Grand Theft Horse
200-page graphic novel
Written by G. Neri
Illustrated by Corban Wilkin
Lee & Low / Tu Books 2018
Sometimes you have to do what’s wrong in order to do what’s right.
Gail Ruffu was a rookie trainer known for her unconventional methods and ability to handle dangerous horses. When she became part owner of an untamed thoroughbred named Urgent Envoy, everything changed. After Urgent Envoy showed real promise, her co-owners forced Gail to speed up training and race him too early, causing the horse to develop a hairline shin fracture. Refusing to drug the horse to keep it running, Gail lost Urgent Envoy to her partners, who pushed the horse even harder. One more race would kill him. When nobody heeded her warnings, Gail had to act.
So on Christmas Eve, she rescued her own horse. A modern-day outlaw, Gail evaded private investigators and refused to give the horse up. Blacklisted by the racing world, she learned the law at night to take on a powerful L.A. attorney determined to crush her in court. As she stood up for the humane treatment of racehorses, she also faced down the system that caused their demise.
2018 Horn Book Summer Reading Selection
2018 CYBILS Nominee
2018 New York Public Library’s Best Books for Kids
“Wilkin’s boldly outlined pen-and-ink art is all angles and scratchy lines, expertly conveying emotions and action sequences.”
“Using thick outlines, grainy backgrounds, and unflattering depictions, artwork by Wilkin evokes Will Eisner’s drawings and articulates the story’s descent into a dark world around racehorses and animal care.”
“A thing of wonder, brilliance, and beauty.”
“Wilkin’s expressive and dynamic ink panels, in brown and white, bring an immediacy to the emotional and financial turmoil Ruffu endured to save a helpless animals life.”
