Daring to Dream

Wildwood Stables #1

by Suzanne Weyn

A rescued horse, an abandoned ranch, a new beginning for a very lucky girl ... and the start of an exciting new horse series!

Taylor Henry loves horses, but her single mom can't afford riding lessons, much less a horse. So when she discovers an abandoned gelding and pony, Taylor is happy just to be around them.

But the rescued animals have nowhere to go, and Taylor is running out of time to find them a good home. Could the empty old barn on Wildwood Lane be the answer? And could Taylor's wildest dream -- of a horse to call her own -- finally be coming true?

Genres: Horses, Middle Grade, Childrens, Fiction, Animals

176 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Suzanne Weyn grew up in Williston Park, Long Island, New York. She has three sisters and a brother. As a girl, she was very interested in theatre and in reading. Louisa May Alcott was her favorite author, but she also read every Sherlock Holmes story. Suzanne lived pretty close to the ocean and going to Jones Beach was one of her favorite activities. Even today, if she goes too long without seeing the ocean, she starts feeling restless.

Suzanne now lives in upper New York State with her husband, two teen daughters and Abby the cat. Her house is at the edge of the woods and is nearly 200 years old. She graduated from State University of New York at Binghamton and received her master's degree from Pace University. She teaches part-time at City College in New York.

Suzanne's other books for Simon Pulse include South Beach Sizzle, a romantic comedy written with Diana Gonzalez. Her novels for the Simon Pulse line "Once Upon a Time" are The Night Dance: A Retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, Water Song: A Retelling of the Frog Prince, and The Crimson Thread: A Retelling of Rumplestiltskin. She very much enjoys rethinking these classic tales from an original point of view, always looking for the real psychological underpinning of the story. Suzanne is currently doing revisions on her fourth book in the line, which will be coming in 2009.

Suzanne's other recent novels are include The Bar Code Tattoo (2004) and its sequel, The Bar Code Rebellion (2006). The Bar Code Tattoo was selected by the American Library Assoc. (ALA) as a 2005 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers and was a 2007 Nevada Library nominee for Best Young Adult Fiction. It is currently translated into German and was nominated for the 2007 Jugenliteraturpreis for Young People's Literature.

Reviews

[Gabi Michelle]

These being the only pieces of literature available to me should of been a crime.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok so I'm not finished yet but I will update when I finish. To be countiued.....

Ok this book was about a young girl and her love of horses. A family friend works for the ASPCA. When they were on a case the stumbled apon a horse and pony. All in all in the end she finally has her long-life dream out of her wildest fanticies. She has her very on horse,albert, and lets not forget her new shetland pony, pixie. This is a great book and I'm ready to read the next ASAP.

[Kenedie Basye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how good of detail the author put in the story. If you hear love at first site this book is about that but it is with a banned horse and a pony. I like how she treats them like they are not just a horse and a pony she treats them like they always been hers. I would want to protect them and build them a shelter just to keep them because I wouldn't trust with the horses after what they have been though. Even though Taylor couldn’t put them anywhere else she put them in a banned barn just to keep them out of what could danger them again. Personally I would do the same to protect the animals after what they have been through the past week. I like how she convinced the new owner of the barn to start running it again and that they could use the horse and pony for riding lessons. I think it was kind of selfish to not tell the girl she didn't like that the horse didn't like people that wear caps. I would probably guess that the horse and the ponies old owner wear a cap so that is why they didn't like it. Over all i did like the book but some parts were hard to image in the head and what was going on.

[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

My sister got this book for free somewhere, so I picked it up. I recently became interested in horses, so this was a lot of fun. Taylor lives with her mother, who is trying to help them scrape by. Taylor also helps her friend Claire with animal rescues... and this rescue mission happens to be about horses. Now she has to find a place for the two abused animals before they get sold off. This is maybe a middle-school level book, but I can't wait to get book 2!

