Book picks similar to
First Fence by Kate Lattey


horses
horse-books
young-adult
childrens-books

Samphire Song


Jill Hucklesby - 2011
    Something has drawn her to Samphire--there's an instant bond between them. She recognizes he's a damaged horse who needs time to mend. Jodie understands all about pain, having lost her dad two years before. Slowly, she gains Samphire's trust, and Jodie begins to blossom with a new confidence. But when her younger brother Ed becomes very ill and needs an operation, Jodie is faced with the biggest decision of her life. In order to help her mother and brother, she must let Samphire go. She makes him a promise--as soon as she can, she will find him and bring him home. It's a promise that leads her into danger. But somewhere, Samphire is calling to her. She senses his life is at risk and there's not much time. She must rescue him, whatever the cost.

Hunky Dory


Jean Ure - 2007
    They just won't leave him alone.Girls at school and his annoying younger sisters' friends have massive crushes on him, but Dory's passion is for dinosaurs and he is happiest excavating his back garden. His best friend at school is Aaron and his best friend out of school is a girl called the Herb. How will Dory stop girls throwing themselves at him? Why is Aaron holding hands with Sophy Timms? And why is the Herb acting so strange around Dory all of a sudden…

Forever and a Day (Believe in Love #9)


Amy Sparling - 2019
    Half of Jett’s fans are happy for him. The other half are mad at me, the girl he just proposed to. They don’t think I’m good enough to marry the fastest racer in Texas. Or they think it should be them with the Tiffany engagement ring instead of me. But Jett disagrees. Maybe we’re too young. Maybe we don’t know what we’re doing. But this is our life and we’re going to live it the way we want to. Until death do us part. ⭐Based on the bestselling novels, Forever and a Day is a standalone novel from the Believe in Love series. You can read this book after reading that series, or read it as a standalone. ⭐

Wild Thing


Dandi Daley Mackall - 2002
    She can gentle the wildest mare, but other parts of her life don't always come as easily. Along with her dad and sister, Lizzy, Winnie is learning how to live without her mom, who was also a natural horse gentler. As Winnie teaches her horses about unconditional love and blind trust, God shows Winnie that he can be trusted too. Readers will be hooked on the series' vivid characters, whose quirky personalities fill Winnie's life with friendship and adventure. In #1 Wild Thing, Winnie's fearful heart finally begins to trust God again as she tries to gentle the horse of her dreams, Wild Thing.

False Gods


L.R. Trovillion - 2014
    Or is there? Cory Iverson has her sights set on riding in the prestigious Washington International Horse Show—a tall order for even the most experienced competitors. Problem is, she doesn’t even own a horse. But there’s an even bigger problem: she’s a quitter. Not a casual quitter, but a hard-core, serial, when-the-going-gets-tough quitter. This all starts to change, however, when the opportunity arises to rescue the perfect horse from slaughter and work with an experienced trainer who has the means to get her there. If she stays the course. But Cory discovers the road to qualifying for Washington is littered with roadblocks when she finds herself surrounded by problems outside her control: prescription painkillers appear in her mother’s purse; her ballerina sister wastes away before her eyes; her boyfriend is keeping secrets from her; and her normally opinionated trainer becomes strangely evasive. Worst of all, the horse show world proves to be full of dangers, including an unscrupulous trainer headed for the same show who will stop at nothing to win, including killing. Unless Cory quits.

My Friend Flicka


Mary O'Hara - 1941
    He loses saddle blankets and breaks reins...but then comes the worst news yet: a report card so bad that he has to repeat a grade. How can you tame the dreamy mind of a boy who stares out of the window instead of taking an exam? Enter Flicka, the chestnut filly with a wild spirit. Over the course of one magical summer, both will learn the meaning of responsibility, courage, and, ultimately, friendship.

Heart of Fire


Victoria Holmes - 2006
    . .Maddie Harman hasn't seen her brother in years, not since he went off to war and she moved to Sefton Park with their grandparents. So when Theo suddenly returns, Maddie couldn't be happier to have her family back together.Theo also brings a guest—a stunning mare he's brought back from Zanzibar. Maddie isn't much of a rider, but when Theo lets her name the horse, she falls in love with Firebird. She even dares to go for a ride—and discovers that Firebird is a champion jumper. The horse is fitting in perfectly at the estate.But Theo doesn't seem so comfortable. And then, on a dark and stormy night, another young man drives up to Sefton Park. He comes inside and introduces himself . . . as Theo Harman. The family is shocked. Who is the real Theo? And Maddie has another worry—if the first Theo is an imposter, what will happen to her beloved Firebird?

