Hart, Alison. Samuel's horses

Hart, Alison. Samuel's horses. Simon & Schuster, Aladdin. 141p. c2005.0-689-86777-8. $4.99. J

Hart has written another historical novel set during the Civil War era and told from the perspective of a young slave. The first in a forthcoming trilogy, the book's title seems ironic since for much of the novel Samuel doesn't even own himself let alone horses. Master Giles, his British owner, is positioned as a benevolent master who treats his slaves humanely but refuses to openly support the Union or Confederate cause. Most of the novel focuses on Samuel and his ambition to become a jockey under the tutelage of his father.

When Samuel's father (a free black man) purchases his wife's freedom, he decides to join the Union army to earn money to free Samuel as well. Suddenly, it seems like Samuel's first horse race will be his last. Master Giles hires a new horse trainer and jockey, and Samuel is reduced to grooming horses again. But Samuel's natural love of horses and ambition to become a jockey is so fervent he risks his own life to save the horses from the abuse of the new trainer and from One Arm, the leader of a band of raiders determined to steal Master Giles' thoroughbreds.

Similar to Fires of Jubilee, the slave characters see freedom as "not about leaving" the plantation, but about "caring for others." The "others" are usually the whites who owned them. In exchange for saving the horses, Master Giles gives Samuel his freedom, but he remains an employee on the plantation.

Hart does a good job of illuminating the harsh living conditions of the black Union soldiers and the families they left behind, many of whom were tossed off slave plantations after the men joined the army. Hart's novel is also commendable because of its effort to expose the forced anonymity of black jockeys, who were not mentioned in newspapers because of their racial identity. The novel has a timely focus, considering the recent attention given to jockeys like Jimmy Winkfield and to the racism that still exists in the world of horse racing today. KaaVonia Hinton, Old Dominian Univ., VA

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescent and their teachers.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Kliatt
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group