The Horse of the River
The Horse of the River
“Gillian, what are you doing?” Naomi called to her. “Get him back in line!”
“I’m trying!” Gillian called back. At this point she realized she was no more than a passenger. The counsellors were trying to get to her but the Beast was trotting up and down the line looking for an opening. Finally he reared up slightly, spun and headed to the edge of the raised riverbank. He stopped for a moment, stared down at the river and gathered himself. Gillian finally managed to get her feet back in the stirrups and collect the reins while still gripping tight to the out-of-control horse’s mane. She stared over his shoulder at the one-metre drop and yelled, “Beast, no!” as he leapt.
She fought to stay in the saddle and barely managed to keep from flying over his head as they landed with a splash. He bounded farther into the river and stopped for a moment, dipping his head right into the water. Gillian was pulled forward as he did this. She steadied herself, and then he raised his head and shook it, spraying droplets everywhere. He lifted his right front hoof and began pawing at the water, splashing his belly and soaking Gillian.
“You crazy animal!” she shouted. “Cut it out!”
It is Gillian’s first summer at Canyon Falls Camp where she will spend her days learning to work side by side with the horses she loves so much. But, when one camper’s bad judgement causes a chain reaction that ends up with Gillian’s riding a horse nicknamed “the Beast”, she starts to wonder if she’s gotten more than she bargained for.
The main plot of the novel revolves around Gillian’s adjusting to camp and learning to work with the horses, including the Beast, but there are a few subplots that offer a lot of character development for Gillian. Via flashbacks and letters home, readers learn about Gillian’s swimming superstar sister and Gillian’s own former swimming accomplishments. This approach adds a nice message to the story about finding one’s own passions as Gillian comes to realize that swimming is really her sister’s thing and that horses are what she really loves.
There is also a strong focus on making new friends, connecting with people who may come from different backgrounds, and learning to work alongside people you may not get along with—in essence, how to survive at summer camp. Speaking of survival, a dramatic and dangerous episode that sees Gillian swept downstream leads into a few chapters that illustrate some survival skills as she waits to be rescued. This incident offers an element of suspense as the camp counsellors search for Gillian and the Beast in the wilderness.
Sari Cooper’s first “Camp Canyon Falls Adventure” novel offers both adventure and drama for young readers, and it would be a good fit for both struggling and grade-level readers. The pace is good, the writing is descriptive without being flowery, and any horse-riding terminology is explained clearly but doesn’t overtake the story. Overall, The Horse of the River would make a solid addition to a young adult library collection, especially for horse-lovers, and I’ll be looking for future “Camp Canyon Falls Adventure” titles.
Allison Giggey is an intermediate teacher-librarian in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Her fondest childhood memories include trail riding on a big old horse named Dan.