The Scorpio Races

Title: The Scorpio Races
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Published: Oct., 2011
ISBN: 97890545224901
Page number: 409
Price: $17.99
Genre: fantasy, romance
Reading Level: 5th grade
Interest Level: 8th grade and up
Awards: Printz Award
Plot Summary: Puck lives with her two brothers on the island of Thisby. Thisby is not an island for the weak of heart. It has rough weather and even more dangerous things come out of the ocean. The island is known for it's beautiful but dangerous water horses that emerge from the ocean. The horses eat meat and have taken many lives of those on the island, including the parents of Puck. Every year the island puts on a dangerous race called The Scorpio Races in which riders race the water horses in a deadly game. Sean Kendrick lost his father in the races and is now known on the island as the returning race champion and water horse whisperer. Sean is almost guaranteed to win the next race but things change when Puck becomes the only girl to enter the Scorpio Races. Puck is determined to win the race in hopes that the prize money will save her home and perhaps keep her older brother from leaving the island. Puck and Sean start to build a friendship as they both train for the race. Each wants to win for their own reasons and each knows the risks that come with competing in the race. Will they be victorious or will the just be another victim of the Scorpio Races.
Review: 
Reader's Annotation: Every year the island of Thisby becomes home to the dangerous and mysterious water horses. They climb out of the sea seeking meat and it is these horses that took the life of Puck Connelly's parents and Sean Kendrick's father. Sean and Puck are both entering into the Scorpio Races, a race in which the townsfolk race these wild water horses. Not everyone makes it out alive but for Puck and Sean winning could change their lives but losing could end it.
Book Talk Ideas: The water horses are a great part of the story. They are rich in folklore and mystery and using them to introduce the story will grab readers.
Issues: The story centers around a race with flesh eating water horses. The races are violent and deadly with people being trampled to death or eaten by the horses. There is a violent and gruesome scene where a character is bitten by one of the horses and then dies on the beach with Puck holding him as he dies. Puck is also a poor orphan trying to save her family's home and keep her older brother from leaving the island.
Bibliotherapeutic usefulness: Puck is a character with lots of perseverance  courage and at times is stubborn but she puts her family first. Her quest to save her family home by joining the male only races is heroic and may have female readers wanting to get a horse and start racing.
Issues: violence, poverty, death

Genre: fantasy
Main Themes: romance, fantasy
Read-alikes:
Author Website: http://maggiestiefvater.com/
Professional Reviews: Publisher's Weekly
Kirkus Reviews
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