarify, I’m 53.)I cannot wait for this one to be released in 2023!
L.M. Elliot managed to include everything I love about a book in this book:
Middle-grade historical fiction about the Great Depression-check!
Precocious little sister-check!
Fiercely protective older sister-check!
Gruff, but kindly strangers-check!
Horses, horses, horses-check!
A gorgeous cover-check!
Great author notes at the end-check!
Setting of Virginia-check!
If this book had been published when there was a ten-year-old me, I would have read it and re-read it until the covers fell off! 😅 Hats off to L.M. Elliot; she’s written another winner!
*Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*
(The ten-year-old me smiled, had teary eyes, gasped, and squeeeed! throughout this entire story!)
(Just to clarify, I’m 53.)I cannot wait for this one to be released in 2023!
L.M. Elliot managed to include everything I love about a book in this book:
Middle-grade historical fiction about the Great Depression-check!
Precocious little sister-check!
Fiercely protective older sister-check!
Gruff, but kindly strangers-check!
Horses, horses, horses-check!
A gorgeous cover-check!
Great author notes at the end-check!
Setting of Virginia-check!
If this book had been published when there was a ten-year-old me, I would have read it and re-read it until the covers fell off! 😅 Hats off to L.M. Elliot; she’s written another winner!
*Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*
June 2, 2024
What an interesting middle grade historical fiction! I'm always looking for authors who cover historical events in a unique way or those that cover lesser-known parts of history. L.M. Elliot did not disappoint with this book. CW: parental abandonment (sort of), injury of secondary character by a horse (no death), descriptions of racism experience by Black characters.
Bea and the New Deal Horse is an interesting insight to the Great Depression through the eyes of a girl by the name of Bea who, along with her sister, is abandoned by her father as he attempts to find work. Unfortunately, the girls attempt to live "off the land" until they attempt to convince the infamous Mrs. Scott to take them in as they help with things around the house and her property. Not a stranger to horses, Bea connects with chestnut horse that is known for causing trouble. In attempt to convince Mrs. Scott not to sell her horses for profit, Bea proposes that they can compete at horse shows to bring in the necessary revenue to keep Mrs. Scott afloat.
What Worked: This was such a unique piece of Depression era history. As a history major in college, I was shocked by how little I knew about the women who competed in horse shows. L.M. Elliot is also well versed in character development. I absolutely loved Mrs. Scott. She reminded me of a few of my elders who are quite stern and have certain expectations but have a tendency to love even harder. She was the balance that Bea needed in her life after losing her mother and her father. Although this book discusses difficult topics related to the depression, I think that Elliot presents things in a way that are both hopeful and realistic. These were the tough decisions that Americans were forced to make during that time. Speaking of realism, although I wasn't anticipating it, I appreciated that Elliot incorporated the experience of Black Americans into this story. While they weren't main characters, the history regarding the treatment of Black Americans not only during the depression, but the treatment they endured after serving during WWII was vital to Bea's understanding of the experiences of others.
Overall, this book was fun, engaging, heartwarming, and interesting. It loosely reminded me of my experience reading The War That Saved My Life. I would recommend this for your readers who love both horses and historical fiction.
Bea and the New Deal Horse is an interesting insight to the Great Depression through the eyes of a girl by the name of Bea who, along with her sister, is abandoned by her father as he attempts to find work. Unfortunately, the girls attempt to live "off the land" until they attempt to convince the infamous Mrs. Scott to take them in as they help with things around the house and her property. Not a stranger to horses, Bea connects with chestnut horse that is known for causing trouble. In attempt to convince Mrs. Scott not to sell her horses for profit, Bea proposes that they can compete at horse shows to bring in the necessary revenue to keep Mrs. Scott afloat.
What Worked: This was such a unique piece of Depression era history. As a history major in college, I was shocked by how little I knew about the women who competed in horse shows. L.M. Elliot is also well versed in character development. I absolutely loved Mrs. Scott. She reminded me of a few of my elders who are quite stern and have certain expectations but have a tendency to love even harder. She was the balance that Bea needed in her life after losing her mother and her father. Although this book discusses difficult topics related to the depression, I think that Elliot presents things in a way that are both hopeful and realistic. These were the tough decisions that Americans were forced to make during that time. Speaking of realism, although I wasn't anticipating it, I appreciated that Elliot incorporated the experience of Black Americans into this story. While they weren't main characters, the history regarding the treatment of Black Americans not only during the depression, but the treatment they endured after serving during WWII was vital to Bea's understanding of the experiences of others.