[Olivia Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

For any animal lovers out there, this is a book you will want to read. This book had a wonderful story about a girl and two horses that she falls in love with. It also shows that determination and persistence can get you as far as you want to go in life.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a really sweet book about wanting a horse and working your butt off to get a horse. When Taylor and her mom's friend go on a rescue mission to save Albert a quarter horse and Pixie the pony, Taylor finally found her horse but it's not an easy journey to make him hers.

[Veronika Agnes Szabó · Rating 3 out of 5]

I reread this childhood book that I had. Definitely made me laugh since some of the scenes are wildly unrealistic and out of pocket but at the same time it's fits into the conventional horsey stories for young children that we all just love

[Erica S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book as a kid.

[Kelsey Hager · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good cute story. Can't wait to read the next one.

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young Taylor is horse crazy - but her parents can't even afford for her to continue taking lessons, let alone to buy her a horse of her own. She must be content with her daydreams, until she helps her mom's friend Claire rescue a horse and a pony left to fend for themselves. Soon Taylor hatches a plan that will keep them safe, and in her life, but it will take all her powers of persuasion to win the adults over to her side.

This is the first book in the Wildwood Stables series, and I thought it was a great start. It ends on a cliffhanger, so be prepared to want more when it's over.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daring to Dream By Suzanne Weyn/Taylor loves horse and she really wants one but she can't afford one. Taylor has a friend named Claire, who also likes horses. One day when she got home from school, Claire comes running. Claire had been told that there was a horse and a pony that had been abandoned in a barn. Claire and Taylor go to the barn so they can find the horses. They end up taking the horse home. They could not find a home or them but one day Taylor finds this old barn on Wildwood Lanes and goes inside to check it out. There ends up being a owner and lets her keep her horse there. The owner ends up opening the stables again and they also remodel it. Now all they have to do is get some boarders.

[Faith]

I was recommended this book by my friend Kaitlyn and I finally decided to read it. This book is basiclly about this girl named Taylor and she really likes horses but her parents split up a while back and her mom can't afford a horse right now and her dad cant either but Taylor rescues 2 horses names Albert and Pixie they were left behind my their owners in an old shed and almost died. Taylor's mom says no at first but then in the end Taylor convinces her mom and gets to keep these 2 horses. My opinion of this book is that it was a good book to read but not something I would go running to the stores to get. I think i'm going to be done with the series becauseI didn't love the book it was okay.

[AurorainBookland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only gave this book four stars because it mentions something about horse actions that I don't think is appropriate for kids, but its only one sentence. The age group would be a mature 12 year old or teens. I would suggest parents to pre read before their daughter reads this so they can decide for themselves if their daughter can handle that part.

[Lue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was more or less good. It was unrealistic in some places, such as when she suddenly found the stable off of the road, or when she was keeping the horses in the back yard. I have horses, and I don't think a back yard (the way it's descibed) seems a suitable place for two horses.

[Library Kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

check out 11–26-12 started reading same day. Finished the night of December 2.
I like the more exciting aspects of this book. Specifically when she found The old barn and sneaked the horses there.
I'm not sure that I would pursue the rest of the series as I have a very long to read list.

[Margret Klippet · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this book one of my favourites
i love the main character she is like me but older

[Twyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

my favorite part was when Taylor got a pet horse.the worst part was when she just about couldn't keep him.my favorite character was Taylor.the worst character was plum mason.

[Mercedes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book all most done reading.

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is an amazing book about bond between horse and rider.

[Paige Beland · Rating 5 out of 5]

this series is great r horse lovers!

[Maddy S · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing I have all 6 books I love them I give them a 5 star

[Parker Hulin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved reading this series.

[Lyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book a couple times when I was ten...now I have my own adventures with my horse and am moving on to thicker novels:)

[Brooken4 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wildwood stables Daring to dream is an amazing book because Taylor the main character. Finds a hours and an pony in a barn can Taylor find a home for them read wildwood stables.

[Sam Chizauskie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was very interesting because Taylor found a friend and started a ranch with her. I think you should read the book.

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Cant wait to read the rest of the series!

[Alexandra Lindner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!

[Lori]

Enjoyed this book. Love the horses in it. Dreams do come true.