Ride On
by Faith Erin Hicks ; illus. by the author; color by Kelly Fitzpatrick
Middle School     First Second    224 pp.         g
8/22     978-1-250-77281-7     $22.99
Paper ed.  978-1-250-77282-4    $14.99

In this vivacious graphic novel by the author/illustrator of One Year at Ellsmere (rev. 7/20), horse-mad Norrie mistrusts the new rider at the stable, Victoria, because she previously rode at rival stable Waverly. For her part, Victoria reacts coldly to Norrie’s “Edgewood Stables welcome,” insisting she’s there to ride, not make friends. The encouragement of Norrie’s two other stable friends, Hazel and Sam, and a mutual love of the Beyond the Galaxy TV show lead to a détente, and the new foursome plans both to compete at a Waverly schooling show and to dress up as the show’s characters for a fan event. Scenes alternating between home, school, and the barn keep the illustrated panels fresh and compelling, while the characters’ physical vitality and charismatically drawn facial expressions elicit reader engagement as the friends face personal hurdles of the family, academic, and equestrian variety. The portrayal of stable life, its jealousies and dramas (including the brief mystery of why Victoria quit riding at Waverly), and the ride-or-die friendships forged there will be recognized by some readers and aspirational for others; inclusive characterization (Sam is the only boy but not the only person of color at the stable) makes all equestrians welcome. With snappy dialogue and spot-on pacing, the pages fly by, making this breezy read appealing to horse lovers, sci-fi-fandom aficionados, and those who live for excellent graphic novels alike.

From the November/December 2022 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.