First published 2006
Mary-Kate gets assigned to work at Starbright Stables for Animal Week in her Social Sciences class. She feels thrilled about the opportunity since she adores horses and considers this her perfect job. The excitement fades when she discovers her assigned partner Courtney rarely appears when scheduled. Mary-Kate finds herself handling all the stable duties alone while their teacher plans to grade them as a team. She watches other student pairs working together successfully while she mucks stalls and tends horses by herself. The unfairness frustrates her, but she refuses to give up on the horses she loves caring for. Mary-Kate faces a difficult choice between confronting Courtney about her absences or accepting that they might both receive failing grades. She must find a way to motivate her unreliable partner or risk losing the assignment that means everything to her. The story explores friendship challenges and personal responsibility through Mary-Kate's determination to succeed.
Genres: family-life, friendship, contemporary, young-adult
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Starbright Stables
93 pages · HarperCollins Entertainment