Overall, this book was fun, engaging, heartwarming, and interesting. It loosely reminded me of my experience reading The War That Saved My Life. I would recommend this for your readers who love both horses and historical fiction.
April 23, 2023
What a gem! Set in the great depression it follows Bea mainly. A young girl who's father has left her and her younger sister behind to look for work. Leaving a note he tells them to go see their deceased mother's best friend and her mother; Mrs. Scott. Bea realizes their father left them at Mrs. Scott's horse stables. Mrs. Scott is such a fully developed character, in my head she's Colleen Dewhurst when she played Marilla Cuthbert. She appears very tough and is a good disciplarian but she is very devoted to her friends and others who are wronged. Including animals, which is how she ended up with the New Deal Horse. The horse that she bought the day the world stopped. We find out Mrs. Scott's family life has been very frayed by the war and that horse. Bea is the only one that can calm her, and given the enormous debt Mrs. Scott is in she trains Bea for the horse show. The narrative and pacing is very well paced and centered. The characters are developed and you can quickly see why they have those reactions to certain things. Bea is a great main character, she's very observant and uses that to help understand how to speak to Mrs. Scott. The author reminds us how very bleak it was for others during the Great Depression. How people had to sell off everything they loved, including sending their children away to family members who were a little better off so they wouldn't starve. Everything depended on good crops, rain is needed. There's a hilarious part where a rainmaker tries to appease to Mrs. Scott and a great line her stating 'rich people think they can buy everything even the rain'. We see racial injustice, as well. Doctors who are black can't admit patients, soldiers coming home from war still not seen worthy. The closer we get to the race the more hope you feel for the characters which leads to a satisfying ending. I am definitely going to read more from L.M Elliot, she really put a lot of thought and heart in this novel. I would love a sequel.
January 20, 2023
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Bea's family has fallen on very hard times. Her mother has died, and her father, who had a good paying job in a bank, has lost the job and the family's house, and has been traveling around hopping freight trains with Bea and her sister Vivian, trying to work odd jobs. The latest travels have landed them in the hay loft of a barn in Virginia, but when Bea wakes up one morning, her father is gone. He has left a note telling her that he can no longer care for the children, but that the woman who owns the farm, Mrs. Scott, is the mother of their own mother's college roommate, and might be able to take them in. Bea manages to keep the two of them hidden for a week, although the farmhand Ralph conveniently leaves his lunch lying about and seems to know they are there. Things are tough on the Scott farm as well. A reputable horse trainer in the past, Mrs. Scott is now old (i.e., about 60; my age!) and the farm has a lot of debts. She has had to let most of the staff go, with the exception of Ralph and Malachi, a Black man who was mostly blinded in a horrific incident after serving in WWI. There is a significant drought, so crops are failing. She has also gotten a rambunctious chestnut horse who is proving hard to train. Bea is discovered by Mrs. Scott after she has spent the night walking one of the horses, who has colick, around the farm, thereby saving its life. Mrs. Scott wants to call the police, but Bea quickly makes herself indispensable, helping to pick peaches, accompanying Mrs. Scott to the bank, cleaning the kitchen, and working well with the animals. When the chestnut kicks Ralph, injuring him and requiring him to rest, Bea steps up to fill in the gap, with Vivian helping a little bit. Mrs. Scott has a plan to sell a couple of the horses, but also to train Bea to jump with the chestnut, whom they name Sunup, the New Deal Horse. Bea is a talented rider, and Mrs. Scott a formidable trainer. Bea is reluctant to tell Mrs. Scott about her mother, and wants to gain her respect on her own merits, so works very hard. Mrs. Scott has faced some other difficulties, like the death of two sons in the war, as well as a daughter who isn't speaking to her, so takes to Bea in her own gruff (but spry!) way. Will Bea's horsemanship be able to save the farm and win her and Vivian a home and place in Mrs. Scott's heart?
