Introduction

Do you believe that a person can have a special

connection with horses? Chestnut Hill Making Strides is all about a
girl named Malory who doubts if she really belongs in the elite
school, Chestnut Hill. The story revolves around her, and her three
best friends, and their experiences in the school.
Chestnut Hill Making Strides, a book about pre-adolescent
girls who are horse fanciers is written by Lauren Brooke. She lived
on a ranch in Virginia during her youth which led to her fondness
of horses. She had been riding horses since before she could
walk. She competed in a few local level horse shows and events.
Brooke and her husband own a retired grey called Tarka.
She always wanted to write, so when she moved to
Leicestershire,England, she started writing. She enjoys reading
about complementary treatments and herbal treatments. Her
husband is a psychologist and veterinarian, whose work provided
research for Brookes work. Her novels explore a variety of
emotions including grief and pain.
She is also the author of Heartland series,which had been
reproduced into TV series in Canada. Her books have been
published since mid-2000.Chestnut Hill Making Strides was
printed in the U.S.A I the month of November year 2005.It was
published by Scholastic Incorporation.

Character Analysis

Malory ONeil
She is the main character and protagonist of
the story
A secretive girl who has special connection
with horses
A scholar in the Chestnut Hill and portrays a
poor girl role.
She is naturally talented when it comes to
all things equine.
She shares room with Lani and Alexandra
She does not pay much attention to fashion
and seems to lack self-confidence at times
but never around horses.
Dylan Walsh
Ms. Ali Carmichaels niece
She is Malorys best friend that always cheers
her up whenever Malory is upset and lonely.
She is witty, spunky, stylish, and spontaneous.
Her purpose is to make wise cracks and not to
take anything seriously.

Felicity Honey Harper

 She is very much like her name,in that she is

very sweet and she likes to make everyone
happy.
Malorys friend who always helps her in times
of need.
She is all demure and cute
She shares room with Lynsey and Dylan
Lani Hernandez

Malorys another best friend

She is smart and does well in school.
She is the one who lightens the mood.
She is known to wear chaps instead of
jodhpurs or breeches
She is very friendly and is generally happy
and outgoing person
She shares room with Malory and Alexandra
Ms. Ali Carmichael
She is the director of riding at Chestnut Hill.
She is Dylans aunt.
She is a pleasant person but firm with
students
She is helpful and fair with the riders.
She replaced the previous Director of riding

Lynsey Harrison

 The main antagonist in the story.

She has made fast enemies with
Dylan,Malory,and Lani
She is cocky and arrogant and loves being the
center of attention.
She looks down on those less wealthy than
her.
She carries high status,wears fashionable and
expensive clothing.
She doesnt mind hurting people as long as
she can get what she want.
Patience Duvall
Lynseys best friend
Like Lynsey,she is spoiled but less confident and only
shows interest in something Lynsey does.
She is the one who flirts with Caleb.
Caleb Smith
A rider from the Saints Kits
He met Malory last summer in the Cheney Falls
Stable.
He is Malorys crush.

Plot Summary

Malory ONeil had earned her place at Chestnut Hill on

scholarship after winning the prestigious Rockwell award,given
out by Diane Rockwell,a former student at the school who felt that
she had to give the chance to less wealthy girls.Malory is close
friends with Dylan Walsh,Felicity Harper,and Lani Hernandez,yet
she still questions whether she really belongs in the elite world of
Chestnut Hill.
Malory is an only child.Her mother died a year ago and her
father is a shoe shop owner.Their family is not a very rich one
which is a fact Lynsey Harrison,the witch-like queenbee reminds
her of frequently.
It is Homecoming Weekend at the Chestnut Hill,the junior
and senior jumping team will perform with their horses on the ring
for the Chestnut Hill Alumnae.The jumping team was composed of
Malory with Hardy,Lynsey with Bluegrass,Olivia with
Shamrock,Eleanor with Skylark,and Dylan with Morello.All five
ponies circled the arena and met at the main doors with perfect
timing.After the performance of the senior riding team,they
headed toward the arena again for their last demonstration.They
all did great,the girls passed all the poles and fences perfectly
except for Malory,who knocked down one pole.She felt mad at
herself for the dropped pole.
Ms. Ali Carmichael,the riding director takes Malory and
Dylan to Cheney Falls,a stable near their school buy some new
horses.Malory is instantly drawn t a wary,timid,and defensive
horse names Tybalt.This young gelding reminds her of
Zanzibar,her grandparents neighbors horse whom she used to
ride when she was eight.Then she persuaded Ms.Carmichael to
buy Tybalt along with two other horses.Ms.Carmichael grants
Malorys wish to take him.She promised to give Tybalt one month
to see if he can improve and get along with other horses.

