Jockey Girl

Evangeline Gibb lives on a Thoroughbred racehorse farm with her father, her stepmother and two younger siblings. She believed all her life that her mother, Angela, is dead.

Estranged from her classmates and unwanted at home, Evie feels alone in the world except for the affection of ‘No Justice’, the talented but difficult racehorse that she calls ‘Kazzam’.

On her sixteenth birthday, a message arrives from her Great Aunt Mary, with a suggestion that Angela might still be alive. Evie’s life is turned upside down.

In hopes of winning enough money to leave her father for good and find her mother, Evie enters Kazzam in the Caledon Horse Race under an assumed name.

Things at home become unbearable, and when she steals Kazzam in the night and runs away, her big adventure begins. With help from Aunt Mary, and a stray dog named Magpie at her side, Evie unearths long-hidden family secrets, enters the underground world of drug-addiction, goes toe to toe with her father, finds unexpected love, and takes the racing world by storm with single-minded determination.

“…Peterson’s depiction of the racing world is intriguing and comprehensive, and stories about girls and their horses will never go out of style.”

— Booklist

“This book was written so well that it could please readers of all ages. This was one of the best books I have ever read and I think that you will like it too! READ THIS BOOK!!!”

— Lara, Hillcrest Community School, for the TDSB student picks

“Shelley Peterson’s 'Jockey Girl’ introduces to memorable characters who are multi-dimensional and relatable…This fast paced read…is a fast paced read barreling towards the finish line.”

— The Rider