Changes

Charlie Bass was ten years old and completely horse mad. She dreamed of owning her own pony and as the family lived on a farm, that ''might'' have sounded possible, except for the fact that there wasn't that sort of money around. Her parents were a bit (no, actually, a ''lot'') eccentric and they asked the children to come up with plans for how they could make some money. Charlie's elder brothers thought up such sensible ideas as ''Strictly Come Chicken Dancing'' (yes, ''really'') but they cried with laughter when Charlie suggested that they should buy a racehorse with the intention of winning the richest race of them all - the Epsom Derby.

The reason for that is simple. The writing is good and good writing appeals to any age group. There's some wonderful humour: don't miss Mrs Bass's rant about prominent women who have 'strong legs' (which sounds much better than 'thick thighs') or Charlie's antics at the auction. It was ''not'' a good time to wave to her friend. Clare Balding has wisely stuck to writing about what she knows well and racing is [[Making the Running by Ian Balding|in her blood]] as well as being part of her professional life. Don't worry though, your ten year old is not going to be looking to make an investment on the potential winner of the three thirty at Wincanton - the story might be set in the world of horseracing, but it's essentially about a family working together to overcome the bad stuff which life throws at them and making the most of chances which come your way along with the fact that - as Balding says - ''you don't always win by following the crowd''.