Theres a Halloween Party coming up with Chestnut Hill

and St.Kits.Anyone who is going to the party is required to wear a
costume.

But then,Malory needs to buy a new fleece and riding

uniform for the show.She really wants to join the party,,because
she knows that her secret crush,Caleb,a student from the Saint
Kits will come.He is a guy whom she met at the Cheney Falls
Stable last summer.
Unfortunately,Malorys allowance wasnt good enough to
buy a costume for the said party.She does not want to look pitiful
infront of her friends,so she hides this from them.Altogether,the
Chestnut girls went to the mall to find their respective
costumes,after an hour,they alresdy bought everything they need
for the party,except for Malory.
Her friends are still wondering what costume would Malory
wear without even knowing that she will not attend.But
then,before the party will start and her friends are already
dressed,Malory told them that she is not going and she is not into
dress ups and parties.But the girls dissented and disagreed,so
they acted like Cinderellas fairygodmothers and dressed Malory
in Cleopatra attire.Her friends were absolutely determined that
she was going and she did not have a single excuse anymore.
Althogether,the girls went to the Halloween Partty.By bad
luck,Lyndseys minion,Patience is dressed the same like
Malory.Malory felt uncomfortable because she does not want to
encounter social issues with the two.Lynsey set up Patience and
Caleb on a date.
Unfortunately,Caleb,Malorys crush,confuses and thinks
that she is Patience.Malory is all hurt and thinks that does not

remember her.But,at the end of the party,things had turned out

pretty well after all,considering she had started the night without
anything to wear and she had escaped being scorned for the
duplication of Patiences costume in unintended moment.
To start Tybalts training,Ms.Carmichael gives a hat with hat
of riders to Honey to pick out someone to ride Tybalt.Due to
misfortune,Honey picked out Lynsey.Malory felt a razor-sharp stab
of disappointment and Dylan squeezed her arm
sympathetically.Because of all the girls,Lynseys namewas picked.

Top notch rider,Lynsey Harrison had a bad experience on Tybalt

after he bucks her off and landed with thud on the ground.The
girls quickly checked Lynsey if she was alright.Lynsey threw a
prissy tantrum that the horse was an unridable dangerous animal
and the horse isnt worthy of Chestnut Hill.
While Lynsey was busy for joining the hockey team,
campaigning for the election of student council,Malory trains
Hardy,the horse that she will use for the interscholastic
competition.
When Malory was about to bring Hardy on the stable,she
saw Kelly and Tybalt so she led Hardy over to say
hi.Suddenly,Tybalt laid back his ears and let-out a high pitched
squeal.Before either girl could react,he swung his hindquarters
around and kicked Hardy.A stream of blood ran down Hardys
leg.Tybalt is not used to be near horses and he is adjusting in his
new home thats why he acted like that.
Malory looked down in dismay.If Hardy was lame,she would
be out of the competition which is only two weeks away.Malory
felt sorry for Hardy and started blaming herself that if she did not
brought Hardy close to Tybalt,the horse would not get hurt.She

told Ms.Carmichael that it was not Tybalts fault,that they should

not punish him by sending him back to Cheney Falls Stable.
Dylan and Malory have the idea to call in Amy Fleming,a
horse expert.Amy went to the Chestnut Hill to see Tybalt.She
taught Malory on how to do the T-touch massage that calms down
horses.Amy also gave Bach-Flower remedies and lavender that
they can use in massaging Tybalt.Malory was do glad that she
learned something new from the person she really admires.
Tybalt had really improved and got better than before as
Ms.Fleming visited and rode on him.Malory continued to be with
Tybalt everyday,she always finds a way to get closer with the
horseand a connection is about to start between them.

Ms. Fleming and Ms.Carmichael asked Malory to joined up

with Tybalt because there is no doubt that Tybalt is comfortable
with her and shes the one who spent the most time with
him.So,she did she joined up with Tybalt.The gelding wheeled
around and cantered in the other direction as smoothly as a fully
dressage horse.
Malory could not believe how much control she had over
with Tybalt without a lunge line or whip.Malorys heart thudded as
she stepped forward.She could not believe that Tybalt would
actually follow her.Malory turned around look into Tybalts dark
brown eyes.They were fillwd with trust,no fear and anxiety that
had troubled him since his arrival.Malorys friends felt very proud
of her,waving their hands on the bench.