Terrible Lizard: A Memoir of My Time in the Police Dinosaur Unit


Doug Goodman - 2019
     Or so Oak Jones thought. He’s wanted on the Police Dinosaur Unit all his life. Now that he’s in, he’s discovered that training a Police Working Velociraptor is a lot harder than he ever imagined. And if he thought training would be difficult, living with a Velociraptor is a whole new level. Banshee can clear a six-foot fence like it was nothing, and he has a love for eating the neighborhood cats, which is putting Oak on the outs with his next-door neighbor, Christy Dao. But there is a reason for everything, and when Oak discovers why Banshee struggles, it breaks his heart. Terrible Lizard is a funny and endearing look at life with Banshee, a great working dinosaur, but one terrible lizard. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Officer Hendricks sat at the temporary desk for training leads. He was without his sunglasses for the first time ever. His bright blue eyes burned with intensity. “I wanted to talk to you about Banshee,” he said. “I know it was rough yesterday,” I said, “but we’ve made good progress.” “You have, and it’s to be commended. You are the best handler here. But it’s a team effort, Oak. I called you in because I wanted you to be the first to hear that I intend to fail Banshee.” “What? No. There’s still two weeks left.” “Less than two weeks left. And this isn’t the kind of thing that gets fixed in less than two weeks.” “Give me a chance.” “Oak, you will be returned to your station until I can place you in Violent Offenders. Renato has given you a great review, and the captain there can’t wait to have you. Next year, you can re-apply. I cannot guarantee you that you will be accepted, but based on what I’ve seen over the past four weeks, I like your chances. You will definitely have my vote.” Officer Hendricks extended his hand to me, and I shook my head. “No. I refuse. Give me two weeks.” The open hand pinched Officer Hendricks’ nostrils. “You are not the first officer to work with Banshee. This was his third time in the course. Three strikes, and the raptor is gone.” “So that’s it? There’s nothing more that can be done?” “Not in my experience, Oak. I’m sorry.”

Lucy's Chance


Brittney Joy - 2013
    Only neither is hers. Lucy has never attracted much attention from boys, but she can't seem to ignore her blue-eyed co-worker, Casey Parker. A true cowboy, Lucy is fascinated by his gentle way with the horses at Red Rock Ranch. However, she is very aware that Taylor Johnson, rodeo queen extraordinaire, already has her spurs in him. And, there's no crossing Taylor. . . . Not until a mysterious horse appears on the ranch and pushes Lucy and Casey together. The two are willing to do anything to save the black gelding that doesn't want a thing to do with them or the human race. But, every step forward with the broken animal makes Lucy fall harder - for him and for Casey.***Saddle-up with a sweet, wholesome young adult equestrian series full of first loves, friendship, and horses. Get ready for a summer packed with trail rides, horse shows, rodeo, campfires, and kisses.

My Funny Valentine


Karen McCombie - 2003
    So when she spots a broodingly handsome guy gazing at the stars she decides it must be fate. Amidst the chaos of wedding plans, mad relatives and even more maddening mates, Shaunna makes some suprising discoveries about life, love and the pursuit of romance...

Grass


Cathy MacPhail - 2009
    Painted in giant whitewashed letters: 'SHARKEY IS A GRASS'. I hadn't a clue who Sharkey was, but I knew one thing. 'Sharkey's a dead man,' I said. Leo knows the value of never grassing and that you never grass on your friends. Everybody, too, knows the gang leaders in town. And you don't grass on them. Not unless you don't value your life - like Sharkey. And then Leo is unlucky enough to witness the murder of one gang leader by another, a man called Armour. Leo is petrified as he realises what he is witnessing and even more petrified when he realises that Armour has seen him. Sure that he is drawing his own last breath, Leo silently says goodbye to his family and everybody he knows. But all Armour does is wink at Leo, very slowly, and leave the scene of the crime. Leo draws a long breath of relief. He has got away with it. But he hasn't - not really. Leo will live to regret that wink and realise that Armour has an insidious hold on him and his family,which will test his family relationships, and his very sense of what is right and wrong. It will take bravery, luck and sheer daring to extricate himself from Armour's deadly web.A riveting and hard-hitting new novel from Cathy MacPhail.

Wild Girl


Patricia Reilly Giff - 2009
    Finally Lidie is 12—time to leave Brazil for New York.Meanwhile, a filly is born and begins her journey to a new home. As Lidie’s story unfolds, so does the filly’s.Lidie’s father runs a stable at a famous race track, and Rafael is training to be a jockey. As much as they want to make Lidie feel welcome, they still think of her as the little girl they left behind. They don’t even know what a strong rider she is, and that she’s determined to befriend and ride the wild filly her father has just bought: Wild Girl.

Blaze of Glory


M. Garzon - 2011
    Two jumpers on the show circuit, a lot of wins, and a lot of attention - the good kind. But now I have nothing. My life is circling the drain. The only spark of light that exists for me is my new, forbidden passion. If my stepfather finds out, he will kill me. My twin brother, my only blood relative in the world, has already begged me not to. But I can't help myself. If it can't be horses, it has to be this.

Saskia's Journey


Theresa Breslin - 2004
    It's a chance to rediscover her lifelong love of the sea - and to forget, if only for a few weeks, the boring career her parents have mapped out for her.Swept immediately into the rhythm of life in a fishing community, Saskia slowly begins to realize how little she really knows about her roots. Somehow, she needs to understand the past if she is to find the direction she needs for her future - a future that may or may not include her new friend Ben.Just as the sea gives up its bounty, so too her great-aunt must reveal the secrets of the past - the terrible toll of lives lost, and the very personal tragedy that left Alessandra herself so isolated.Only then can Saskia break free . . .

The Julian Chapter


R.J. Palacio - 2014
    Now readers will have a chance to hear from the book's most controversial character—Julian. From the very first day Auggie and Julian met in the pages of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wonder, it was clear they were never going to be friends, with Julian treating Auggie like he had the plague. And while Wonder told Auggie's story through six different viewpoints, Julian's perspective was never shared. Readers could only guess what he was thinking.Until now. The Julian Chapter will finally reveal the bully's side of the story. Why is Julian so unkind to Auggie? And does he have a chance for redemption?