This was a good book from what I remember, it has been a while since I read it. I had enjoyed the information about all the different animals and enjoyed the characters as well. The only thing I remember that could be negative, would be that the main girl, Dakota, gets involved with some older guys (not sexually), but they influence her to steal, drive without a license, and lie. She does have a conscious, however, and in the end does what is right. But, overall, I remember thoroughly enjoying this book. ( )

Perfect for : Personal reading, Great gift book for child/young adult

In a nutshell: A gentle, charming book filled with learning opportunities, hope, faith, love and family. Once I picked this book up, I found it refreshing in its simplicity and it's faith-centered attitude. No pushy preaching here - but something a child/young adult/adult/parent can read and enjoy, while getting a sense of peace, happiness . . . and family. Dakota Brown has been from foster-home to foster-home, never fitting in, never staying long. She is brought to the Coolidges farm, where she meets a wonderful family who help her see that she might be able to be part of a family after all! It was great to watch Dakota make choices that affected both her and those around her. The families reactions always surprised her, as they put people above posessions. Throughout the book, choices are made, some good - some bad, and there are consequenses to help reinforce growth and learning.

My Review:
This book is about Dakota Brown, a 15 year-old girl who has already been to seven different foster homes. Now she is being taken to the eighth foster-home by Ms. Bean, her social worker. From the get-go, Dakota is planning to run-away, and plans to enlist the help of Niel, another kid who has been lost in the foster-system for so long he plans to leave for good.

Dakota uses her list-book to help keep some sort of control of her life. The book lincludes many 10-Reasons Why . . . lists (Why I Don't Like. . . Why Horses are Better Than Cars . . . , etc).

Ms. Bean feels that Dakota might do better with a change of pace, so takes her to Nice, the small community where the Coolidges live on their farm Starlight Animal Rescue. Dr. Annie and Chester "Popeye" Coolidge are loving parents to both their natural son Hank, and two other foster-children Kat and Wes. Each memeber of the family has a significant impact on Dakota, helping to ultimately help her make the best choices for both herself, and the family.

Not everything in the story is perfect (which wouldn't be realistic). One member is fighting a serious illness, and one has ties to a troubled parent. Dakota makes many mistakes in her first two weeks (crashing Popeye's and Hank's truck, stealing money from the Pet Adoption canister), but through these mistakes, she learns valuable lessons and comes to learn that she has found people to care for, who love her for herself. Could this be the family she has secretly yearned for?

Characters: I encourage you to come meet the people who cheer for Dakota when she successfully gets her driver's permit (she admits never knowing a time when someone has cheered for her, what can I say - I felt like cheering as well), who help her learn to be part of a team, who teach her to be responsible and care for someone/something else (Blackfire the horse has a special transformation that is entirely thanks to Dakota). The characters, both human and animal, are wonderful. Each has a personality that is used by the author to help with growth within the family. I truely loved each character.

Story-Line: I think the story-line was great, especially considering the age group most likely to read the story, those around 9-12 or so years old. Kids will be able to relate to the characters' feelings and actions, even if they aren't a foster-child themselves. It will help kids to look at how their actions affect others, and that they can have a positive impact on people and animals through their choices and how they treat others.

Readability: This was a very easy-to-read story for all ages. Even though it is written as juvenile fiction, it is all-ages appropriate. It made me smile and walk with a lighter step.

Overall: A great book, written with a Christian influence (not over-powering, more inspiring and hope-filled). This is sure to be a favorite book/series for both kids and parents. ( )

Runaway marks the strong launch of Dandi Daley Mackall’s new series for tweens and teens, Starlight Animal Rescue. A prolific Christian children’s book author, her new series is in fact a spin-off series of the extraordinarily popular Winnie the Horse Gentler series. Young fans of the Winnie series will feel a sense of familiarity as Winnie makes cameo appearances through email in this new novel. The Starlight Animal Rescue series stands alone for new readers, I have not read the original series, and was in no way hindered by my lack of experience with the previous books.

Dakota Brown is a troubled 16-year-old girl. She is what’s known as a ‘runaway’, having absconded from seven previous foster homes. Arriving at her new foster home, a farm named “Starlight Animal Rescue”, she purposes to flee this new foster family at the first available opportunity. After encountering the Coolidges and their son, other foster children and a wide array of rescue animals, Dakota knows she’s never found herself in a home like this before.

Mackall has created a cast of quirky, loving characters and a family that I wouldn’t mind being part of! When confronted with the love of God as expressed through this new family and a horse that desperately needs her care, Dakota’s life begins to change. Her adoration for horses, previously only cerebral, becomes hands-on. Like many horse-girls before her, Dakota falls hard for all things horsey.

I read the carefully described interaction and communication between the various rescue animals and their human caretakers with fascination. Mackall’s experience as a horsewoman comes through in the detailed descriptions of the budding relationship between Dakota and the previously abused horse, Blackfire. A parallel relationship between the Coolidge’s soon-to-be-adopted foster daughter Kat and her charge Kitten provides similarly detailed behaviour for cat-lovers.

I’ve never considered myself a horse enthusiast, only having ridden twice in my life, yet the scenes that kept me blazing through this book were of the budding relationship between horse and rider. Apart from the scenes of animal companionship, Mackall weaves a sweet tale of transformation. As the wounded minister to the wounded, hearts soften, open, and blossom.

This is one title I chose not to read aloud with my children. While not at all inappropriate, some of the themes presented are beyond the ken of my five-year-old. The complex issues of abandonment, emotional wounds and abused animals would be potentially disturbing for my little girl, but are perfect for the target age group. Another point of interest for parents is the absence of the youthful romance that titles for young teenagers can often be overrun with – a blessing in my opinion.

This combination of themes would seem depressing if it weren’t for their collision with the unconditional love of God as expressed through the Coolidge family. God is in the ultimate rescue business, and the Coolidges are eager to partner with Him in His plans for these discarded children and animals. Annie and Chester (otherwise known as Popeye) Coolidge are so warm and quirky that I can’t wait to know them better through upcoming titles in this new series. I’m making a mental note of these titles for when my children reach their early teens.

Runaway is a winner and should be included on the fall reading lists of any horse loving girl, but don’t avoid this series if your child is male or doesn’t have a penchant for horses. From taking a peek at future titles, the main character and animal in each title will rotate through the human and animal inhabitants at Starlight Animal Rescue - girls, boys, horses, cats and dogs.

Reviewed at http://quiverfullfamily.com ( )