Reviewer: Sharon Brunner
Terri Martin’s Straw Horse was filled with intrigue, suspense and humor coupled with a blooming romance. The story took place in the Northwoods at a fictional town called Peshekee located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (U.P.). The main characters in the book were Kat, Nikko, Sheriff Olsen, Raymond, Clay, Spiller, Aunt Lin, Varga, Gussy, Kat’s parents and other characters, such as horse owners and community service providers. Kat, the main character, felt threatened by an intimidating character who was linked to a couple who ended up dead in a remote location. Nikko and Kat discovered the dead bodies. Aunt Lin was an endearing person who lived with Kat and helped her at the Wildwood Stables. Nikko happened to like Kat and their relationship abounded with unknown possibilities. A straw horse was one that held no promise of winning. Many of the horses taken in by Kat did not stand a chance of winning but held a special place in Kat’s heart and the hearts of others. A multitude of disturbing things happened at Wildwood Stables from a fire, cut brake lines to runaway horses. Kat’s life was in danger from an unknown culprit(s) who may been associated with ancient civilization artifacts.
Some of the themes that presented themselves were caring for animals and the importance of family traditions. Kat, Nikko and animal rescue organizations demonstrated their love and care they felt towards horses. A pony was rescued from an abusive situation and Kat’s heart went out to the forsaken animal. She organized various services to help the pony recover. Nikko rescued Tobie his dog. Kat took in horses that needed a safe home and she provided excellent care. Kat’s father lined up the Wildwood Stables for his daughter after the death of his brother to make sure his brother’s legacy tied with Wildwood Stables continued to be carried out. His brother provided a safe home for many horses. Kat was well on the way to accomplishing the same type of business and she had the respect of many people who cared about the welfare of horses.
What I liked about the book and how it related to my life included my love of animals such as horses, majestic animals and my experience with horses. When I was in junior high and older my family owned a Palamino horse and a Shetland pony. I enjoyed riding our horse and my friends and I would go horseback riding together. I attended 4H trainings to learn about the proper care of horses. Martin gave such good descriptions of the horses in her book. It felt like the horses had distinct personalities. I ended up liking a couple of the horses and wanted to meet them. Martin did a very good job of including horses in the storyline along with multiple mysterious situations.
The movie that came to mind when reading this book was “My Friend Flicka” (1943) starring Roddy McDowall, Preston Foster, and Rita Johnson. The movie was about a boy who had poor grades in school. His father was disappointed, but his mother thought the caring of a horse would help her son. Ken chose an injured filly instead of a colt to see if he can nurse her back to health. Nursing injured animals was common in Martin’s book. A book that came to mind was “Stablekeeping: A visual Guide to Safe and Healthy Horsekeeping” by Cherry Hill and Richard Klimesh. Martin brought to light all the work associated with the care of horses. They need to be fed at least twice a day, stalls cleaned, medical care and all the supplies they need. Martin described many bales of hay being delivered and how much work was involved in stocking the hay barn. My family owned a hay barn.
I recommend Straw Horse for its intriguing story, because of the extensive information about horses, for its endearing blossoming love story and for its humor. Martin brought together a series of items and situations that appeared at the beginning of the story to have nothing in common. She provided a lot of interesting details about horses and the responsibility concerning caring for them. Horses need to be put in corrals to run and have more space, they need the safety of stalls at night and their hoofs need tender loving care. Nikko and Kat worked well together when they tried to solve mysteries while spending time together getting to know each other. Kat questioned where the relationship stood and if things would get more serious. Kat often found herself in humorous situations, she questioned her sanity. Martin’s “Straw Horse” offers a witty and suspenseful romantic mystery set in the rugged Northwoods.
Title: Straw Horse
Author: Terri Martin
