Ride On

10 y/o daughter loves this book. Horse shows, drama and rivalry.

Faith Erin Hicks at her BEST! A very lovely tale, beautifully illustrated, full of emotion and friendship. Life is full of changes, some welcome, some not; and Victoria has to learn to ride the obstacle courses that destiny throws in her way.I can't recommend enough! A very wonderful book!

I can't stay too much without giving it away. But the story was written to draw in your interest quickly. Keep you curious with good world building, while at the same time we get flashbacks of the past that help fill in the details.

After a fight with her best friend Taylor, Victoria has lost her desire for horse riding. Taylor was getting more focused on competitions and Victoria doesn’t want the high stakes anymore. So, Victoria has decided to get a fresh start at a new horse stable. One where she doesn’t have to feel the pressure of competition. And one where she doesn’t plan on making friends.However, her fellow riders are suspcious of that at first. Victoria doesn’t mind getting shunned. It just means that she can’t get hurt again. Until she realizes that there can be more to friendships than just horses. And maybe going friendless isn’t the perfect solution she thought it was.I’m a huge fan of Hicks’ art and writing, so I was excited to pick this one up. I am happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed!Let’s be honest, almost every girl had a horse phase growing up, right? You read all the horse books, imagined having your own. Maybe even riding lessons! This graphic novel fufills all those fantasies. Honestly, this works so well as a middle grade graphic novel because of the themes. Middle school is such a trying time, and changing friendships is one of those reasons. Victoria learns the hard way that all friendships aren’t meant to last.Additionally, the new friendships she makes are adorable. Not only do they bond over horses, but also their favorite sci-fi show! Each of the side characters also has their own journey, making them feel fully fleshed out. I loved the little group they formed, and I’m sure readers will too!Hicks’ art style is also one of my favorites. It is so unique, and lends itself well to this story.All in all, you’ll definitely want to pick this one up when it comes out next month!

This one brought me back to high school. It was so nostalgic. Victoria is horse obsessed just about how much I was horse obsessed. Except she's also into a Star Trek like show and I was into Star Wars.Victoria changes stables to Edgewood and immediately Norrie wants to know all the tea about her and where she came from and why she's there. Sam and Hazel are loyal to Norrie and when she decides to shun Victoria for not making friends........ they shun her too. But Victoria is done with stable friends because her last bestie Taylor left her in the dust. But once Victoria gets to know the new stable and the trio, she regrets not taking the olive branch at the start of her time at the barn.What I loved most:The horsesThe mix of horses, comps and science fictionThe siblings in this one are very realistic and great

Thank you to First Second Books and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this lovely book. This is a wonderful middle-grade story, beautiful illustrations, and important lessons that reader learns along the way (friendships, sibling relationships, change in things you like is part of growing up). Looking forward to sharing this book with my upper elementary students.

Ride On is about figuring out one’s place as they fall out with friends who may not have the same goals as them and finding new friends that are accepting with all aspects of you, and how this is okay! So much of this felt true when it comes to middle school friendships. Oh, and all of this is surrounded by horses and riding competitions (and a little bit of sci-fi love!). Another gem by Hicks!

I’m not generally a fan of graphic novels. Not because they’re bad. They’re not. It’s just that prose is my happy place. But for millions of readers — including my 8-year-old — graphic novels are their happy place. And Faith Erin Hicks’ Ride On is an excellent addition to the format.Drawn to the format or not, it’s still easy to tell a good story told through well-illustrated frames and thoughtfully crafted dialogue. It’s key that these elements work seamlessly together, and in Ride On they do.Victoria and her supporting characters are all well-developed. Hicks explores each of them separately and together. I will say that Norrie is obnoxious. She grows on you, but give her time.The publisher’s suggested age range for Ride On is 10 to 14, but there’s nothing objectionable should a 9-year-old want to give it a go.I received a paperback copy for review, and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of printing and binding. It has an overall great feel to it. Ride On is a great option for middle readers looking for a new graphic novel. It should especially appeal to fans of horses.