Children’s book author Deanie Humphrys-Dunne recently contacted me about reading and reviewing her latest release, My Life at Sweetbrier A Life Changed by Horses. Now this book is quite different to her other children’s fiction horse books. My Life at Sweetbrier tells Deanie’s story with horses as she grew up.

Her life started out in an unexpected way, with having difficulty learning to walk. Eventually the doctors concluded that she wouldn’t be able to walk, due to having cerebral palsy.

Deanie’s dream as she grew up was to ride horses but it looked like mastering walking would be her first challenge. Her father refused to acknowledge the doctor’s conclusion. He eventually decided to teach Deanie to ride horses to strengthen her legs. And so the long journey began!

Between lots of falls and persistence, Deanie learned to ride on ponies. In time she decided she wanted to jump; this led to a lot more falls and her father deciding to wait a further year before continuing with jumping on horses.

This story is a beautiful one of persistence and never giving up on your dreams. The fact that it is based on her real life is sure to inspire readers. As it says in My Life at Sweetbrier, Deanie wants children to remember never to give up on their dreams because anything is possible if you don’t give up. This book is an updated edition of Tails of Sweetbrier.  It includes some great photos of the people and horses in the book.  My Life at Sweetbrier is a delightful read that is sure to inspire and encourage.

Author – Deanie Humphrys-Dunne
http://childrensbookswithlifelessons.com/
Non-fiction – motivational, biography, children’s
In my library – as an eBook, yes!
Want it? Get it now at Amazon.

Doing my typical online search for free kindle books under the category of horse, I recently came across another book in the Magical Pony Adventure series by Angharad Thompson Rees. This particular short children’s book is titled The Ugly Pony.

The Ugly Pony is a wonderful retelling of the children’s tale the Ugly Duckling. Except this time the animal in question is a pony instead of a swan. This young pony grows up on a stud farm where ponies are bred for the show ring. They are recognised for their beautiful coats, rich colour, high stepping trot and pleasant conformation. These are all things that this particular pony seems to be lacking.

She has unusual – or even horrible – conformation. She is a dull white colour and has a funny bump on her forehead. As she grows older, these things don’t lessen, but instead seem to increase in visibility. The other ponies on the farm make fun of her.  In fact, even her mother is embarrassed by her appearance.  This in turn leads to the pony concluding that she doesn’t belong on the farm.

The Ugly Pony has a unique twist to it as well as a wonderful moral: that we need to appreciate our own uniqueness. Author Angharad Thompson Rees encourages all readers to embrace the person that they are and to love themselves. This is a great lesson for young readers as well as older readers! The Ugly Pony is a lovely retelling of the classic that is sure to captivate young readers and horse fans alike.

Author – Angharad Thompson Rees
Fiction – children
In my library – as an eBook it is.
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.

“There is no better place to heal a broken heart than on the back of a horse.” ― Missy Lyons