Book 1), Wild Thing (Winnie the Horse Gentler

This is an older book for younger readers, but if you have a child in love with horses you might want to check it out.

Dandi Daley Mackall packs a lot of emotion into this short chapter book. Winnie hasn't forgiven herself for events that changed the lives of her family, and that lack of forgiveness is reflected in pretty much everything she does. She's quick tempered, quick to judge, and rather rude.

But once you understand the heart, you can help change the behavior.

That's a lesson she learns when she encounters a horse named "Wild Thing". Seems both the horse and the girl need to learn about forgiveness, trust, faith and love. The book includes quite a bit about faith, but isn't heavy handed.

Lizzy is an excellent supportive sister for Winnie, even though she's the younger of the two. Dad's a bit distracted trying to keep the family together But Dandi crafts a host of interesting and quirky characters to fill in the gaps and fill in the fun.

I bought the e-book version to check it out for my oldest granddaughter, and I think I've found a winner! "Wild Thing" is the first in a series, and is published by Tyndale Publishing. Recommended.

** “A king-size God thing.” **

Twelve-year-old Winnie Willis is tired of moving around. Ever since her mom died in a car accident — an accident for which Winnie blames herself — the family has done nothing but move, move, move. This time she hopes, along with her younger sister Lizzy, they’ll stay awhile in Ashland, Ohio, where Winnie has found a job at the local stable where she can be near her favorite animal — horses.

The owners of the stable have taken in a white Arabian they’ve named “Wild Thing,” as it’s full of fear and out of control. Winnie quickly falls in love with the Arabian, and slowly uses her horse gentler skills to calm the horse down and earn its trust. She wants nothing more than to have the horse for herself.

In Dandi Daley Mackall’s first installment of the “Winnie” series series, “Wild Thing” shows us many important lessons. It reminds us about unfailing love — whether from people or God; faithfulness; and dealing with blame, trust and forgiveness. Winnie must learn to believe in God’s forgiveness and turn to Him for help.

“Wild Thing” is full of fun characters beyond Winnie — Calvin “Catman” Coolidge is like the Pied Piper for cats; little sister Lizzy has a thing for lizards; Eddy Barker has a knack for rehabilitating dogs; and Pat Haven owns a small pet shop and runs a pet help line.

This book is fun for “kids” of all ages.

Five stars out of five.

Even though this book is geared for younger readers, I have to admit that I learned a lot from it. I loved the way Mackall introduced readers to terms about horses and the equipment used to take care of them. She also included an extensive glossary at the back of the book about different kinds of horses and a comprehensive diagram about the parts of the horse. Readers also learn a lot about horse training and how to act around horses. I grew up reading horse stories, so I was really surprised at how much I learned.

Mackall has a knack for writing amazing stories that draw readers in, while teaching them about animals, and teaching them life lessons. In this one readers are drawn into Winnie's world as she struggles to cope with the loss of her mother and the perception that her father blames her for her mother's death. This is one of the few stories where I wasn't quite sure of the ending and I could imagine it going a couple of different ways. I wasn't disappointed in the ending, and I don't think anyone else would be either.

After reading several of Mackall's horse stories, I can safely say that I am a fan. She does a great job with believable adolescent characters and animal characters. Readers are immediately sucked in and begin to care about the characters right from the beginning of the book. I can't wait to read other stories in this series.

Back Cover: Twelve-year-old Winnie Willis has a way with horses. She can gentle the wildest mare, but other parts of her life don't always come as easily. Along with her dad and sister, Lizzy, Winnie is learning how to live without her mom, who was also a natural horse gentler. As Winnie teaches her horses about unconditional love and blind trust, God shows Winnie that he can be trusted too. Readers will be hooked on the series' vivid characters, whose quirky personalities fill Winnie's life with friendship and adventure. In #1 "Wild Thing, " Winnie's fearful heart finally begins to trust God again as she tries to gentle the horse of her dreams, Wild Thing.

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As a horse lover and having a younger sister in love with horses, Winnie the Horse Gentler is a great series for young girls who love horses. I loved reading about Catman and all of Winnie's friends, and the tips they offer through their program at the pet store.
The first of 8 books, Wild Thing is about Winnie after another hard move to a town where she doesn't know anybody. With her love of horses she soon helps a horse everyone else deem unbreakable and call her "Wild Thing".
This book is definitely a must read for girls who love horses, and love to read.

I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars

Wild Thing is another good book by Dandi Mackall. In this book, Winnie is a young girl who loves horses and has longed for one of her own. She also deals with some of the same stuff that kids today deal with during adolescence. Winnie struggles with the pain of losing her mother and blames herself for her death. She also has moved many times in her life and also gets picked on by her peers because her family does not have a lot of money. Then, something happens to change things for the better for her when she has the chance to buy the horse she has always dreamed of owning, however, she has two hurdles to overcome: getting her dad to settle down and raising the money she needs to buy the horse. Will Winnie convince her father to not move again? How will Winnie raise enough money to buy a horse? Will God help Winnie overcome her guilt and heal her heart? This is a great book for girls because not only does the writer weave a good story, but she also addresses problems that many kids face and she does it in a way where God gets the glory.

