"She grabbed a thick vine growing from a crack
in the waterfall rocks and swung out to drop into
the pool below. It was deep and deliciously perfect,
warm and swirly, because the waterfall kept on
pouring cold water into the hot. Honey's feet
touched the bottom and then she was bursting
up through the surface, laughing and spluttering
with her hair floating around her."
Honey and her family found peace in the enchanted valley of the horses. It is just what they were looking for when they chose to leave their home in search of adventure, because of the terrible sickness that was threatening the world. As they drove over the bridge that led them into the valley, it disappeared behind them. While it offered what they needed in terms of isolation, it also became a prison when they could not find their way out.
Honey, Nanna, Momma, Papa and her younger brother, Rumi, learned to live off what the valley provides and what they brought with them in the ice cream van that is their home. Honey was four when they arrived; she is now approaching her eleventh birthday. The horses are a constant presence and allow the children to ride them. It is idyllic, for the most part. They spend days riding to various parts of the valley. None allow them to see the bridge that brought them across the river when they first arrived.
The family is now facing a problem that no one can fix - Papa is sick, and getting sicker. The first aid book tells them that he has appendicitis and that he needs help. On a ride with Midnight and Moongold one day, the children think they see a brown strip they think is the bridge. It allows Honey to consider riding out of the valley in search of an ambulance to get her father to the hospital.
On her eleventh birthday, she takes a chance at finally finding a way out. She and Moonglow set off on a journey away from the valley. Rumi is the only one who knows where she has gone. Moongold's magic is up to the task. Together they discover an outside world filled with new and unusual people and places for Honey. Through it all, they find what they are looking for, and get the help Papa needs.
This mix of fantasy and realism is a wonderful family story that reads quickly and appeals throughout the telling. The apt descriptions of both valley and real world are compelling and hold interest from start to finish. Honey is a strong, resourceful, thoughtful character and her journey is worthy.
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