Fire Pony

Twelve year old Cricket O'Conner lives on a Montana horse ranch, where she reluctantly assists her mother with breaking young horses to saddle. When she finds out that her mother expects her to work with a particularly difficult three year old, Cricket thinks her summer can't get any worse. But Cricket's wrong---her summer does get worse. Much worse. When wildfire threatens the ranch and two valuable colts go missing, Cricket has to make a choice--help her mother try to save the house and barn or ride out alone on the half-broke Gonna Be to find the missing colts. Cricket clings to the hope that her birthday purchase of a unique, hand-painted model horse will bring her good luck and help save the ranch. But will it? Or will the mysterious Fire Pony attract fire, rather than repel it?

Fire Pony touches on crucial issues facing the intermountain West: drought, beetle-kill, and wildfire in the urban-wildlands interface. More than just an adventure story for middle graders, Fire Pony can be a thought-provoking read for any age.