| Black Diamond & Blake by Deborah Blumenthal |
BLACK DIAMOND & BLAKE by Deborah Blumenthal
Illustrated by: Miles Hyman
Release Date: 2/10/09
Publisher: Knopf
Pages: 40
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by: Jaglvr
BLACK DIAMOND & BLAKE is a beautiful story of trust and
friendship.
Black Diamond is a champion racehorse. He receives treats,
praises, cheers, and flowers after his many wins. He runs his
heart out for his racetrack family. Each race he vows to win for
them.
He loses his first race, by just a little, and receives no praise or
cheers. After he stumbles in another race and hurts his leg, he
hears “Boo” from the audience and is left alone.
After that race, a man, stinking of smoke, comes and buys Black
Diamond. Black Diamond is nervous until a soft voice leads him
to the horse trailer, saying he’s going home. But Black Diamond
is home - and he doesn’t know what is happening to his world.
Black Diamond finds himself behind prison walls, literally. For
him, it’s truly a prison…he’s used to running free. He has
become part of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. The
Foundation rescues retired racehorses and pairs them with
prisons to help develop bonds between the horses and the
inmates. Black Diamond is reserved and hesitant until an
inmate, Blake, befriends him.
They spend time together every day, but when Blake is
released, Black Diamond is worse off than before. It’s only when
Blake comes back for him that Black Diamond truly find his home.
I found BLACK DIAMOND & BLAKE a bit sad, so overly-sensitive
children may be upset by the story if they don’t make it to the
happy ending. But the bond that Black Diamond and Blake form
is truly special, and the story will leave you feeling loved and
treasured by the last page.
Ms. Blumenthal presents the information about a true foundation
in a unique perspective, one that children will come to love and
will want to read about over and over again.
Illustrated by: Miles Hyman
Release Date: 2/10/09
Publisher: Knopf
Pages: 40
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by: Jaglvr
BLACK DIAMOND & BLAKE is a beautiful story of trust and
friendship.
Black Diamond is a champion racehorse. He receives treats,
praises, cheers, and flowers after his many wins. He runs his
heart out for his racetrack family. Each race he vows to win for
them.
He loses his first race, by just a little, and receives no praise or
cheers. After he stumbles in another race and hurts his leg, he
hears “Boo” from the audience and is left alone.
After that race, a man, stinking of smoke, comes and buys Black
Diamond. Black Diamond is nervous until a soft voice leads him
to the horse trailer, saying he’s going home. But Black Diamond
is home - and he doesn’t know what is happening to his world.
Black Diamond finds himself behind prison walls, literally. For
him, it’s truly a prison…he’s used to running free. He has
become part of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. The
Foundation rescues retired racehorses and pairs them with
prisons to help develop bonds between the horses and the
inmates. Black Diamond is reserved and hesitant until an
inmate, Blake, befriends him.
They spend time together every day, but when Blake is
released, Black Diamond is worse off than before. It’s only when
Blake comes back for him that Black Diamond truly find his home.
I found BLACK DIAMOND & BLAKE a bit sad, so overly-sensitive
children may be upset by the story if they don’t make it to the
happy ending. But the bond that Black Diamond and Blake form
is truly special, and the story will leave you feeling loved and
treasured by the last page.
Ms. Blumenthal presents the information about a true foundation
in a unique perspective, one that children will come to love and
will want to read about over and over again.