My Friend Flicka

By Mary O'Hara
Animal: Horse
Rating: 4 1/2 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

This book is a well-written classic story of ranch life and horses out in Wyoming. Ken is the younger son of an ex-Army officer who now runs a horse and cattle ranch. Ken is a daydreamer and he can't seem to do anything right, and what he longs for most in the world is a horse of his own. His older brother Howard had long gotten and trained his own horse and Ken wants the same passionately. At the urging of his mother, Ken's father finally relents and gives the boy his choice of any yearling on the ranch. But Ken chooses Flicka, the daughter of the wildest untrained mare on the place. Flicka also seems wild and Ken agonizes over his new filly and how she will turn out, especially when she falls seriously ill. This is a story about learning to face the hard facts of life, especially on a ranch, and doing some growing up, but it is also about love both in a family and for a horse. The characters of Ken and his family are deeply drawn and unforgettable. This is no simple tale of a child and a horse. Much of the book is an unflinching picture of harsh life on a western ranch amid the wild beauty of Wyoming but you never want to look away. Fans of this story will be happy to know it has two sequels: Thunderhead and Green Grass of Wyoming.