My Life at Sweetbrier

A Life Changed by Horses

By: Deanie Humphrys-Dunne

Narrated by: Kimberly Botello

Length: 1 hr and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

What if you grew up on a horse farm and your single passion was to become a champion horseback rider? The problem is, you were born with a disability. Doctors tell your parents you’ll never walk, let alone ride. What will happen next? What does her dad do that changes her life? Will a failed racehorse and a handicapped girl become a winning team? This is the author’s true story of her journey. Even if Deanie prevails, will she find exactly the right horse to help her win?

©2017 Deanie Humphrys-Dunne (P)2019 Wordwooze Publishing

This is a great book for so many reasons!

Not only does Kimberly Patel sound like an adorable little girl when she does the little girl boy she sounds adorable when she does the regular boys. What a great narrator for this book. This is also a great book because if you have a young child that is scared to try or doesn’t want to try they should read this book. If you have a child who is disabled and thinks they can’t do anything you need to let them read this book. No I don’t agree with if your handicap you still should try to do whatever you want, because I’m blind and clearly you wouldn’t want i’m blind and you wouldn’t want me trying to be a Lyft driver. Although that is a funny analogy when you are disabled there will be things you can’t do so I think that’s a fallacy when we tell our kids they can do anything but I digress that’s not what this book is about. This book at the great book about a little girl who the doctor told her she couldn’t enter the support and encouragement of her daddy she did! Not only did she learn to ride horses it also helped her to move on from the burning of the barn and a few other things that I will not mention, Because I don’t want to spoil it for you. Just know even if your child has none of these issues that I’ve stated it will not hurt them to read this book. It is a great book!

Truly Inspiring Story

This was an enjoyable book with a great message for anyone. Although it is written for children, I am well past childhood and enjoyed it a lot.

The author was born prematurely and when she was still unable to walk at the age of three, her parents were told that she had Cerebral Palsy and would never be able to walk. However, her Daddy (especially) was determined that Deanie would be able to walk and more. Her parents bought a horse farm named Sweetbrier and there her life truly began.

Deanie slowly learned to ride a horse and then eventually became a champion rider and jumper. Her determination and persistence are an inspiration to anyone reading this book.

This would be a great book to read or listen to as a family or a good book for young readers to read for themselves. The courage, patience, determination, persistence and positive attitudes shown by Deanie and her family have a great message for all of us.

The narrator was perfect for this book and added a lot to it. I was given the chance to listen to this book by the publisher and chose to review it.