Strengths: I was not a horse girl (although my cousin was), but this would have been a book I would have saved my babysitting money to buy. It reminded me of books like Gates' Blue Willow, Hunt's No Promises in the Wind, Enright's Thimble Summer or Snyder's The Velvet Room in the best way; classic, but fine tuned so that modern readers can enjoy it. It's helpful that there are notes in the back about the fact that many children were abandoned by their families when they could no longer care for them; my students don't quite believe me when I tell them this. Bea's ability to keep herself and her sister alive by foraging and finding food really speaks to the imagination, and her attitude of wanting to help out and earn her place is one that modern readers would do well to internalize. While she does have one emotional outburst, Bea is resilient instead of being traumatized by her situation. The equestrian information is strong, the setting is appealing, and Mrs. Scott is a fabulous character who is doing everything she can to save her beloved farm, and also rocks a fabulous flapper dress! I think this is my favorite book of 2023 so far.
Weaknesses: My only objection is that Bea rides English, and my most avid horse book reader right now would like to see some Western riding! This reader worked her way through all of Smiley's Georges and the Jewels series, so she is going to ADORE this one. Did have a few personal grumbly moments when Mrs. Scott was described as spry, but as one of my students said to me "You're not REALLY old, but you are KIND OF old." Mrs. Scott has some similar comments about herself!
What I really think: Apparently, I read a lot of books about the Great Depression when I was young! I loved Bea as a character so much, and definitely would have had some lovely daydreams where I was either her sister or her friend, and helped her with the household chores. There are enough horse details that equine enthusiasts will enjoy this, but readers of historical fiction like Albus' A Place to Hang the Moon will also enjoy this trip back in time.
Bea's family has fallen on very hard times. Her mother has died, and her father, who had a good paying job in a bank, has lost the job and the family's house, and has been traveling around hopping freight trains with Bea and her sister Vivian, trying to work odd jobs. The latest travels have landed them in the hay loft of a barn in Virginia, but when Bea wakes up one morning, her father is gone. He has left a note telling her that he can no longer care for the children, but that the woman who owns the farm, Mrs. Scott, is the mother of their own mother's college roommate, and might be able to take them in. Bea manages to keep the two of them hidden for a week, although the farmhand Ralph conveniently leaves his lunch lying about and seems to know they are there. Things are tough on the Scott farm as well. A reputable horse trainer in the past, Mrs. Scott is now old (i.e., about 60; my age!) and the farm has a lot of debts. She has had to let most of the staff go, with the exception of Ralph and Malachi, a Black man who was mostly blinded in a horrific incident after serving in WWI. There is a significant drought, so crops are failing. She has also gotten a rambunctious chestnut horse who is proving hard to train. Bea is discovered by Mrs. Scott after she has spent the night walking one of the horses, who has colick, around the farm, thereby saving its life. Mrs. Scott wants to call the police, but Bea quickly makes herself indispensable, helping to pick peaches, accompanying Mrs. Scott to the bank, cleaning the kitchen, and working well with the animals. When the chestnut kicks Ralph, injuring him and requiring him to rest, Bea steps up to fill in the gap, with Vivian helping a little bit. Mrs. Scott has a plan to sell a couple of the horses, but also to train Bea to jump with the chestnut, whom they name Sunup, the New Deal Horse. Bea is a talented rider, and Mrs. Scott a formidable trainer. Bea is reluctant to tell Mrs. Scott about her mother, and wants to gain her respect on her own merits, so works very hard. Mrs. Scott has faced some other difficulties, like the death of two sons in the war, as well as a daughter who isn't speaking to her, so takes to Bea in her own gruff (but spry!) way. Will Bea's horsemanship be able to save the farm and win her and Vivian a home and place in Mrs. Scott's heart?
Strengths: I was not a horse girl (although my cousin was), but this would have been a book I would have saved my babysitting money to buy. It reminded me of books like Gates' Blue Willow, Hunt's No Promises in the Wind, Enright's Thimble Summer or Snyder's The Velvet Room in the best way; classic, but fine tuned so that modern readers can enjoy it. It's helpful that there are notes in the back about the fact that many children were abandoned by their families when they could no longer care for them; my students don't quite believe me when I tell them this. Bea's ability to keep herself and her sister alive by foraging and finding food really speaks to the imagination, and her attitude of wanting to help out and earn her place is one that modern readers would do well to internalize. While she does have one emotional outburst, Bea is resilient instead of being traumatized by her situation. The equestrian information is strong, the setting is appealing, and Mrs. Scott is a fabulous character who is doing everything she can to save her beloved farm, and also rocks a fabulous flapper dress! I think this is my favorite book of 2023 so far.
Weaknesses: My only objection is that Bea rides English, and my most avid horse book reader right now would like to see some Western riding! This reader worked her way through all of Smiley's Georges and the Jewels series, so she is going to ADORE this one. Did have a few personal grumbly moments when Mrs. Scott was described as spry, but as one of my students said to me "You're not REALLY old, but you are KIND OF old." Mrs. Scott has some similar comments about herself!
