Children's Books2017 · 224 pp · Age 9+
Carla, min Carla
Ingeborg Arvola
Inghill is crazy about horses. She wants a horse more than anything else in the world. She thinks about horses, she talks about horses and she has her own horse – at least on a fake Facebook profile. But she is constantly exposed as a liar.
Luckily she goes riding at the riding school, but she is too young to join the stable gang, and it is not enough to be on horseback twice a week. Then, one day, Mum and Dad lose their senses and give Inghill a horse for Christmas. Even if it is only spoilt rich daddy's girls who have horses! They find a stable nearby, and Inghill is the world's happiest girl. But her pony Carla is also a bit crazy and Inghill cannot quite manage to control her. One day it all goes terribly wrong! Carla gets frightened, runs out and slips on the ice – and Inghill breaks her arm. It does not help Inghill much that she is tougher than most, that she has two friends who are almost her best friends and a half-Indian friend whom she has integrated personally. It is only Carla that counts – and she has to be sold!
Carla, min Carla is the story of Inghill: about what it is like to be a horse-crazy girl, about friendship and bullying, about fending for yourself and about taking responsibility for yourself and for those you love.
‘Ingeborg Arvola writes insightfully and with spirit about young girls and horses.’ Gudbrandsdølen Dagningen
‘Entertaining and well-written, quite simply a book about horses in a class of its own.’ Rana Blad
‘As a book about horses, this is a wonderful example… What qualifies it as such is the touching and realistic portrayal of the young horse Carla, not to mention Inghill’s relationship to her.’ Barnebokkritikk.no ‘In this book every girl with a love for horses has found a novel written with her in mind, telling the tale of the horse-mad Inghill and her pony, Carla. But Ingeborg Arvola’s novel is more than that; it’s an easy read, well written and features an amusing plotline… It’s terrific that young adult novels are now exciting whilst also exhibiting clear literary quality…’ Nordlys
