Little Guy

Sylvia Pantaleo is an assistant professor of education specializing in
children’s literature at the University of Victoria. She is the
co-author of Learning with Literature in the Canadian Elementary
Classroom.

In this sequel to Life on the Farm, it is summertime and Patti is taking
riding lessons at a nearby stable. Since her family resources are
limited, Patti mucks out stalls and grooms horses to pay for her
lessons. The Andersons, a seemingly well-off family who own Little Guy,
believe that Patti is capable of nursing the lame horse back to health,
and let her take him home to her family’s farm.

Some of the wealthy students at the stable seem to take pleasure in
ridiculing Patti and the other working students. However, Patti
perseveres and becomes an able rider. Much to everyone’s delight, she
also discovers that Little Guy’s lameness is not caused by a disease.
Patti dreams of riding Little Guy in the Fall Fair. As they exercise
together, Patti discovers that riding is all about partnership.

Patti is a determined and active female character. Her self-doubts and
moments of insecurity are very believable. Her family is supportive of
her efforts but in realistic ways. A few minor characters are
stereotypical but their roles are small and do not detract from the
overall story. Gardam has included realistic dialogue and smoothly
incorporated information about horses and riding into the story.
Recommended.