What I really think: Apparently, I read a lot of books about the Great Depression when I was young! I loved Bea as a character so much, and definitely would have had some lovely daydreams where I was either her sister or her friend, and helped her with the household chores. There are enough horse details that equine enthusiasts will enjoy this, but readers of historical fiction like Albus' A Place to Hang the Moon will also enjoy this trip back in time.
March 18, 2025
I'm excited to discuss this with the group Kate Howe is gathering together for Middle Grade March at the end of the month. I think if you grew up loving horse books, this would be a great modern book to try. I enjoyed it, but it was a little too horse heavy for me. I think there may also have been too much going on in the story and it could have benefitted from more focus. Especially because it felt like there were some unanswered questions at the end, though I could see how that might have been intentional. I didn't love the main character, Bea. I'm not quite sure what it was. I'm glad I read it though, and I had fun discussing it with my friend Libby. There are some funny bits, some heartwarming bits, and some endearing characters like Mrs. Scott and Malachi who bring so much heart to the story.
March 23, 2025
A new all time favorite!
March 16, 2025
I rarely give a middle-grade book 5⭐️s but this one truly deserves it. It also has one of my favorite subjects in a middle-grade book: horses! The two main characters in this book are a 13-year-old girl and a woman in her 60’s. These characters are nuanced, complex, and realistic. This book covers the time period encompassing WWI, the Great Depression, the Roaring Twenties, and the Dust Bowl era with expertise and heart.
Beatrice and Vivian are children of the Great Depression. Their father abandons them out of desperation and the burden to care for her younger sister causes anxiety for Beatrice. They camp out in Millicent Snow’s hayloft until they are discovered and Beatrice begs Mrs. Snow to let them stay in exchange for them helping her on the horse farm. Beatrice proves she has a bond with horses while trying to gentle a wild chestnut horse Mrs. Snow decides to have destroyed. The horse farm is desperately struggling just as Beatrice thinks she and Vivian might have found a home. Other characters help flesh out the difficulties of this time period from African Americans and other WWI veterans, the newly wealthy created in the Roaring Twenties, and farmers battling drought. The author’s note at the end of the book gives detailed background about this historical period that is well worth a reader’s time.
This author deftly entwines characters and plot around one of the most difficult time periods in US history. She has quite a body of backlisted historical fiction books with promising themes. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.
Beatrice and Vivian are children of the Great Depression. Their father abandons them out of desperation and the burden to care for her younger sister causes anxiety for Beatrice. They camp out in Millicent Snow’s hayloft until they are discovered and Beatrice begs Mrs. Snow to let them stay in exchange for them helping her on the horse farm. Beatrice proves she has a bond with horses while trying to gentle a wild chestnut horse Mrs. Snow decides to have destroyed. The horse farm is desperately struggling just as Beatrice thinks she and Vivian might have found a home. Other characters help flesh out the difficulties of this time period from African Americans and other WWI veterans, the newly wealthy created in the Roaring Twenties, and farmers battling drought. The author’s note at the end of the book gives detailed background about this historical period that is well worth a reader’s time.
This author deftly entwines characters and plot around one of the most difficult time periods in US history. She has quite a body of backlisted historical fiction books with promising themes. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.
April 7, 2024
Charming middle grade fiction set during the Great Depression. I would have loved if there was more focus on the relationships, both within the “found family” and with the broken family relationships.
dnf
February 5, 2024DNF at 15% because the kids started to use an Ouija board.
April 5, 2024
What a beautiful, beautiful story! All my childhood memories of watching “National Velvet” came back!🥰 The author did a beautiful job of weaving in the historical setting and details of the Great Depression era and creating characters you want to root for. Highly recommend!
June 27, 2024
A Maine Student Book Award nominee for 24|25.
When Vivian and Bea are abandoned by their father in a hayloft in the depths of the Great Depression, they don’t know if the stoic owner of the horse farm would even take them in.
Mrs. Scott is a stoic woman; but she is kind in her way. She agrees to teach Bea how to jump horses in shows to help pay the bills. Can a horse that has been abused and a young girl who feels unwanted work together to achieve a goal?
This one was very sweet. I know that it will be a popular one with my students.
