Samirah's Ride: The Story of an Arabian Filly

Breyer Horse Portrait Collection

by Annie Wedekind

Samirah is an eight-year-old Arabian mare, who has been carefully raised and trained by her girl, Jasper, to be the ultimate family ranch horse. Sami has long sensed that Jasper is itching for freedom, and wants to be a real cowgirl. And when Jasper hears a rumor that her family is being forced to sell their ranch and decides to run away, the filly and her girl find themselves lost in a beautiful, legendary wilderness, but one fraught with dangers. Sami must use all of her resources and strength to keep them both alive. Our Arabian will do everything for her girl, and the girl will do everything for her horse.

Genres: Horses, Middle Grade, Animals, Contemporary

128 pages, Hardcover

First published June 15, 2010

About the author

Annie Wedekind grew up riding horses in Louisville, Kentucky. Since then, she’s been in the saddle in every place she’s lived, from Rhode Island to New Orleans, South Africa to New York. Her first novel, A Horse of Her Own, was praised by Kirkus as “possibly the most honest horse book since National Velvet . . . A champion.” She is also the author of The Breyer Horse Collection books, including Wild Blue, Little Prince, Samirah’s Ride, and Mercury’s Flight. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/anniew...

Reviews

[Sarah Ryder · Rating 2 out of 5]

****Nostalgia Rating 4 Stars****

Honestly this book was a little boring on my 2023 reread? I’m not sure why, but I still think younger readers would like it. I did like how it was written as an older Sami telling the story of her youth even though I got tired of her TELLING the reader about what Arabians can do and such rather than SHOWING what they can do through her, but that’s just a personal preference.

I’m also shocked that the language in here, while only two words, were such strong ones for a MG—I had honestly forgotten that so it was a little jarring to read them again.

Not the best (also I always thought the title was a little weird—why not Samirah’s Adventure or something more engaging than Ride?) but it’s still a good read.


‼️Content‼️

Language: good God; damn

Violence: horse and rider fall off a cliff and are injured (not detailed); a character has a serious concussion

Other: a forest fire; characters run away from home

[Millie Blackman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arabian Lovers Must Read

This book showcases the Arab as they are. Loyal, Loving, Spirited Caretakers to their humans.
The lessons they teach we would all be better for to learn.

[Mythical Mishmash · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual rating 2.5 out of 5

Had the opposite effect to Wild Blue, in which it was a slow and boring start but things got going during the last few chapters.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Told from the perspective of Samirah, an Arabian horse, the story begins when Samirah is a three year old
filly. She was sold to Jedediah Munk (a.k.a Red) to be a companion to Red's 9 year old daughter Jasper.
Sami chronicles three years on the Munk's ranch in Utah. She begins with being introduced to the rest of the horse herd, her training and eventually being ridden by Jasper. When the family has to sell horses to keep afloat, Jasper runs away with Sami. Unfortunately, there is a forest fire and Sami has to use every resource to keep Jasper and herself alive. The plot moves quickly and the horse as the narrator is interesting. This short chapter book and the rest in the series are sure to be a hit with horse lovers. Includes a short Author's Note about some of the sources she used to help write the story.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going to get this for my niece. Maybe some day I can read it to her.

[Olivia W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh. it was okay, considering all the hype and the reviews.