If Dauphin, a pampered Shetland pony, seems to lead the perfect life in the penthouse suite of the city's posh riding stables, it's because he does. And if he seems a bit too self-satisfied―after all, he's won several trophies for his young owner, Isabella, and is widely acknowledged to be the prettiest pony in the city―it's because he is. Dauphin leads a rich, comfortable life. But all that changes when his relationship with his owner takes a decided turn for the worse. He's suddenly sent away to a farm in the middle of nowhere, which is filled with the most unusual animals. And where, against all odds, he discovers the true meaning of home and family. “A modern-day adventure that reads like an exuberant nature journal, this novel will grip readers from start to finish...Deftly and tenderly, without being overly sentimental, Wedekind describes the subtleties of horse instinct and communication. Horse fans and animal lovers will embrace this book with unbridled enthusiasm. It deserves a place next to Marguerite Henry or even Jack London on young readers' bookshelves.” ― School Library Journal on Wild Blue “Sensitive, sophisticated and lyrically written, Wedekind's debut portrays the typical teen struggle for self-awareness in an anything-but-typical fashion. Possibly the most honest horse book since National Velvet , from an equestrian point-of-view, this offering's riding scenes combine accuracy with seat-of-the-pants excitement. A champion.” ― Kirkus Reviews, starred review on A Horse of Her Own Annie Wedekind grew up riding horses in Louisville, Kentucky. Since then, she’s been in the saddle in every place she’s lived, from Rhode Island to New Orleans, South Africa to New York. Her first novel, A Horse of Her Own , was praised by Kirkus as “possibly the most honest horse book since National Velvet . . . A champion.” She is also the author of The Breyer Horse Collection books, including Wild Blue , Little Prince , Samirah’s Ride , and Mercury’s Flight . She lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York. Little Prince The Story of a Shetland Pony By Wedekind, Annie Feiwel & Friends Copyright © 2009 Wedekind, Annie All right reserved. ISBN: 9780312599188 Phin shook his head and snorted. He’d been rescued by the man who was now giving him a light massage with the currycomb. Phin leaned into Jack with a sigh of pleasure. Drinking in the sweet smell of fresh alfalfa, clean bedding, and polished leather, Phin knew he was where he belonged. “Well, aren’t we in a fine mood, laddie?” Jack smiled at him. “Thinkin that life suits us pretty well? Glad your mistress hasn’t forgotten you?” An icy spur pierced Phin’s reverie. Jack’s lighthearted words had touched on a feeling—an uncomfortable, nagging feeling that had grown over the past few months—that Isabella Ingram wasn’t spending quite as much time with her pony as she used to. Or showing quite the same level of ecstatic devotion, mingled with tyrannical bossiness, to which Phin had grown accustomed. But surely she was busy with school, and the weather had been uncertain . . . Phin brushed aside his dark thoughts, gave Jack a little nip to make himself feel better, and resumed his contemplation of the pink and purple petunias. It was a beautiful day, and his mistress was taking him to the park. She would bring him a sugar lump. She loved him. And that was all any pony needed. Continues... Excerpted from Little Prince by Wedekind, Annie Copyright © 2009 by Wedekind, Annie. Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.