When Vivian and Bea are abandoned by their father in a hayloft in the depths of the Great Depression, they don’t know if the stoic owner of the horse farm would even take them in.
Mrs. Scott is a stoic woman; but she is kind in her way. She agrees to teach Bea how to jump horses in shows to help pay the bills. Can a horse that has been abused and a young girl who feels unwanted work together to achieve a goal?
This one was very sweet. I know that it will be a popular one with my students.
January 5, 2025
I was initially so annoyed by the narrator that I nearly gave up in chapter one. I'm glad I stuck it out, though, because I really loved this story!
After finishing, I'm ready to watch Wild Hearts Can't be Broken! (This book takes place during the depression and involves horses; those are the only similarities between it and Sonora Webster.)
I'd probably recommend reading it instead of listening to it, though.
After finishing, I'm ready to watch Wild Hearts Can't be Broken! (This book takes place during the depression and involves horses; those are the only similarities between it and Sonora Webster.)
I'd probably recommend reading it instead of listening to it, though.
March 6, 2023
What a wonderful story that reads more like a biography than a work of fiction. The author quietly brings you into the story that you will be so engrossed in that you will want to read the book over and over again! It may be geared for a juvenile audience, but adults will thoroughly enjoy it too. It was very enlightening to learn about the upkeep on horses as well as the training and dedication needed in order to compete. While that was interesting, throwing in the way the depression affected people in various ways was truly eye opening. My parents lived through that era but never understood all the different ramifications and fallout from it. This is truly an amazing story that will forever remain in my heart.
I received an advanced reader copy for free from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
I received an advanced reader copy for free from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
August 27, 2024
Bea and the New Deal Horse is an inspiring historical fiction book about life in the Great Depression, community, and the animal-human bond. This thrilling story celebrates gumption, fairness, and perseverance through adversity while bringing to life a pivotal time period in American history. Absolutely unmissable for fans of middle grade historical fiction.
If you’d like to use this book in the classroom or for a book club discussion, you need our full discussion guide for Bea and the New Deal Horse for $12! This guide is practically a novel unit with over 50 vocabulary words, questions for nearly every chapter, lots of extension activities, and curriculum connections to use in the classroom.
Full review & discussion guide: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/bea-an...
If you’d like to use this book in the classroom or for a book club discussion, you need our full discussion guide for Bea and the New Deal Horse for $12! This guide is practically a novel unit with over 50 vocabulary words, questions for nearly every chapter, lots of extension activities, and curriculum connections to use in the classroom.
Full review & discussion guide: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/bea-an...
March 15, 2024
I would have absolutely loved this novel as a kid, and I did love it as an adult. Set in the early 1930s, this historical fiction novel did a fantastic job realistically depicting so much about life after the stock market crash. Sometimes I wish I could read an author's note before the book so that I could know as I'm reading how historically accurate everything was...the author took great pains to be factual and based so many characters in the story from real life people.
With themes of found family and second chances, this story would make a fantastic family audiobook and open up so many opportunities for discussion. There are several difficult topics that are handled really well. Recommended for 10+.
With themes of found family and second chances, this story would make a fantastic family audiobook and open up so many opportunities for discussion. There are several difficult topics that are handled really well. Recommended for 10+.
June 19, 2023
Fantastic 4-6th grade historical fiction. Set during the Great Depression, Bea and her sister are abandoned by their father who is looking for work. The woman who takes them in trains horses -something Bea loves.
Read
May 9, 2023There has never been a book so precisely, hilariously tailored to me and me alone.
June 7, 2025
A sweet historical fiction Young adult story. Easy to read, engaging characters and a nice ending.
August 24, 2025
Bea and The New Deal Horse is L.M. Elliott's wonderful new contribution to Historical Fiction for middle school readers, and it was a great book to read. Beatrice, age 14 and her sister Vivian, age 8 are constantly on the move with their father during the time referred to as The Great Depression. Their father had a career as a banker, taking pride in helping others to become homeowners, until Black Friday. Just after their house and belongings were sold at auction, his wife passed from illness. He is not very resourceful at surviving by camping, so he brings the girls to a farm in Middleburg, Virginia, to stay with a family friend, and he leaves them during the night with just a note left behind.
Mrs. Scott's farm is beautiful, but neglected. She has kept hired hands, such as Malachi, a cook who was blinded by a violent act after he served in World War I, where as a Black man he was a victim of this hate crime after the war, during a parade. She has Mr. Ralph, who was formerly a jockey and is now in charge of the horses and stables, who is an older Irish man. Mr. Ralph realizes that there are people hiding in the barn, and he leaves food and something to drink so that the vagrants don't starve or resort to stealing and then be sent away.
