A girl, a horse and the magical Irish countryside; what a great story! CHESCA AND THE SPIRIT OF GRACE grabs our affection immediately and whisks us off to Howth harbour, north of Dublin. Chesca O'Brien understands what her animal friends say - so much so, that she doesn't want human pals.

Malley the stallion is fond of Chesca but her dairy-farming father won't let the girl ride such a spirited horse. Chesca's favourite spot is "surrounded by old stone walls and steeped in history. An old ruin of a cottage... the fields and meadows all fell away to the cliffs and down to the beach, cove, village and harbour." The scene-setting is excellent. Chesca enjoys trick-riding on her mare Star but Malley tells the girl that he is descended from a horse owned by the pirate queen Grace O'Malley.

The O'Briens run pony-trekking and between costs, insurance and loans, the banker issues a warning. What could a girl of eleven, who's away with the fairies half the time, possibly do to save her home? Then the unthinkable happens and Chesca's mother is taken ill. Cultured, unfeeling Aunt Dena arrives, promptly kicking the friendly dog and doubting that her sister ever had a manicure.

The contrasts are vivid - a sudden acrid smell of nail- polish remover in the farm kitchen, a farmer donning a suit to visit the hospital. Chesca is made to feel guilty for her stubbornness; seeing her venerable home from her aunt's point of view, she realises that is draughty and hard to keep. What does Dena mean about calling in pest control? Chesca and her pet mouse haven't a clue. "I bet she was dropped on her head as a baby," grumbles the rebellious girl. There's worse to come!

I laughed as I read and loved this story. Young adults, especially girls, will relate to Chesca and her need to save her home. She learns that human friends come through, and that people do strange things in difficult times. Lara O'Brien's CHESCA AND THE SPIRIT OF GRACE is an excellent YA book which many adults will also enjoy.