WILD THING
Winnie the Horse Gentler
By Dandi Daley Mackall

Winnie Willis has a way with horses, but since her mother's death she hasn't had one of her own. And that's just as it should be - after all she's the reason her mother died. And the last two years Winnie's just been existing - until she meets Wild Thing.

Wild Thing is a wild Arabian that no one can touch, but Winnie feels a connection with this wild mare. And Winnie is determined to get Wild Thing as her very own and away from the Spindells.

But Winnie's plan to raise money to buy her dream horse might backfire when Wild Thing is put up for sale before Winnie has raised a single penny. Will Winnie learn that she is loved and that God hasn't abandoned her? Or will she lose herself to her fear and the pain of her past?

This was a touching young adult book. Since Winnie's mom died her Dad has been moving them around. Life has not been stable. Winnie's mom was known as a horse gentler. Winnie has her mother's horse skills. The author's experience with horses shows in her books. There are several true to life details like how to tell how old a horse is according to the teeth. Wild Thing is a horse that Winnie wants to train. Her family does not have the money to buy it. The characters and plot are interesting and kept my attention. The faith part is not overdone. Recommended especially for Christian horse loving girls.

Winnie Willis is a twelve year old girl who absolutely loves horses. After being moved around a lot in the two years since her mother's tragic death, she happens upon a horse with a wild spirit. She immediately falls in love with the horse and has to find a way to buy her.

This was a fun book. There are a lot of fun characters in this book. One of the best parts was the way all of the characters really had a natural calling to the animals they favored. Lots of information about horses and their care is included. It was a lovely little story. It will be a fun read for anyone.

Wild Thing by Dandi Daley Mackall

Two years ago Winnie Willis lost her mother in a car accident, she blames her self for her mothers death, and lost her faith in god. Winnie works at a stable mucking out stalls. The owners of the stable buys a wild acting Arabian white mare that is loss the first time Winnie sees her.
The horse learns to trust the girl, and the girl learns to trust god.
Sound horsemanship. Recommend for young horse lovers:)
5 *****
Children's Books > Animals > Horses

This heroic tale will leave you breathless. It will bring love and hope to your heart but don't think that it is this romantic love story just yet. The thrill is out of control! Winnie Willis loves horses just like her mom but ever since the accident Winnie has been trying to find a sense of hope and belonging but it doesn't help when her father has moved Winnie and her sister, Lizzy, ten times in the last year. She doesn't really care much until now. She has a chance to buy the horse of her dreams but where will she ever get the money? On top of that her father announces that they are going to move again. She wants that horse more than anything. Can she talk her father into staying and will she get the money to buy that horse? With as wild as that horse is no one in the town wants to believe she can tame it. Do they just need some faith? That I'm leaving for you to find out.

Out of all the books I've read this is one of the best! Two thumbs way up! You won't stop reading, I couldn't!

-Candice

Winnie loves horses. Unfortunately, when her mom died – in an accident that Winnie knows was her fault – her dad sold the horses and moved them away. After several moves they are now in Ohio and Winnie has found the most beautiful horse and she knows she can love and calm the horse, and give her a new name besides the Wild Thing. But will her dad move them again? Will she have a chance with the Wild Thing? Great book for tweens, especially those who love animals, to show God does care about them.

I purchased this book for my pre-teen daughter. She loves to read and was really into horses.

This was a great book. She enjoyed it and wanted to read more of them.

I think this would be a great book choice for any girl age 10-14. This would make a great gift or just a surprise to let them know you were thinking about them.

I think Winnie the horse gentler is an amazing story. I read it on my kindle fire and i think this is a nice story. I am happy it says very few bad words and it is a funny story i'd share with others! I am deciding i would collect the Winnie books! This story is about a ranch i Wyoming or maybe Ohio, and Winnie sees a horse she called Wild thing. She tries all her best, with help from Lizzy, her sister, and Catman, to own the ghost-white Arabian. She goes to an auction and offers $750 for the horse. The next week, she wins the horse! I totally rate this five stars!!

This book is sweet, a little sad, and very educational. I enjoyed learning about horses and the children who love them. I liked the horse vocabulary, and the drawing that showed all the parts of a horse. Winnie, the young girl, works through her difficulties bravely, and learns important lessons very well, while showing her love of animals. Winnie's friends are quite interesting. Mackall writes an excellent story; descriptive, colorful, personal, and a lot of fun.

In #1 Wild Thing, Winnie's fearful heart finally begins to trust God again as she tries to gentle the horse of her dreams, Wild Thing. This novel was a sweet book and a great start to the Winnie the Horse Gentler series. Winnie is very shy when interacting with people, but she absolutely loves horses. I loved how she compared people and their behaviors to horses, especially when the people in question acted little better than animals. However, I enjoyed seeing Winnie's transformation as she began to make friends, trust God, and pursue her dreams to help horses and (indirectly) people as well. The characters were very interesting and realistic with unique personalities. The descriptions were beautiful, especially of the horses. Overall, Wild Thing and the rest of the series are great reads for teens or young readers who love horses and a little mystery.

