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Amy Fleming is a talented young rider and horse trainer whose mother recently died while trying to rescue an abandoned stallion. Amy's mum was a famous horse trainer who founded Heartland, a horse-training centre for abused, neglected, and problem horses. In the weeks following her mother's death, Amy, her older sister Lou, and their grandpa try to cope with the sudden loss of the woman who was the heart of Heartland, but they're overwhelmed by the pressures of running the horse farm while dealing with their grief. Fifteen-year-old Amy focuses on training Spartan, the horse she and her mum were trying to rescue, and achieves spectacular results as he turns out to be a talented jumper. Lou tries to take over the business side of the farm, but Amy fights every change she tries to make, even though Heartland needs Lou's guidance and business sense to survive. Over the course of the summer, Amy and Lou learn to respect each other's talents and contributions, and they strike a new balance that will enable Heartland to continue its work of "healing horses, healing hearts". Horse lovers who liked the film The Horse Whisperer will appreciate the descriptions of training methods and alternative therapies used at Heartland. Young readers who enjoy series of horse stories will also like the Heartland series, which began with Coming Home. (Ages 8 to 12) --Marcie Bovetz
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