Most Popular Books by Alison Hart

ABBY IS FREE FROM SLAVERY BUT NOT FROM THE SECRETS OF HER PAST... It''s 1865 in the conquered South and things are not as they were before the war. Thirteen-year-old Abby Joyner still lives on the plantation where she was raised but she and her grandparents are free now and continue on for a small salary. One thing is the same as it has always been, though -- Abby does not know what became of her mother. Why won''t anyone tell her? Abby is determined to find the truth behind her disappearance. But answers are few and she is about to discover that, like freedom, the truth is harder to come by than she could have imagined.

For all lovers of horses and history, it''s the next book in the popular Horse Diaries series. Born in California at the start of the Great Depression, Risky Chance is a gray thoroughbred who was born to race. Life at the track and being spoiled by his jockey''s young daughter, Marie, is all Chance could ask for. He loves nothing more than running fast and winning. But after an accident, Chance discovers a side of horse racing that has little to do with glory. Like Black Beauty, this moving novel is told in first person from the horse''s own point of view and includes an appendix full of photos and facts about thoroughbreds, horse racing, and the Great Depression.

Horses + mystery + rescuing abused animals = a triple crown of perpetually popular preteen genres! Thirteen-year-old Jasmine is found guilty of assaulting Hugh Robicheaux, the owner of the horse farm where she works. But she''s still determined to prove that Robicheaux killed Whirlwind, the mare she loved. Jas is sure that Shadow Horse, a scrawny brown gelding she rescues at a horse auction, is the key to the mystery—but just how is Shadow Horse connected to Whirlwind? Deftly written by a teacher and equestrian who has authored more than sixty books, this heartwarming and inspiring Edgar Award nominee will have special appeal for mystery fans as well as young horse lovers.

Here is the much-begged-for sequel to Shadow Horse. With a feisty female protagonist, a little romance, a lot of mystery, and a barnful of animals just waiting to be loved, this young adult horse mystery novel will have young girls galloping to the bookstore to grab their copy. When thirteen-year-old Jas Schuler found her beloved mare Whirlwind dead in her padlock, she thought her heart would break. But now Jas knows the truth: Whirlwind is alive! Wealthy horse breeder Hugh Robicheaux faked the mare''s death, collected insurance money, then sold her to an unsuspecting buyer. And he''s going to get away with his crime, too—unless someone can find Whirlwind. And that''s exactly what Jas plans to do. But hunting for Whirlwind is dangerous. Hugh has threatened to destroy everything Jas holds dear unless she stops her search. As she struggles with her desire to find Whirlwind without endangering the people she loves, Jas must ask herself: Should she risk so much for a horse she may never find? This heartfelt YA novel by a highly regarded equestrian author will have young readers chomping at the bit for more.

Four roommates at a boarding school with a riding program prepare for an upcoming horse show.

"So compelling it gave me goosebumps from the very first pages." —ISABEL ALLENDE A family saga: four generations of mixed–race African American, Native American, and Irish women experience intergenerational trauma as well as the healing brought by nature and music, leading to triumphant resilience. Mostly White begins in 1890 when Emma, a mixed–race Native American and African American girl, is beaten by nuns and confined in a closet for speaking her language at an Indian Residential school in Maine. From there, a tale that spans four generations of women unfolds. Emma''s descendants suffer the effects of trauma, poverty, and abuse while fighting to form their own identities and honor the call of their ancestors. ALISON HART studied theater at New York University and later found her voice as a writer. She identifies herself as a mixed–race African American, Passamaquoddy Native American, Irish, Scottish, and English woman of color. Her poetry collection Temp Words was published by Cosmo Press in 2015, and her poems appear in Red Indian Road West: Native American Poetry from California (Scarlet Tanager Books, 2016) and elsewhere. Hart lives in Alameda, California.

Vermont, 1850s Bell’s Star is a brown Morgan colt with a white star and two white stockings. He was bred for hard work, yet he longs to run free with his human friend, Katie, on his back. But when Star helps rescue a runaway slave girl, his ideas about freedom may change forever. Here is Star’s story . . . in his own words. With exciting and knowledgeable text and lovely black-and-white art throughout—both by real horse owners—Horse Diaries are the perfect fit for all lovers of horses and history!

