The book "A Horse For X.Y.Z." may not have been a best-seller, but it is an amazing book nonetheless. It is about a girl named Solvieg Nilsson, who longs to not be an ordinary girl in the middle of the alphabet. She wishes she could be named Xeina Yseult Zilch and be someone special. When she sneaks off the camp bus for a ride on the prized horse Snake Dancer, she finds out that the bus is not going to return for her, that Snake Dancer is a stolen horse and must be returned to his real owner, and that even though she's not Xenia Y. Zilch, she's the only one who can do it. This book is filled with humor; Solvieg's own biting sacasm aimed at herself will keep you laughing. This is a book for anyone who likes horses, humor, and ever wanted to be a hero.

For as long as I can remember, every Christmas Eve my family would gather around my dad as he read this story to us. Although we are all adults now, and two spouses have entered the family, we all still look forward to hearing this story read aloud. We practically know it by heart. It captures the warmth and beauty of the simplicity of sharing, with humorous characters and perfect illustrations to match. And I know the tradition will continue on in our own families.

If you want to start a Christmas tradition for your children, their children and following generations...this is THE book to have. It's a story about giving, sharing and all those important ideals we want our children to carry with them into adulthood.

I have read this book EVERY year for the past 15 years and I just read it again. I laugh and then I cry and then when it's over I hold it tight for just a minute to make sure the happy feeling lasts! My grandchilren are old enough now for us to enjoy it together...and we will.

I thought this book was really interesting, and helped to inform the reader about the suffering caused by civil war in Central America. The author should have given more details about the characters. I really liked the descriptions of the character's thoughts as they were engulfed in battle inside of the thick jungle. I also enjoyed reading about the small joys in their lives, such as playing baseball or getting to wear boots. The storyline progressed fairly smoothly, until the end. The ending was weak and didn't explain enough about several events that occured. I would recomend this book because it shows that even where people are uneducated and poor, they can still find time for others.

The book was crammed full of action and was also based on real wars which added to the excitement. I liked most of the story; it was very inspiring, and it got me thinking about whether or not I could ever get drafted into a war. The relationship between Uno and the two other main characters was very tight which added top dialogue to the book. The story, however, was only spread over eight days. I would have been more satisfied if the book said what happened to Uno after the war ended.

Uno's character developed steadily through the book. Uno started out being very worried about what was going to happen to him. He turned out to care a lot about people, and he wanted a better world for them. Towards the end of the book Uno showed that he could be a real solider and kill if he had to.

This book had a lot of hidden meaning and depth to it. This is one of those books you really need to read twice to catch everything. Its descriptive details and complex plot had me begging for more. This book was definitely worth reading, not just once but two or three times. The writing was extraordinary and put you right in the shoes of the protagonist. This book is highly recommended by me, and I hope to read another like it.

Forced into the revolutionary army at age twelve young Uno must face the harsh realities of civil war. Set in an unnamed Central or South American country this gripping novel addresses the life of children caught in the pathway of war. Uno spends a week with the guerilla fighters and in that time sees things that we cannot imagine. Forced to drill as a soldier Uno is sent out on patrol. While in the jungle Uno comes across a village that has been destroyed by the enemy. Later, Uno takes part in an ambush of loyalist troops as well as an assault on a town. Each of these experiences changes Uno in a fundamental way. The Forty-Third war refers to the fact that Uno's nation has already faced forty-two other revolutions and wars. Set in a seemingly hopeless situation Uno's story does offer seeds of hope. The author does a wondeful job of recreating the world within which children become soldiers. This is a story that could have been set in El Salvador, Nicarauga, or a number of other locales. It is also a story of children caught up in warfare that needs to be told. This is a difficult book to read but one that tells a vital story. The characters are well developed and realistic. Simply put, this is a classic look at one aspect of the face of war.

I really enjoyed this when I was young and I have read it even as an adult. The story revolves around Til, a girl in the 1940s, who lives with her unbalanced mother. She only gets to see her divorced father once a week and he always takes her to an amusement park for a ride on the Ferris wheel which scares her. The Ferris wheel represents (I believe)life with her mother. It's an up and down existence and Til lives in fear. The mother, Gertrude, is a frighteningly realistic character and the reader feels the tension of the household as Gertrude becomes more and more obsessive-compulsive and more and more intolerant of Til. It's almost unbearable as Til struggles to help save herself. A chilling suspense story that I strongly recommend.

This was a great book, the way she wrote it was just superb. It had everything you could want in a book. I wold definetely recommend this book to any of my friends.

I read this book in the sixth grade when I was dealing with my own family traumas. Those days, I inhaled books, but I never looked at titles or authors. This is one title I actually remembered. Later, in my adult years, I tried to find the book again and was crushed when I couldn't remember the authors name, and no one I talked to knew of the book. Finally, I've found the info for it, and can't wait to locate a copy!

This is a great story of a young girl's self reliance and bravery. In the end, Til saves her own life with courage and intelligence.

This book was very predictable in the beginning you alawys could tell that it was going to work out well in the end and that the two would go through a great jorney. Towards the middle of the book it got less predictable and more adverturous. Exciting things statred to happen and the two children faced a couple of setbacks. At the end of the book it returned to being predictable again and it is obvious to the reader that the children will be safe at the end.

This book is excellent to use in a unit on Western Expansion. Fourth grade Title 1 students were able to read and understand this book. It especially correlates well with the computer game "Oregon Trail."

I think this would be a good book for 4th graders studying Westward Expansion
because it tells the risks of going on the trail.

My favorite part was when they find the horse. Now they can travel a lot faster
by riding the horse.

This book will keep you turning the first 50 pages in the hope that something might actually happen. It doesn't. This is one of the slowest moving, boring, beginnings I've ever read. Wondering how it ever got published is the only excitement you'll receive.

Excellent, coming of age story with a historical setting and an added measure of suspense. The writing is first-rate--Louise Moeri captures the voice of the 12 year-old hero perfectly.