by Mary Buff
First published 2007
Peter lives on a Utah farm where his most treasured companion is Pinto, his horse. He spends his days riding across the farmland and caring for the animal he loves most. When Peter's father falls ill and cannot work the farm, money becomes scarce. The family faces an impossible choice. They decide to sell Pinto to survive financially. Peter watches his beloved horse leave, his heart breaking as his closest friend disappears from his life. Through this loss, Peter discovers what family sacrifice means. He learns that sometimes love requires letting go. The boy finds strength in hard work and discovers that resilience can grow from the deepest pain.
Genres: fiction, animals, family-life, 20th-century, agriculture, horses
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, loss
Setting: Utah
Period: 20th-century
100 pages · Paperback · Kessinger Publishing