A Very Good Chance

A Very Good Chance

By Author / Illustrator

Sarah Moore Fitzgerald

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Hachette Children's Group

ISBN

9781444014785

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

08-09-2016

Synopsis

The third novel from bestselling Waterstones Children's Book Prize shortlisted author Sarah Moore Fitzgerald. Set in Dublin and Siena, with its dizzying, dare-devil Palio horse race, this is a story about taking chances, being brave and learning the best way to see the world.

Some people step through a wardrobe to find adventure, but Minty follows the twisty-turny trees into Nettlebog. There she finds Ned Buckley - the moody, mysterious boy who never talks at school. As Minty's world disintegrates around her she searches for refuge in Nettlebog, and she discovers more about Ned: he's able to ride wild horses. And he knows things about the human race that will save her.

Or there's a very good chance at least.

This book follows Sarah Moore Fitzgerald's debut novel BACK TO BLACKBRICK and Waterstones Prize shortlist THE APPLE TART OF HOPE.

Reviews

Carol

Minty tells the story in this book, set in a small town in Ireland. The teenage characters, now at secondary school, have mostly all grown up together, but two new boys enter the equation, and are treated with suspicion, including the silent and mysterious Ned, whose attendance is erratic, and who doesn't apparently even want to fit in. Minty gradually gets to know him, and discovers he lives in the Nettlebog by the river, an area that has a special attraction for the youngsters, in an old caravan with his grandmother. His great talent is horse riding. Minty herself has family problems, as her parents separate and divorce, without really letting her know what's happening. Add to the mix a glamorous Italian teacher, who is captivated by the horsemanship skills she sees, and has to tell the class all about the Palio race in her native Siena. Ned is training for the Ballycross horse race, a slightly illicit event, which has parallels with the Palio. The book captures the emotions and frustrations of being a teenager, not quite in the world of adults, but affected by the emotional turmoil around. It is also good at portraying an unlikely friendship, the excitement of learning to ride, and the appeal of doing things that are not really allowed. Taking risks and not always doing the conventional are appealing, and the author strikes a balance here. The health and safety paranoia of the head teacher and a local council oficer are made fun of, but there is a serious point about the danger of being over risk-averse. Ned could seem from the outside a dangerous character, outside the law, and a delinquent - but as Minty (and Miss Serralunga) realise, he is a kind, resourceful and independent boy, who has hidden vulnerabilities, but is a force for good. There is a message here about not judging people without getting to know them. All this sounds a bit serious, but the book handles it with a lightness of touch. The first person narration helps develop Minty's character, and there is plenty of humour as well. 240 pages / Ages 12+ / Reviewed by Carol Williams, librarian.

Suggested Reading Age 11+

 

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