Then after the training,Ms.Carmichael told Malory that she

will stay on the team even though Hardy was hurtand she will
let hbim use Tybalt on the practice show.Malory felt her spirits
plummet.Malory felt pressured.She knew that this show was a
friendly competition,organized to give junior jumping teams a
chance to warm up for the All Schools League,but this would be
the only chance she had to prove Tybalt was up to the challenge.
On the day of the practice show,Ms.Carmichael and the
riders went to the St.Kits,the school were the show will be held.As
they walk across the paddock,they saw the other teams getting
ready for the show.
Even though Hardy would have been easier to ride,Malory
did not regretted being there with Tybalt.It was just a practice
show but Malorys atmosphere was still tense.The same same
teams would be against one another in the competition in the All
Schools League,so it was difficult to remember that no points
were being recorded fo this event.
When Malorys name was called she felt a rush of nerves
that left her fewling dizzy.Malory missed two fences that caused
the crowd to groan.

But still a the end of the show,Ms.Carmichael congratulated

her for riding Tybalt very well even though she had only a few
days practice.Ms.Carmichael decided that Tybalt will stay at the
Chestnut Hill which made Malorys heart jump for joy.
As Malory leaded Tybalt to the stable,she met Caleb.Caleb
cleared to her that Patience and him did not exactly hit it off when
they went out and they dont have anything.

Their conversation continued as they talked about random

things until he asked Malory if they can go out and have some
coffee together.Malory did not refused and told that its okay with
her.Caleb grinned as she said yes while Malorys heart pounds
with joy.

Malory went to her friends.Lani,Honey and Dylan teased

her sbout Caleb and her going on a date.Malory denied that its a
date or something as she blushed.The girls had fun and enjoyed
the Thnaksgiving Dinner.Dylan named their group as The Four
Musketeers,Lani suggested that Chestnut Girls sounds
better.They enjoyed the day swapping their broad grins, loud
laughs,and teasing each other.
THE CHESTNUT GIRLS.

Malory likes the sound of that.

At last,she felt that she really belong to the Chestnut Hill.

Conclusion

Chestnut Hill Making Strides is a book about

horses,friends,and competitions.Readers will be able to join

Malorys experiences at the Chestnut Hill,where she met a crew of

thoughtful friends and the witch-like queenbee of the campus who
always belittles her.
At first,she questions whether she really belongs to
Chestnut Hill.Then Tybalt,a new horse arrives and Malory is
instantly drawn to him.Tybalt is wary and defensive but Malory is
determined to reach him and now shes willing to bet her future at
Chestnut Hill that Tybalt has what it takes to win.
The book was awesome.Twas really interesting to read.As
I read the book,my mind goes imaginative;like I was one of the
students of Chestnut Hill.I have learned that Miracle is another
name for Effort.
If you want to achieve something,put love and effort on
it.Along with faith and determination,nothing is impossible.You
should not mind all those people who judge and criticize you ;
you should keep on going, fulfill your dreams and show them what
youve got.Just like what Malory did,she did not mind Lynsey and
Patience coming on her way but instead,she focused on Tybalt
and her friends

Evaluation and Recommendation

The book focuses on belongingness,friendship,and
competitions.The story took place in an all girls school,at the
Chestnut Hill,where there are stables of horses,arena,and
dorms.The author did a great job of making me feel like Im

there.I love the way the author describes the

characters,setting,plot,and the scenarios.Every sentence was
informative enough in conceiving of what is happening there.
The names of the characters fit their personalities which
made the story more enjoyable to read.Just like Lynsey Harrison,a
fashionista antagonist in the story.The roles were justified by each
persona.They did an amazing job in portraying their roles.Malory
was a shy secretive girl,who always keeps silent even though
Lynsey keeps on rolling her eyes in front of her.
I like the way the author uses words and phrases.Her style
in writing was astonishing.She had a wide knowledge about
horses,stables,clothes that riders wear in riding.
My favorite part of the book was when Lani,Honey,and Lani
helped out Malory in making a costume for her to be able to join
the Halloween Party.Malorys friends were so thoughtful.They
were determined that she was going with them and doesnt have
any single excuse anymore.

My least favorite part was when Caleb had mistaken that

Malory was Patience.Twas awkward and I feel bad for
Malory,sympathetically
If I could change something that would be Dylans
name.For me it was weird because Dylan is supposed to be name
for a boy;not for a girl.I would prefer something more girly for
her,like Kiara,Irish or Summer.But despite all of that,I still love her
character,the way she comforts and cheers up Malory in times of
needs.Shes the one who plays jokes in the story.

I would recommend this book to all the girls out there ages
9 to 15.This is a very satisfying book that tells about friendship,
determination and a temporary love of an adolescent.

--END--

Diana Mae Rosete

Grade 9 Gomez
S.Y 2014-2015

BOOK
REPORT

IN
ENGLISH
Submitted to:

MAM RIZALINA NECESITO

Submitted by:

DIANA MAE ROSETE