Snow Foal: The perfect children's gift for readers of 8-12!

Product Information

Addie is tasked with helping a orphaned foal get better after being found in a snow ditch and they become fast friends!

Snow Foal by Susanna Bailey | Waterstones

Charlie Longsdon said of this mare prior to her run in the 2022 Grand National, where she was pulled up: “If you give Snow Leopardess a day off, she’s pretty lethal – she can give some buck. I found this book was a little slow to get into but once I was engrossed into the story, I really enjoyed it.Despite the challenging subject matter, this is a positive tale, full of hope for a brighter future. I did not like that this "social service workers know best" mantra was repeated and implied to be true multiple times (such as by the words that the author made Gabe say to Addie). Such a lovely sweet book, about a young girl who is placed in foster care on a farm where she adopts a foal who helps her come to terms with being away from her mum. The story of Addie bonding and making connections with her family and the foal made it hard to put the book down!

Snow Foal by Susanna Bailey | Goodreads

But on her arrival from Paris the daughter of top National Hunt stallion Martaline had sustained a serious leg injury. This incredibly powerful novel, written entirely in free verse and accompanied by thoughtful illustrations, is an emotional read.The pair led from The Chair to the finish, and held on gamely from the Sandy Thomson-trained Hill Sixteen to win by a nose in the 3m1f race. Furthermore, both are dependent on the kindness of the strangers who live at the farm, who compose their foster family. Weaknesses: This might appeal more to elementary school readers; older readers might realize that taking the foal back to the wilderness is a very bad idea, while younger ones will think this is a reasonable course of action.

Snow Foal – Collins

She does well, working with Jude, and he starts to communicate a bit, and she involves him in her plans. As Longsdon puts it, in half a dozen years’ time there could be Leopardess champions in the showjumping world. Addie's feelings and concerns see true to life, and her transference of her feelings of longing for her mother to the foal are very realistic. There is a lot to do on a farm, even during a cold and snowy winter, and Gabe asks Addie to help him with a foal that was found in bad condition. Mrs Fox-Pitt was there at the birth and explained to the family that the mare’s arrival was the first time she had smiled since her husband Oliver had died in 2012.Grab a blanket, a hot chocolate and one of these brilliant books for the ultimate winter experience! Addie is taken in by Ruth and Sam as a foster child on their farm because Addie’s Mam can’t take care of her right now. There are other children, including Sunni, who doesn’t want Addie there, and Jake, who says nothing. With a contender, he admits the past week has been a slightly fretful one, a combination of nerves, excitement, trepidation and some sleepless nights on account of having a shot at winning the world’s biggest horse race.

Snow Foal by Susanna Bailey - Book Review - Whispering Stories Snow Foal by Susanna Bailey - Book Review - Whispering Stories

It follow the story of Addie who is sent to a foster home on a farm when it turns out her mum is struggling with alcoholism. She just got lonely because she had been in front for two and a half miles into a driving headwind and driving rain. We did lots of schooling after the Becher Chase to make sure she is happy to attack them like we saw her do that day in the Becher. The general perception in horse racing today is that, once a horse becomes a brood mare, it stays that way, so her trainer bid farewell and toasted the end of an impressive career. He added: “She worked Tuesday and she goes to Lambourn tomorrow for a jump there (over Grand National style fences).

I mean a lot of people complain that this is not appropriate for kids to include such concepts and issues as alcoholism, mental illness or whatever, but I agree that it's important to show them the reality of life to strengthen them rather than to coddle. Although this is a middle-grade novel, I believe that it is something that YA readers and adults will love too, just like I did.