Believable characters, lively and contemporary dialogue, and fast-moving story lines quickly draw 8- to 12-year-old readers into the first book of the Ally O'Co

When a mysterious boy rides out of the woods and into Ally's life, her fun-spirited friend Nick becomes jealous-and suspicious. Who is this bold Jeff Kruck? Why

Ally and friends discover that the new girl in town is from an abusive family. They try to help her and attempt to save her horse from a fire.