Cutting It Close

Deborah Dowson is a children’s librarian who has recently relocated to
North Wales, Pennsylvania.

Jayleen is a keen competitor who sees herself as a future barrel-racing
champion. Serious challenges jeopardize her success, but she finds a way
to overcome them and gets closer to achieving her dream. What she cannot
overcome is a deliberate act of sabotage that threatens the life of her
beloved horse. At first, Jayleen rages against the unfairness of it all.
Eventually she comes to accept and make the best of her situation. She
also discovers that there are more important things than winning. Her
dream of racing this season is over, but she finds that the closing of
one door opens others.

Superb characterization, an intricate plot, and careful attention to
descriptive detail make this one of the best choices in the Sports
Stories series. The emotional honesty of the characters gives them a
depth often absent in books of this kind. Jayleen’s impetuous and
spirited nature energizes the book. The fact that the plot does not
resolve itself tidily or “fairly” adds to the overall feeling of
authenticity. Particularly well evoked are the horse arena, the Fraser
Valley countryside, and the life of teenagers in the area.

Cutting It Close will appeal especially to horse lovers and young
female athletes. Recommended.