When Mrs. Scott sees Bea and Viv, she allows them to come into her home for a good meal, a bath, and fresh clothing that she had from years ago from her three children, now grown.
What will become of Bea and Viv? Will their father recover and return for them? Will Bea keep learning how to take care of the horses? Will Viv prove invaluable as a helper in the kitchen? What happened to Mrs. Scott's children? Will the beautiful, wild, ill-tempered Chestnut horse be sold, or will he stay? L.M. Elliott's work is so rich in authentic description because she studies historical events and creates characters based upon real people and events that occurred in their very setting as the novel.
You'll have to read this wonderful story to find out! I loved it!
Mrs. Scott's farm is beautiful, but neglected. She has kept hired hands, such as Malachi, a cook who was blinded by a violent act after he served in World War I, where as a Black man he was a victim of this hate crime after the war, during a parade. She has Mr. Ralph, who was formerly a jockey and is now in charge of the horses and stables, who is an older Irish man. Mr. Ralph realizes that there are people hiding in the barn, and he leaves food and something to drink so that the vagrants don't starve or resort to stealing and then be sent away.
When Mrs. Scott sees Bea and Viv, she allows them to come into her home for a good meal, a bath, and fresh clothing that she had from years ago from her three children, now grown.
What will become of Bea and Viv? Will their father recover and return for them? Will Bea keep learning how to take care of the horses? Will Viv prove invaluable as a helper in the kitchen? What happened to Mrs. Scott's children? Will the beautiful, wild, ill-tempered Chestnut horse be sold, or will he stay? L.M. Elliott's work is so rich in authentic description because she studies historical events and creates characters based upon real people and events that occurred in their very setting as the novel.
You'll have to read this wonderful story to find out! I loved it!
February 29, 2024
Bea and her younger sister, Viv, are traveling across Virginia with their father after losing everything in the Black Friday Crash. Their mom died from a fever and now they are camping out in a horse barn - up in the loft. When Bea wakes up, she realizes that their father has left them in the barn. The owner of the house is the mother of their mom's best friend so he is confident that the girls will be safe. Bea isn't so sure. She doesn't exactly lie to Viv but she definitely doesn't tell her the truth. Which will, of course, come back to haunt her. They manage to sneak around for a few days but eventually they are discovered. Bea initially does not admit who they are to Mrs. Scott -- she just is too unsure of how the news will be received. But eventually the truth is revealed. Mrs. Scott is not quite the dragon she appears to be. In fact, she's an excellent teacher who takes Bea in hand to teach her how to jump horses. The big farm is having money troubles - like most folks during the Depression. And the story also demonstrates pitching in to help others during a rough time.
There's a lot going on in this story! As with most historical novels, chances are you will learn new things about history. And, with this book, horses! I enjoyed Bea's spunk and tenaciousness. And I look forward to reading other books by the author.
There's a lot going on in this story! As with most historical novels, chances are you will learn new things about history. And, with this book, horses! I enjoyed Bea's spunk and tenaciousness. And I look forward to reading other books by the author.
May 2, 2023
solid horse girl historical fiction, too horsey for me
October 7, 2023
I love getting lost in a good horse book, as well as a good historical fiction novel, so when the two combine well in the same story it's a treat! This middle grade "tween" novel is a very well-written story about found family and resilience in the face of hardship, and the joys of the bond between horse and rider. Excellent historical setting: 1932, Great Depression, Virginia farm country, heavy drought making things worse for farmers and townsfolk alike. The author gives just enough detail to set the stage and keep the story moving, leaving the author's note at the end for a brief description of the causes of the Crash and what the New Deal was, etc. for young readers who might not know. Bea, 13, and her sister Vivian, 8, are abandoned by their father after a period of riding the rails and trying to find work. He's left them hidden on a horse farm with instructions to tell the owner, crotchety Mrs. Scott, to take them in because the girls' mom was college friends with Scott's daughter. But Bea, stubborn, independent, hesitant to trust adults, and scared she'll be separated from her sister, keeps this relationship secret from Mrs. Scott, even when they're discovered after Bea saves the life of the cantankerous chestnut horse that no one on the farm can get close to, let alone ride. This plotline is somewhat predictable from many many other "girl and horse" books, but it's handled very deftly here and is woven in with many others in the story. Bea convinces Mrs. Scott to let them stay in exchange for helping on the farm, and gradually Bea wins her over and gets some serious riding lessons as together she and Mrs. Scott hatch a plan to pay off the farm's debts by competing in horse shows and selling horses. But will they have to sell her favorite, the chestnut with whom she's bonded? There are side plots involving wealthy horse owners, farm foreclosure auctions, charlatan rainmakers, Malachi the blind Black World War I veteran, the Bonus March on Washington, and FDR's first campaign for president that weave seamlessly in and out of the horse scenes. Fantastic writing and great character development of Bea and of Mrs. Scott. I appreciated learning in the author's note how the author based Scott's character on an amalgamation of several real horsewomen of the time, as well as her own daughter's horse trainer.
