AR: 4.2

Some have criticized this book due to Felicity's non-stop rule breaking. I think it's a little more complicated than that, because her dad and others older than her weren't being careful about what they said around her. If a kid keeps hearing their neighbor is going to murder their animals, what do you expect? Her father even appeared to secretly encourage it. Also, the horse seems to be an allegory for the American Revolution--even its name is Penny for "independence." It's only natural that France (Felicity) should aid America (Penny) to escape from Britain's (Jiggy Nye's) abuses.

Other than that, this book is pretty weird because there are all kinds of things an adult would notice that the target age wouldn't understand. It's almost like there's a second layer to the story for adults that casts everything in a different light. The lack of context to the war taking place, for one, and the significance of breeches worn on Sundays may be another. There is a slave and an indentured servant, but they aren't called that. Even in the section at the end that explains some of the history, the author dances around those words. For all the talk of abusing animals and threats of skinning, it's difficult to understand why those topics are so sanitized.

Something else never really explained in this book that anyone who hasn't studied history may miss is that the villain is a tanner. Tanners were necessary yet looked down upon. They lived away from others due to the stench. Yet this common discrimination is brushed over; Jiggy Nye is just a "bad man" who doesn't deserve the horse.

Overall, I enjoyed rereading this, but I hope the later books touch more on all the important things that were brushed over. The lesson for kids: Don't take things too literally; there's no such thing as a free horse. For adults: Watch what you say around children--they may take you literally. ( )

Read as a kid; re-read with L (7.5). Felicity Merriman is the proud oldest daughter of a shopkeeper. She is lively and impatient, uninterested in the skills her mother tries to teach her (e.g. sewing a sampler), and much more interested in horses. When Jiggy Nye, who works at the tannery, acquires a beautiful horse Felicity calls Penny, she tames the horse in secret and eventually sets her free, with the help of her father's apprentice, Ben. Set in colonial Williamsburg, VA. ( )

Felicity Merriman, the heroine of the American Girls collection set in 1774, is a feisty young girl who loves horses. She is not interested in the things girls are educated in such as sewing and domestic arts. When an unpleasant neighbor obtains a horse and mistreats it because it will not be tamed, Felicity manages to both tame and free the horse. This book has interesting characters and an engaging plot. Illustrations are beautiful and detailed. Recommended reading age: 7-10 ( )

When I was younger, I used to have a ton of books like this that told the stories of young girls "in the old days" because my mother is a huge "judge the book by the cover" person and would bring anything home that reminded her of Laura Ingalls. This book was one of those, so I know I read it, but it was so long ago that I can't remember anything except that I liked she had red hair and this book probably contributed to my love of reading. ( )