Read … right out of the gate! Join the Okanagan Regional Library in our annual Okanagan Reads Book Club – this year focused on kids aged 8 to 15. One Okanagan – one author: enjoy any one of Julie White’s four books about horses, friendship and adventure. Take part on some of the great activities in your local library branches, and win some great prizes, including iPad Minis as well as family packs at Caravan Farm Theatre and the Armstrong IPE, when you enter our bookmark, story-telling and book trailer contests! All details are available at www.okanaganreads.ca.

Julie White, a Canadian Children’s author from Armstrong, has written 4 books in a series.  Her first book, The Secret Pony, has won the “Our Choice Award” and was nominated for the “Chocolate Lily Award”!  In addition to writing, Julie is also a Pony Club Examiner, riding instructor and course designer. She lives on a horse farm in Armstrong with her husband, Robert, a former jockey, where they raise thoroughbreds for racing and jumping.

“The Secret Pony”:  When Kristy finds out that her neighbor’s pony, Lancelot, whom she has been taking care of and riding, is going to be sold, she secretly buys him. Unfortunately, she doesn’t get the chance to tell her busy mother and has to hide him at a friend’s stable. After the secret is discovered, and Lancelot shows an act of bravery, Kristy finds the support she needs coming from a most unexpected source.

“High Fences”:  In order to stop their farm from going into foreclosure, Faye allows her grandmother to sell her fantastic pony, Robin.  The new owner, Nicole, a spoiled rich girl, learns the “secret” of how to handle him from Faye. In the end, Faye helps Nicole and Robin in a very important competition and all three share a secret together!

“Riding Through Fire”:  Twelve-year-old Kristy and her pony, Lancelot, are asked to help in their first cattle round-up, but she ends up being partnered with a 14 year-old boy, Jesse, who treats her badly.  When Jesse and his horse get lost in a raging fire nearby, the amazing Lancelot saves all of their lives.

“Under The Wire”: Reid, a 16 year-old boy, holds down the fort when his jockey mother ends up in the hospital after a serious fall during a race.  However, when she recovers she announces that she is getting out of the jockey business and wants Reid out, too!  But Reid wants a future as a jockey and will try to prove to everyone that he’s got what it takes to get in first under the wire.

As librarians, we know the difference that reading makes in children’s lives – helping improve their school marks, teaching them empathy, preparing them for a successful future – all while having fun! We hope you will encourage your children to participate in Okanagan Reads for Kids!