Round’Em up Andi Carter style, and take your horse loving, adventure seeker little lady on a journey all her own!  Yet, these Circle C Stepping Stones Books Andi Lassos Trouble #3 and Andi to the Rescue #4, written by Susan K. Marlow, are not just for the fairer sex, as those rough and tough boys will become quite enthralled with how Andrea Carter tackles even the most complicated of situations.  Her lively spirit and unending love for horses will engage the reader in some action-packed adventures all set in the wild west of the late 1800’s.

These two-chapter books Andi Lassos Trouble #3 and Andi to the Rescue #4 are incorporated into a four-part chapter series that have been written from a historical fiction, wild west point of view.  The reader has the option of reading the books in any order, yet it is easier to understand each chapter book when one does read them in chronological order.  There are references made in each chapter book, and it helps to have the knowledge from the preceding book.  Each book is complete as is for an individual price of $7.50, although there are lapbooks for purchase on the Circle C website that correlate with the series.

Andi Carter, the main character, appeals to all high-spirited, fun loving, adventure seeking elementary age children, kindergarten through fifth grade, who dream of living a wild west lifestyle.  This series is practical for a school classroom, as well as a home education setting.  For early readers or for struggling readers, each book could be designated as a read aloud.  Students who are independently reading will have little difficulty reading the simplistic chapters.  With twelve short chapters per book, the pace is set to that of the reader.  Before the reader emerges into chapter one, there are new words complete with definitions expanding the students’ prior knowledge.  At the conclusion of chapter twelve there is a one page explanation of historical fun facts, relating to real life past events.

Our family thoroughly enjoyed reading together, and independently reading, Andi Lassos Trouble and Andi to the Rescue.  I incorporated these two books into my second graders read aloud times, as she is a struggling reader.  However, my fifth grader was able to read these books within two hours, as he was pleasantly engaged with Andi, and her ever so cheeky ways he could relate to.  My students found the historical facts quite fascinating and were interested in learning more historical information afterwards.  Upon meeting the author, Susan K. Marlow, my students are now partial to this Circle C series and wait with eager anticipation for more books to be written by her.  As a teacher and parent in a home education setting, I find these chapter books to be of a very high language arts standard.  The author writes from a biblical worldview, as well as incorporating character and moral traits, frequently throughout the book.  Reading these books together with my student has led to some wonderful discussions of how Andi Carter was able to overcome, persevere or display attitudes that were pleasing to adults and to God.

I highly recommend purchasing Andi Lassos Trouble and Andi to the Rescue for any student who takes pleasure in reading delightful novels that are suspenseful, adventurous, caring, slightly humorous, of course always involving horses, as well as a ranching lifestyle.  One will not be disappointed in the quality of how these chapter books were written.  Prepare for some 1800’s wild west adventures with the Carter family, a very important horse named Taffy, and learn to live life the Circle C Ranch way!

-Product review by Pam Havens, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, February, 2018