Cinders

Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2017

Review

This is a special crossover/companion edition to Sparky (Dog Diaries). Both Sparky & Cinders can be read independently of each other. Cinders is a spirited horse. She began her life as a farm horse. But eventually she ended up as a firehouse horse in 1871 Chicago. Things don't start out well for Cinders at the firehouse. But with the help of Sparky the dalmation, Cinders calms down & settles in to her new life as a fire horse. And soon she must help fight one of the worst fires in U.S. history, the Great Chicago Fire. Told from Cinders first person narrative, we learn what it was like to live & work on a farm and then as a fire horse in Chicago. We also learn about the Great Chicago Fire & the Chicago of that time. And we learn about the Percheron breed of horse. This is an engrossing read full of information, but simply told for its target audience of 2nd-4th graders. The text is uncluttered & accessible to its audience. The accompanying black & white illustrations add another layer of enjoyment to the book. They are detailed & clear. This can be read independently of its companion dog book, but it would make for a broader read to be read in conjunction with its companion. It would also add another level of perspective & storytelling. The $7.99 cost is well worth it, but may prevent smaller libraries from purchasing. This is a worthy addition to most libraries. It is good historical fiction with a twist. Give to fans of both Horse Diaries & Dog Diaries, as well as animal stories in general.

Overall Book Score: good