Dandi Daley Mackall has created the must read series for the next generation. If you love God and horses this is the book for you! Winnie: The Horse Gentler follows 12 year old Winnie and her love for horses. By the end of this book you will not only have learned tons about horses but fall in love with a cast of characters and a family rebuilding itself after tragedy.
In the first book of the series, Wild Thing, Winnie and her sister Liz have just moved with their dad to a new town where Winnie spots the most beautiful horse she has ever seen and knows that she must own the horse. Through twists and turns Winnie gets the chance to see and work with the horse deemed 'Wild Thing' once Winnie with the help of some friends figures out how she can earn the money to buy 'Wild Thing' she goes to tell him and discovers that the owners have moved him.
Will Winnie find where they have taken 'Wild Thing' will she be able to have her dream horse at last? Will she ever see 'Wild Thing' again?

I just finished reading this book last night. Winnie by Dandi Daley Mackall is a Christian horse fiction for young readers. The character, Winnie Willis, is a 12 year old lover of horses. She knows her stuff to!

Cover: Wild Thing There was one disturbing part that I felt should have been kept out. When Winnie takes a job answering questions about horses through email, she decides to open up to a customer called Hawk. She tells this stranger more than I think she should at 12 years old.

Other than that part, the book was good. I can't say excellent, I have read better horse books. I like that there were Bible verses used in the book and references to how much God loves us.

All in all, this is a book I will keep for my daughter to read. We may even have to get the rest of the series!

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by Tyndale to read and review with my own honest opinion.

The author uses clear language geared for a youthful audience and explains the life of a horse and rider. THe developing relationship between the two requires time and effort... but the right kind of effort... and not trying too hard. It is a love story of a different kind between animal and young girl that explainis the familly type bond between horse and rider.Coyote AprilMy Appaloosa: A Journal for Anyone Interested in Understanding Horses with bonus insert on painting and drawing horses

Wild Thing by Dandi Daly Mackall is the first book in the young adult series Winnie, The Horse Gentler. It's a sweet story about a girl who loves horses. Her family is going through a difficult time, and her love of horses and new friends help her get through difficult times. Along the way Winnie must learn to trust God in all things.

What a great series for tweens! What girl doesn't love horses at one time or another?! The book gives great information about the different breeds of horses and weaves in particulars about caring for horses. I think many young girls will wish they could be Winnie! In addition to all the "horse talk," the author weaves in wonderful truths of God's faithfulness and love. I would definitely recommend to tweens!

Reader must have a true interest for horses in order to fully follow all aspects of the story. I enjoyed the inserts of history trivia regarding the cat of Charles Dickens (named Wilhemina) and the cat of Winston Churchill (named Nelson). Another interesting tidbit of information was the author's explanation of the Galvayne's groove in the horse's teeth used to estimate a horse's age.

I borrowed this book from the library, and I loved it so much I bought it the next day! They're perfect with God, AND horse combined.I now have all 8 bookes in the series, and I love them so much that I don't read any thing else.I bet it took a big imagination to create such uniqe caracters as Catman and Barker.I would recomend these books to ANYONE!

This was a great book written for preteens and teens to enjoy! I'm a horse lover, and I loved the facts about horses in the books, but it was also refreshing to read fiction alongside that. Winnie is a likable character, and the books are funny, exciting, and teach good morals and lessons!

This is my very most favorite book series!You have to read this book and the rest of the series! Also every book comes with an important lesson. I would reccomend this book for ages 7+ anyone who can read should totaly read this book!

If readers aren't totally interested in horses at the beginning of this book,they will be by the end of chapter one. Dandi Mackall triggers your interest in horses on the first couple of pages. The protagonist, Winnie Willis, loves horses--just like her mother did. In WILD THING, Winnie has a chance to buy the horse of her dreams. But she has a problem. How can she possibly raise enough money?And how can she convince her dad not to make them move again? WILD THING includes a page showing various parts of a horse, two pages of "Horse Talk," and a "Horse-O-Pedia."

I chose this rating because this was a great book. It had a lot of details. I liked the part when Winnie gentled wild thing a.k.a nicker but didn't want to auction her. So she made her act up. This was a very interesting book.

The book was the perfect thing for me!!!! I loved it it was more than amazing the good thing is I'm a horse lover and also a Christian it was a amazing book I loved it!!! Some of the parts made me cry but that`s what I love in books!!! It was just so amazing!!!!!!

For starters this book was surprisingly good. At first it was sad. Then more in the middle it was happy. So there is a good balance. But most of all I loved the part were Winnie finally realised that God loved her.

I liked that the book was interesting and that Winnie loved to help horses and ponies with their problems or habits. I liked about this book is Winnie found a job and some friends. There was nothing bad about this book. And I forgot the other question or questions.

these books rock!!!!!!!!! my grandma got me the first 3 for christmas a few years ago and i got the rest on my kindle . these books are really, really good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! gift horse is a little sad though, otherwise they're great!!!!!!!!!!

I would definitely recommend this series to any tween girl. I loved horses as a kid and this series had me hooked from the minute I picked it up. It has a good plot and the depth that an older girl would enjoy.