FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. In Williamsburg in 1774, nine-year-old Felicity rescues a beautiful horse, who is being beaten and starved by her cruel owner. Grade 2-5-- Felicity Merriman lives in Colonial Williamsburg, where her father is a shopkeeper. She rails against the behavior expected of nine-year-old girls, and would rather be helping in her father's store or, better yet, spending her time around horses. She is particularly drawn to Penny, an unbroken, mistreated horse owned by an abusive alcoholic, Jiggy Nye. Felicity visits and ultimately tames Penny, taking literally Nye's statement that anyone who rides the horse can have her. When Jiggy reclaims his horse, Felicity frees her, knowing that this constitutes horse stealing for which the penalty is hanging. But Felicity manages to pull it off without getting caught. This ending leaves a lot of unanswered questions and may be somewhat unsettling for readers who can justifiably question the morality of Felicity's actions even as they cheer her determination. ``A Peek into the Past'' gives a brief history, richly arrayed with scenes, portraits, and artifacts of the time. Other than the too-abrupt ending, the volume is well written and attractively illustrated in full color; the full-page pictures and small vignettes effectively augment the text and provide the flavor of the period. - Marie Orlando, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.