Sweet Buttercup

Reviewed by: Sheila Dube - Springvale Public Library, Springvale, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: May 9, 2017

Review

Tori and Miranda's gran runs the Silver Pony Ranch and the girls are training with her for their first horse show. When they are not distracted by the Lady and her puppies, Tori practices hard on her barrel racing skills and Miranda preps Buttercup for the showmanship competition. When Ashley arrives with her horse, the girls must evaluate their own training habits, manners and attitudes about money because of Ashley's condescending and snobbish ways. The timing of one week to prepare for a horse show, especially barrel racing, seems unrealistic to this inexperienced horse person. Wallis pen and ink illustrations provide intricate details about the stalls, the horse ring, the outlying ranch, and the more intimate conversations between characters. This illustrated chapter book is the second in a series by Branches that provide emerging readers the right amount of text to illustration.

Overall Book Score: good