A Horse for Mandy
Encyclopedia
A Horse for Mandy is a young adult novel by Lurlene McDaniel
, published in August 2004. It tells the story of a young girl's struggle to find herself through her search for the perfect horse. The novel provides an important message on the dangers of tobacco
use.
to find she no longer feels a connection to her friends and family. After spending a summer playing tennis
and meeting new people, she no longer shares the shallow interests of the vapid friends of her small Rhode Island
town. She feels most changed by the time she spent with the camp's Equestrian
program. Now that she considers herself an adept rider, Mandy feels superior to her former friends Lydia, Patricia, and Elaine.
In an effort to win back her affections, Mandy's parents, Lloyd and Melody, decide to purchase a horse
for Mandy. Mandy accepts their offer, but only on the condition that she can select the horse herself.
After visiting a number of stables, Mandy fails to find a horse that meets her standards. Lydia, Patricia, and Elaine try to show their support by throwing a horse-themed party
for Mandy and even give her an expensive saddle
to celebrate the occasion.
Finally, after months of searching, Mandy finds an ideal horse on a farm in New Hampshire
. While visiting the farm, she meets Ted, the horse's current owner. Ted quickly informs Mandy that he has no patience for her superior attitude. Mandy finds Ted intriguing and they begin a long-distance relationship
, writing each other daily letters. Mandy even names her horse Teddy in his honor.
Unfortunately, after six months of dating, Mandy discovers that Ted has a serious illness that he has kept secret from her. He suffers from salivary gland cancer
, a disease with which he was diagnosed after years of tobacco
use. Although Ted quit using chewing tobacco
following his diagnosis, the damage was already severe. Mandy and Ted continue their relationship over the next three years until Ted ultimately succumbs to the effects of his disease. After his funeral, Mandy's friends Lydia, Patricia, and Elaine again extend an offer of friendship, but Mandy knows that they can never ease her suffering. Mandy writes a long note to her parents, apologizing for leaving and, with her beloved horse Teddy, begins a new life in Milwaukee.
Mandy Underwood is a demanding, tenacious 13-year-old girl who longs for her own horse.
Ted Wirth:
Ted battles bravely against cancer and helps Mandy battle the more negative aspects of her personality.
Lydia Harrington:
One of Mandy's former friends who finds herself snubbed when Mandy returns home from camp.
Patricia Kline:
One of Mandy's former friends who finds herself snubbed when Mandy returns home from camp.
Elaine Lopez:
One of Mandy's former friends who finds herself snubbed when Mandy returns home from camp.
Lloyd and Melody Underwood:
Mandy's parents who indulge her whims in an attempt to keep her happy.
Lurlene McDaniel
Lurlene McDaniel is an author who has written more than 70 young adult books. She is well-known for writing about young adults struggling with mortality and chronic illness, a career that began as a therapeutic way to deal with the trauma when her son, then 3, was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes...
, published in August 2004. It tells the story of a young girl's struggle to find herself through her search for the perfect horse. The novel provides an important message on the dangers of tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
use.
Plot summary
15-year-old Mandy Underwood returns home from summer campSummer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
to find she no longer feels a connection to her friends and family. After spending a summer playing tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and meeting new people, she no longer shares the shallow interests of the vapid friends of her small Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
town. She feels most changed by the time she spent with the camp's Equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
program. Now that she considers herself an adept rider, Mandy feels superior to her former friends Lydia, Patricia, and Elaine.
In an effort to win back her affections, Mandy's parents, Lloyd and Melody, decide to purchase a horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
for Mandy. Mandy accepts their offer, but only on the condition that she can select the horse herself.
After visiting a number of stables, Mandy fails to find a horse that meets her standards. Lydia, Patricia, and Elaine try to show their support by throwing a horse-themed party
Party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, or recreation. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing as well....
for Mandy and even give her an expensive saddle
Saddle
A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider or other load, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is the equestrian saddle designed for a horse, but specialized saddles have been created for camels and other creatures...
to celebrate the occasion.
Finally, after months of searching, Mandy finds an ideal horse on a farm in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. While visiting the farm, she meets Ted, the horse's current owner. Ted quickly informs Mandy that he has no patience for her superior attitude. Mandy finds Ted intriguing and they begin a long-distance relationship
Long-distance relationship
A long-distance relationship is typically an intimate relationship that takes place when the partners are separated by a considerable distance....
, writing each other daily letters. Mandy even names her horse Teddy in his honor.
Unfortunately, after six months of dating, Mandy discovers that Ted has a serious illness that he has kept secret from her. He suffers from salivary gland cancer
Salivary gland cancer
Salivary gland cancer is a cancer that forms in tissues of a salivary gland. The salivary glands are classified as major and minor. The major salivary glands consist of the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands. The minor glands include small mucus-secreting glands located throughout the...
, a disease with which he was diagnosed after years of tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
use. Although Ted quit using chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco Chewing tobacco Chewing tobacco (also known colloquially as hoobastank, backy, tobac, doogooos,Hogleg, chewpoos, chits, chewsky, chawsky, dip, flab, chowers, guy, or a wad, as well as referred to as dipsky, snuff, a pinch, a yopper, a Packing a bomb, a tobbackey or packing a...
following his diagnosis, the damage was already severe. Mandy and Ted continue their relationship over the next three years until Ted ultimately succumbs to the effects of his disease. After his funeral, Mandy's friends Lydia, Patricia, and Elaine again extend an offer of friendship, but Mandy knows that they can never ease her suffering. Mandy writes a long note to her parents, apologizing for leaving and, with her beloved horse Teddy, begins a new life in Milwaukee.
Character histories
Mandy Underwood:Mandy Underwood is a demanding, tenacious 13-year-old girl who longs for her own horse.
Ted Wirth:
Ted battles bravely against cancer and helps Mandy battle the more negative aspects of her personality.
Lydia Harrington:
One of Mandy's former friends who finds herself snubbed when Mandy returns home from camp.
Patricia Kline:
One of Mandy's former friends who finds herself snubbed when Mandy returns home from camp.
Elaine Lopez:
One of Mandy's former friends who finds herself snubbed when Mandy returns home from camp.
Lloyd and Melody Underwood:
Mandy's parents who indulge her whims in an attempt to keep her happy.