Grant, Cynthia D. The White Horse. Simon Pulse, 1998. ISBN 978-0689832635 160 pp. $

The analogy is excellent: heroin is a little white horse that starts out as a pet and turns into a monster. Raina knows that first-hand; her alcoholic drug addict mother taught her a lesson that lead Raina into drug abuse and teen pregnancy. Raina tells all through “stories” written for her English teacher-turned-therapist and first-person narrative; the teacher interjects chapters with her concerns over her student. Through the stories, Raina works through what her mother did to her younger brother (a mystery that will keep readers hooked to the end) and begins to make a better life for herself.

Poetically and poignantly written, this novel is heartbreakingly realistic. Better than Beauty Queen (Glovach), but not as good–or hopeful–as Smack (Burgess).