Fear of Falling (Vet Volunteers Series) »

Laurie Halse Anderson grew up in Syracuse, New York, and now lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two daughters. Her first novel, Speak, a Printz Honor and National Book Award finalist, is available on audio from Listening Library

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. This series follows the experiences Maggie and other teen volunteers have at the veterinary clinic run by Maggie's gran.

Children's Literature

David, featured in "Wild at Heart" #3 Trickster, is front and center in this 9th entry in the series. This twelve-year-old is juggling a lot—his father's move to Texas and subsequent lack of contact with the family, his mother's struggle to keep the family on an even keel, his siblings' response to the family situation, his volunteering with four other adolescents at Dr. Mac's Wild at Heart Animal Clinic, and his love of horseback riding coupled with his fear of jumping. Everything comes to a head when his father returns to town for Thanksgiving weekend after being gone nearly a year. David's love of horses comes from his father and David desperately wants to please his father by being as good a rider/jumper as he is. His recurring nightmare of falling has a double meaning—the obvious one about jumping as well as a subtler one about his relationship with his Dad. Tension builds as he watches his Dad show off, mistreating a beautiful horse as he does; and again when his father gives him a jumping lesson and David is injured. Pressure builds at home as well, as Thanksgiving approaches and David tries to discern why Dad is all of a sudden semi-back in their lives. Is he here to stay? Is it safe to open up to him? The writing is uneven, with stilted dialogue mixed in with some very perceptive observations. Dr. Mac and Mr. Quinn, the owner of the stables, are wise and caring adults; David is lucky to have them to lean on. This is certainly formulaic, but there will be a certain appeal to pre-teen horse lovers. There is an appendix in Dr. Mac's newspaper column with information about horses and jumping. 2001, Pleasant Company, $4.95. Ages 9 to 12. Reviewer: Peg Glisson AGES: 910 11 12