FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

by GIGI A sequel to Chanceyofthe MauryRiver, this hearttugging story focuses on Macadoothe gentle giant of the Maury River Stables.
When Macadoo is just a colt, he challenges his father, a huge Belgian stallion, in order to protect his dam. From that moment on, Mac knows that his purpose in life is to help others. From surviving a kill auction to learning how to be a vaulting horse to giving therapeutic riding lessons, Mac is always patient and never loses hope in his mission to serve othersand he finds the courage to walk on through even the most difficult circumstances. Told with insight and compassion from Macadoos point of view, this is a story that all horse lovers will cherish.
G iGi A mAteAu is the author of Chancey oftheMauryRiveras well as ComeAugust, ComeFreedom;ACertainStrainofPeculiar; and ClaimingGeorgiaTate. She lives in Richmond, Virginia.

AMATEAU

ON SALE AUGUST 6, 2013

$15.99 ($18.00 CAN) HC: 978-0-7636-3766-8 E-book: 978-0-7636-5661-4 192 pages Ages 912

Authors Note
My daughter was five years old the first time I saw the power of horses to make a child smile, laugh, and believe anything is possible. On the day of her first riding lesson, I watched her lift a ponys foot to pick out rocks that had gotten stuck in its hooves, saw her concentrate so hard to steer that pretty pony around the ring, and heard her giggle with delight at her ponys breath on her neck after the lesson. My little girl is twenty now. Back then, I was working many hours a week at a new job. As a family, we were dealing with upheaval and uncertainty brought about by divorce. The barn became a respite for us both a place far away from the real world, where nothing much mattered except for the horses and their power to make you forget or make you remember whichever you needed most.

by GIGI

AMATEAU

Candlewick Press www.candlewick.com

I was thirty-three when I started riding with my girl, thirty-six when we bought our first horse, and forty-two the first (and only) time I competed. Together, my daughter and I have ridden mules in national forests, jumped horses over logs and fences and narrow creeks, and played polo on ponies in a dusty field. Weve cantered through pastureland and mountain trails and have been led by sure-footed equines safely down steep, rocky cliffs. As my daughter grew up, we were connected through our love of horses, a gift my daughter gave to me. For thousands of years, people have shared the earth with horses. Theyve been our partners in tilling soil and winning wars, clearing land and transporting us to places both near and far. The power that horses have brought to my life has not so much to do with the power of physical strength or endurance or hard work, though these are surely good lessons Ive learned from my Equus ferus caballus friends. Im thinking more of the power of spirit the power that comes from being present to the day, of remembering to breathe, and of discovering a shared language not of words but of feelings, images, and tiny gestures. I am forty-eight years old and only just now beginning to understand that for all these years, horses have not been taking me away from the real world but bringing me there. After all, what could be more real than being still and silent outdoors with a friend, listening to birds of the meadow and forest settle down, watching the moon rise, and knowing you are loved?

by GIGI

AMATEAU

Candlewick Press www.candlewick.com

Praise for Chancey of the Maury River

In the manner of a latter-day Black Beauty, Chanceys observant voice narrates this absorbing story, filled with fascinating details of life at the stable and keen insight into equine instinct, human emotion, and the ineffable bond that connects them both. The sentimental horse story is revived to magnificent effect in this moving novel. The Horn Book This story finds not one heart but several. Kirkus Reviews Compelling . . . . A highly enjoyable read. School Library Journal
PB: 978-0-7636-4523-6 E-book: 978-0-7636-5429-0

Other Books by Gigi Amateau

HC: 978-0-7636-2339-5 PB: 978-0-7636-3311-0 E-book: 978-0-7636-5430-6

HC: 978-0-7636-3009-6

HC: 978-0-7636-4792-6 E-book: 978-0-7636-5658-4

Coming this summer . . . the Chancey of the Maury River app!

from Dogtown Pursuits

Dress up Chancey and his best friend, Claire. Peek inside Claires diary. Learn about the breeds at the Maury River Stables.

by GIGI

AMATEAU

Candlewick Press www.candlewick.com