Thoroughbred #02 Wonder's Promise (Thoroughbred)

Rating:
Summary: not always perfect
Review: My mother bought the first six books of the thoroughbred series for me when I was in first or second grade, when they first came out about ten years ago, and although I was barely old enough to beat my way through the books, I fell in love with the stories. This was, actually, the first book I read in the series; I spent night after night reading for hours on end trying to find out what would happen next. I couldn't recommend a better book for anyone from a kid who is just learning how to read to someone who wants a quick easy book with a, juvinile yes, but entertaining plot. I still collect and read the series now, despite being able to read the new books in two hours at most. For anyone who is already a fan of the series, Joanna Campbell, in my opinion, is the best author of the series, and the first books have the most rich and unique plots. The layout in these books help you appreciate all of the other books in the series.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: This is one of my favorites in the Thoroughbred series. I think that Joanna Campbell did an excellent job of writing it. The book is all about Wonder being able to start training. Charlie starts training Wonder but he doesn't co-operate with anyone but Ashleigh. Will Ashleigh be able to be Wonder's jockey? This is a must read for any horse lover.

Rating:
Summary: Faith in Wonder kept Ash going, even when all seemed lost.
Review: This is the second installment in the amazing Thoroughbred series. In this book, Wonder has been put into yearling training under a rough trainer. Jennings thinks that Wonder has been babied all her life and it's high time she learned to be treated like a race horse. Wonder becomes a totally different horse as she he manhandled and whipped. Ashleigh and Charlie can see that this sort of "training" is ruining Wonder before she even has a chance to prove herself on the track.

When Charlie and Ashleigh are given permission to exercise Wonder over the winter, they begin to plan a way to undo all that Wonder had been through. Ashleigh was terrified of her filly at first because Wonder was beyond control. It took a lot of guts and perseverance for her to climb up on that filly's back after she'd been thrown. The end result of all their hard work? Wonder was able to turn around and become the amazing horse that Charlie and Ashleigh had seen since the day she was born.

This book is a perfect example of why the Thoroughbred series must be saved! This series began with so much promise during the Ashleigh/Sammy years. Yes, the series has changed many authors and there have been some major bumps in the road, but the faithful readers of the TB series can see through all that to what promise the series still has. There are new characters and plots that could be made into great new books, but Harper Collins is planning to end publishment of this series after book #72. If you want to help save this amazing series, go to www.whitebrookfarm.com to find out more. Be sure to sign the petition also (only once please!). Ashleigh knew Wonder had the potential to be great and we know that the TB series has the potential to bring great stories and characters back too! HELP SAVE THOROUGHBRED!

Rating:
Summary: another good book in the tb series!
Review: This was a great book. Wonder gets trained but not the way she should be trained. Jennings, her trainer, using force and whips to get her going but all Wonder needs is a gentle hand. Wonder responds horibbly to Jennings and Ashleigh believes that Wonder is ruined. Will Ashleigh save Wonder in time or will her chances of being an excellent racehorse be ruined? Read this book to find out.

Rating:
Summary: Best book of the series!
Review: This was the most remarkable stories I ever read. Wonder's finally in training! But the day that Ashleigh had long awaited may be the worst day of her life. Wonder has a jockey named Jocko who uses the whip constantly.... Wonder slows down every time she gets smacked, which leads to more whipping... The bond between horse and girl deepens and Ashleigh gets a chance to prove just what Wonder is made of.

Rating:
Summary: Wonder's in trouble!
Review: Wonder won't train because she hates being handled roughly. Everyone thinks that Ashleigh is just being too soft when she points this out and doesn't give Wonder a chance. Ashleigh decides to ride Wonder with the old trainer Charlie's help. Progress is slowly made--but will the new jockey ruin it all? This is a good book. However, Ashleigh is still pretty much an emotional, complaining girl who thinks that crying and rushing into things will cure all. She thinks that Wonder's devotion and her determination will miracolously turn the horse into a champion. Ashleigh is sometimes a brat.

Rating:
Summary: Wonder's Promise
Review: Wonder's Promise by Joanna Campbell is a wonderful, exiting book that I would recommend to any horse lover. The main character is a brave girl named Ashleigh Griffen. She and her friends Charlie, who is a retired horse trainer, and Linda, her best friend, had saved a filly from dying in the first year of her life, and now that filly is being trained to race. The problem is Wonder, the filly, doesn't like her trainer or the way she is being handled. She doesn't like the sting of the crop and soon she starts to disobey all of her trainers commands. Soon Wonder is put out of training for the season and Ashleigh is determined to prove to everyone that Wonder is not a failure. Ashleigh starts to train Wonder with the help of Linda and Charlie. Then one night, one of the stable hands see them breezing Wonder, and he tells the trainer of the yearlings. The trainer demands to see Wonder gallop and Ashleigh is worried sick. If Wonder does bad on the track, she would be auctioned. (spoiler)