Having never excelled at schoolwork, 12-year-old Anna discovers she may know a few things about survival when the 1888 "Children''s Blizzard" traps her and her classmates in their Nebraska schoolhouse.

It all started with one mysterious briefcase.... When Allie''s father dies, her half sister, Kat, is left in charge of his detective agency -- and of Allie. Despite the many changes in her life, Allie can''t help being excited by the possibility of being close to some real private-eye adventures, the kind she is always daydreaming about. So when a man comes to the agency asking Kat to guard his briefcase, it looks like Allie will get her chance to investigate. But when Allie breaks into the briefcase, she makes a shocking discovery. And when she begins asking around, she realizes she may have taken on more than she bargained for. Whoever wants the briefcase kept safe desperately needs the agency''s help, and whoever wants them uncovered will do anything to find them....

Mary Beth and Lauren are vying for the same horse and the same boy. Their bickering is driving Andie and Jina nuts. When Lauren disappears the girls wonder if she has run away or was kidnapped.

Jesse is in his final year of primary school and should be living it up as one of the ''Kings'', but he can''t even get his Prep buddy to follow school rules. A hilarious story of being undervalued and over everything for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Secrets of a Schoolyard Millionaire. It''s the first day of school and I''ve already got three problems: 1) Mrs Leeman is my classroom teacher. She''s so ancient she taught my dad. 2) I might have accidentally been voted school captain. I had an unusually popular day when the class voted last year. 3) Somehow I''ve lost my Grade Six jumper between receiving it and Mrs Leeman''s lecture about being responsible. That''s a lot to go wrong in half an hour. On top of that, it''s a million degrees. So that''s four problems. It''s worse than I thought! At least things can only get better, right? Jesse will have you roaring with laughter as he navigates the rites and rituals of Grade Six including a disrespectful Prep buddy, a plumbing problem the size of Niagara Falls, not to mention the dreaded compulsory school camp. ''Prepare yourself for a rollicking ride!'' Nat Amoore, author of Secrets of a Schoolyard Millionaire ''Hilarious! A must-read.'' Kate and Jol Temple, authors of Frog Squad and The Underdogs

A convict escapes from a prison work crew and hijacks a car. State police notify police departments all over the state of Virginia to be on the lookout for a stolen vehicle. When the car is spotted by a Staunton police officer, an exciting chase ensues. Includes a police badge sticker. Full-color photos. Consumable.

Spunky Laren Remick is everyone''s best friend, the suite''s cheerleader, and sometimes peacemaker. But when the girls receive their mid-semester grades, she isn''t sure she''ll be allowed to continue at Foxhall. To Lauren''s relief, her adviser suggests a student tutor, Courtney Stewart. At first, Lauren idolizes the smart, popular girl. But then she finds out that Courtney isn''t so perfect, after all.

Armed robbers take hostages at a bank in downtown Staunton! Specialized units within the police department work together to defuse the dangerous situation.

Hats finish an outfit; they make a statement, provide panache and lift your spirits. This book explains how to make your own hats, using traditional construction methods with both specialist millinery foundation materials and a range of fabrics and trimmings. It showcases twenty-six hats and headpieces, each with step-by-step photographs and instructions, some using ready-made elements, others that are made from scratch. Celebrating the versatility of hats, it introduces the wide range of styles and shapes that modern millinery has embraced. Explains the anatomy of the hat and how to fit a hat, and gives general millinery tips. Suggests sources of inspiration and design ideas. Introduces a range of hats and hat styles, from small, fun and fast headpieces to special occasion hats. Superbly illustrated with 534 colour step-by-step photographs.

When Jina agrees to show a sweet pony named Applejacks, and help out the pony''s young owner as well, she encounters an ill-mannered pony and a spoiled owner.

Jina brings her three roommates home with her for the Thanksgiving break foxhunt, but she finds they do not all agree about the welfare of the fox.

New series. Set in a horse riding stables. 8-12 yrs.

Nothing is going to spook Mary Beth.