Sunday, October 25, 2009

Beat the Turtle Drum, Constance C. Greene

Age 9-12

Main interest groups: girls

Kate plans to be a writer and tells this story in the first person. Joss, her 10 year old horse crazy sister, has been saving her money to rent a horse for a week. The girls build a stable in the garage. Finally, Prince is delivered and for one week, Joss has her own horse. Kate and Joss climb a tree in the yard to picnic in the branches as they had when they were younger. Obsessed about keeping an eye on Prince, Joss climbs too far out on a branch and falls to her death. Kate, her family and their friends must cope with the sudden loss of Joss.

I remember this story because I myself was horse crazy and secretly hoped I could stable a horse in MY garage. But it was a sad book and it was really the first book I had ever read that dealt with death. Looking back I think of The Horse Whisperer, which deals with similar grief, and the necessity of coping with loss.

Movie: yes

Similar stories:

Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Boyne

A Summer to Die, Lowry

Charlottes Web, White

2 comments:

  1. Great idea, Zoe, to create a resource like this. I'll add to it, for sure. I hope to find some French books too.

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