I received a hardcover copy of this book from Librarything.com "Early Reviewers" program in exchange for a review.
I received a hardcover copy of this book from Librarything.com "Early Reviewers" program in exchange for a review.
December 5, 2022
Whoa! Hold your horses and read this extraordinary upper primary/middle school chapter book. This book is sneaky in that it incorporates history seamlessly. I even learned quite a bit that I wasn’t familiar with.like how they incorporated black soldiers into WWI working side by side we the “regular” infantry. But when they returned they weren’t given the same welcome or government benefits which, at the time amounted to a lot of money. Timely to reflect on how things are slow to change. More lessons on president zHoover and the New Deal. Actually, Bea was listening to her elders and that is how her horse came by the name. Yes I will definitely be recommending this book for readings as a class, at home with parents, their reading clubs/circles.
I would like to thank the following for giving me the opportunity to review early. All opinions are my own.
NetGalley
Publisher: #HarperCollinsCildren’sBooks
Author: #LMElliott
Publication Date: 23March2023
I would like to thank the following for giving me the opportunity to review early. All opinions are my own.
NetGalley
Publisher: #HarperCollinsCildren’sBooks
Author: #LMElliott
Publication Date: 23March2023
December 19, 2024
Cute, heartwarming story about found family in the midst of the Great Depression in America. Well-researched, lovely characters, excellent horse knowledge. Loved it!
April 1, 2023
It's the Great Depression and when Bea and Viv's banker father loses his job and their home, he takes the girls on the road, hopping trains as he looks for work. He abandons the girls at a horse farm and Bea eventually befriends a horse that everyone else has written off as too temperamental. As she trains for a big show, the girls start to realize they might have a new home. Elliott has written several historical fiction books for young readers and this one reminds me of the film Seabiscuit, which is actually noted in the extensive backmatter. But it's not just a book for horse-loving little girls. Readers will also learn a lot about the Great Depression, how hard it was on families and communities, as well as the terrible treatment received by soldiers who had returned from the war. Review from e-galley.
April 17, 2024
As I read Bea and the New Deal Horse, I thought of an older classic for younger readers that my kids loved when they were little: The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. Elliott's story is deeper, more nuanced and mature, but at the heart of both books are children alone in hard circumstances who persevere in inspiring ways while also finding and revealing goodness in others around them. Bea and the New Deal Horse is set in the Great Depression, and Elliott gracefully weaves events and social issues of that period into a compelling story about two sisters who are abandoned by their down-and-out father and find shelter on a struggling horse farm in rural Virginia. The story is told by the older sister, 13-year-old Bea, and with her, Elliott pulls off something very difficult for a writer: She writes lyrically in the clear, authentic voice of a young teen. Through Bea, we experience the joy and beauty of horses and the rural life. And in the end, through courage, smarts and good horsemanship, Bea saves more than just herself and her sister. This is a heartwarming, uplifting story and a particularly good one for adults and children looking to read and discuss a book together.
May 21, 2023
An excellent middle grade novel set during the Depression era that young horse lovers will love - but they’ll also find it’s much more than a horse story. Such incredible character development, and historical fiction that is engaging and memorable.
May 8, 2023
Excellent children historical novel and entertaining horse story. Bea, 13, and younger sister Vivian are secretly abandoned by their father on the farm of their late mother’s friend. After Bea rescues a temperamental chestnut horse with colic, the girls are discovered by the farm owner, Mrs. Millicent Scott, whose brisk demeanor initially dissuades Bea from revealing their connection. That “beaten-up horse and beaten-down girl” prove quite a pair and potentially Mrs. Scott’s best hope of saving her farm from foreclosure.
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