You better have Some Kind of Courage to read this story!

 You better have Some Kind of Courage to read this story!

            Has a book ever made you tear up? What about a children’s book? If you haven’t yet, this book will be your downfall. It was originally a gift for my little brother, but after reading the back cover, it was decided that we would all read it together. Every night, we would all head down and sit in our living room, the lights dimmed and blankets present. One of my parents would pick up the book and begin reading, and it was one of the best novels I have ever read. Some Kind of Courage tells an incredible story of a young boy whose horse was stolen. His horse, Sarah, was all he had left; he lost his mother and sister to sickness, watched his father die, and had his horse sold by his despicable guardian. This was the last straw and he set off on a journey through many harrowing scenarios to get her back.

            What’s so great about this book is that the author is not afraid to trap the reader into legitimately thinking that the story will end. I’ll just say that reading the ending of this book was nearly impossible for my parents. The sadness invoked is real, and the reader is truly unaware if things will turn out alright. Dan Gemeinhart manages to keep the reader(s) entertained and unexpecting throughout the many, but not unrealistic twists and turns of the adventure. Many times, the reader is given hope, only for it to be pulled away as quickly as it came, and this leaves most situations in the book ambiguous, ready to tip either way. Despite the tension found in the story, Gemeinhart manages to fill the story with beautiful and heartwarming moments, as while as comedic delights for anyone. It’s hard for me to express how this book made me feel. So, if you’d like to understand, I’d highly recommend reading it yourself. It’s a fantastic read for the whole family that doesn’t deserve a score, as numbers couldn’t truly represent its greatness.

-        Andrew