Perfect Harmony

Gr 7 Up—Vivienne Taylor has been accepted at Liberty Farms for a summer program that may get her on track for the Olympics. This is a bittersweet accomplishment, because her good friend and fellow rider Joel recently killed himself. Although Joel was having family problems and recently came out as gay, Vivienne is certain that his death wasn't suicide, and she's determined to uncover the truth. The situation is compounded by information Vivienne receives via her unusual ability to communicate telepathically with horses and by the possibility that a group of students may be involved with creating and selling designer drugs. Narrator Amy McFadden does an admirable job of distinguishing among a large cast of characters, jumping from southern charmer to snobbish debutante with ease. This will appeal to those who enjoy their horse stories saddled with a healthy dose of romance, mystery, and drama.—Lisa E. Hubler, Charles F. Brush High School, Lyndhurst, OH