Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

There are more and more young adult books being written today with sports themes, but I don't see many with an equestrian theme. Orca Book Publishers author Michele Martin Bossley's JUMPER offers just that. Aimed at a younger tween audience, JUMPER presents an adventure centered on the sport of show jumping.

Reese has found her true love - a great horse named Dublin. Their personalities complement one another and with practice they may have a real shot at the competition. Unfortunately, Reese doesn't own Dublin. The horse's owners are selling her, leaving Reese to "borrow" a much less desirable horse named Boots. Prospects of winning any competition fade away as it becomes obvious that there is no chemistry between rider and mount.

Reese's parents don't offer much hope that they can afford to purchase a better horse for their daughter. Then along comes Reese's grandfather with a possible solution for the problem. The military owns land nearby and is auctioning some wild horses that have been living on the land. Grandfather suggests that the auction prices might be low enough for Reese to purchase her own horse.

There is a beautiful red horse in the herd. Reese immediately knows she's the one. When another bidder outbids them the real adventure begins. It turns out that the new owner has other plans for the horses he purchased, and Reese is determined to put a stop to those plans.

At only a little over 140 pages and written at an easy-to-read level, JUMPER is sure to be popular with horse enthusiasts. The characters are surprisingly well-developed and the action includes examples of show jumping, as well as fast-paced attempts to stop the bad guys. JUMPER is a fun, quick read. ( )