The Big Secret (Tales of Sasha #1)

by Alexa Pearl (Author) Paco Sordo (Illustrator)

The Big Secret (Tales of Sasha #1)
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Series: Tales of Sasha
In the first book of the Tales of Sasha series, a young horse named Sasha discovers a big secret about what makes her different from her friends and family. Sasha has always felt a little bit different from the other horses in her home of Verdant Valley. She loves running and jumping and the feeling of being in the air, and she longs to explore the forest beyond her valley. One day during class, the white patch on Sasha's back gives her an itching feeling that makes her want to soar, and she leaps over a big rock. When she lands, she realizes that her patch is sparkling! But what does it mean? Find out in the first book of this magical new series!
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School Library Journal

Gr 1-3—A young horse who feels different from the rest of her community uncovers a family secret in this series debut. Sasha doesn't look like her sisters, and she can't seem to suppress her urge to run and jump when all the other horses are walking obediently in line. When the white patch on her back starts to itch and then to sparkle, her parents confess that she was actually found during a lightning storm and adopted into their family. Determined to unearth clues about her past, Sasha and her friend, Wyatt, climb to the top of the mountain where Sasha was discovered as a baby. While they don't find any answers, Sasha does realize that she has the ability to fly, and ends this first volume of her tales with a plan to explore beyond the forest border of her home. Controlled vocabulary, large print, and frequent illustrations make this an appealing title for beginning chapter book readers. However, the plot unfolds slowly and rather predictably. Most of the narrative follows Sasha through mundane activities that aren't improved by Pearl's slight world-building. Repeated emphasis on Sasha's white patch and inability to act like the rest of the horses clearly indicates the story's eventual arc; by the time Sasha learns that she is extraordinary, few readers will be surprised. The ending hints at further adventures and opportunities to flesh out Sasha's world, but students may not be engaged enough in the thinly drawn characters to continue the journey. VERDICT An unsatisfying series opener, suitable for large libraries that can't keep early chapter books on the shelves.—Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Hennepin County Library, MN

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes



Alexa Pearl
Alexa Pearl is the author of more than forty children's books. She lives in New Jersey with her family.

Paco Sordo is a comic artist, animator, storyboarder, and background artist based in Spain. He has done work for advertising, magazines, newspapers, and TV--including Nickelodeon. Visit him online at pacosordo.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781499803907
Lexile Measure
510
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Little Bee Books
Publication date
January 03, 2017
Series
Tales of Sasha
BISAC categories
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV045000 - Juvenile Fiction | Readers | Chapter Books
JUV002270 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Dragons, Unicorns & Mythical
JUV002130 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Horses
Library of Congress categories
Identity
Identity (Psychology)
Secrecy
Secrets
Horses
Animals, Mythical
JUVENILE FICTION / Readers / Chapter Books
JUVENILE FICTION / Animals / Mythical
JUVENILE FICTION / Animals / Horses

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