Max and Annabel: The First Patrol

By: Catelyn Kronfeld
Illustrated by: Jennifer Brandon
Publisher: Archway Publishing
Publication Date: December 2015
ISBN: 978-1480824263
Reviewed by: Holly Connors
Review Date: June 2016

Max and his new friend Annabel are two beautiful Clydesdale horses who join forces to patrol the vast landscape of Central Park in the children's book Max and Annabel: The First Patrol.

Max is a seasoned police horse who helps the police patrol Central Park. He is a pretty chocolate brown Clydesdale who lives in a comfy eight-stall barn where he is well cared for and happy with his job. One cold, windy day in January, a horse trailer pulled up outside the barn and delivered a new horse - Annabel. Like Max, Annabel is a big Clydesdale. Soon it would be time for Annabel to start her new job, with Max leading the way to teach her all she needs to know.

The first day of work is quite eventful for Annabel. As the horses were cantering along the bridle path, a jogger ran up to them, pleading with the police to hurry - the tennis center was on fire! One of the officers quickly called the fire department and then headed to the tennis center. It would be the horses' job to keep the crowd away from the dangerous fire. Would Annabel obey her rider and perform her duties as needed on her first day?

The story of Max and Annabel is a sweet story for young horse lovers that unfortunately suffers from a serious need of editing. There are numerous misspelled words, missing commas that make sentences confusing, as well as other issues. While the illustrations are absolutely beautiful, they're not enough to save the book from the editorial problems.

Quill says: What could have been a wonderful children's book unfortunately suffers from a lack of editing.