I’ve had opportunity recently to read the second book in the Pocket Pegasus series – Flash and the Wings of courage. You may remember that my seven-year-old won the first three books as a part of the Kids Summer Reading Program. We are looking forward to taking part again this year!

You can read a review of the first book in the above link. Following on from this, Laura, Krissy and Todd are strengthening their friendships as they continue to look after Flash – a magical, tiny, talking winged horse! All three are preparing for the new school year and Flash is eager to take part. Can he go along to school with Laura?

Laura is unsure – the small equine isn’t so easy to keep a secret when he insists on talking and getting out of her backpack! In the end she promises he can come, in spite of the frequent trips he’s been taking at night to stretch his wings.

Todd’s broken home life comes to interrupt things and an abusive and alcoholic father has Laura and Krissy unsure what to do. Things take an unexpected turn when Flash learns about the dilemma and steps in for his friends.

Then later, when Laura is having issues with a high school bully, Flash again steps in. It seems he’s eager to do all he can to help and protect his human friends. But as Flash’s health seems to be declining fast, Laura questions what they can do for their equine friend. Does their secret need to be revealed to save the little winged horse?

Author: Susan Stafford-Pooley
Middle Grade Fiction
In My Library? Technically my son’s, but yes!

On a side note, the Kids Summer Reading Program (with a horse focus!) is coming up again in June. Why not sign up your young horse fan today? Details are available via https://wereadhorsebooks.com/.

A few weeks ago my daughter came home with a horse book from the school library. It was Honey and the Valley of Horses by Wendy Orr. The cover looked lovely and being a horse novel, I was curious!

And so I started reading the novel as time permitted. (My daughter finished it well before me!).

This story is an interestingly crafted idea, conjured up it seems on account of COVID and the lock downs that occurred. Apparently Wendy got to thinking about children that were born during COVID – how would they respond to the ‘outside world’ once they were finally allowed to venture into it?

An interesting idea – and I love how she weaved horses into this story!

Honey and her family go on a drive, eager to get away from a world that is falling apart around them. They discover a secret mountain and cross over a bridge to explore…

Honey and the Valley of Horses by Wendy Orr

And so starts their journey living in a secret valley with some magical horses. Honey, her younger brother Rumi, her mother, father and grandmother all live together in this valley.

In time they learn to live off the land – plant what they can, harvest what they can and enjoy a quiet, secluded life in the valley. An added bonus are the horses that come when you sing for them. Honey and Rumi learn to ride bareback and go on amazing adventures across the mountain.

Time passes – years – and the family starts to question if they will ever be able to leave the valley. As Honey’s father appears to be sick and in need of assistance, she is desperate to get out of the valley and seek help. Will she be able to leave? Can she get help for her father in time? And if she can leave, what will the outside world be like?

Author: Wendy Orr
Fiction: Middle Grade
In My Library? No, but it was borrowed from one!

I was pleased to have time recently, to read the ‘A Good Things Come Prequel’. Bright, Broken Things by Linda Shantz is book zero in this series and it sets the scene really well.

The first introduction to Nate Miller shows him fleeing a scene, desperate to get out of town. As the book unfolds, his broken heart and the reason behind it are further explored. Either way, Nate is in a new town and needing to take on something to ensure he doesn’t develop self destructive habits. Could a horse job with general farm work be just what he needs?

Liv Lachance finds her only reprieve in life – being on the back of a racehorse – doesn’t happen often enough. Whenever she’s not up on a horse, things are expected of her: to interact politely, to study, to gain good grades, to continue on the expected path of becoming a veterinarian. Liv just wants to ride, but can only take pleasure in the moments when she has the time to do so – which is not as often as she would like!

Knowing that the university year will be upon her all too quickly, Liv accepts the responsibility of advertising for a person who can start their yearlings. Although, she can admit she desperately wants to do it herself. The breeding property also needs a new farm hand… and if she can acquire the two positions in one eager worker, that would be even better, right?

Bright Broken Things is a wonderfully horse focused novel, that sets things up for what looks like an appealing series! The horse aspects are beautifully descriptive, teaching about the industry and providing wonderful insights into Canadian racing and starting young thoroughbreds.

Bright, Broken Things by Linda Shantz

The characters are unique and delightful. It was wonderful to read about the horse sales, starting yearlings under saddle, the dark and light aspects of an equine veterinary career and a little bit of riding racehorses.

The interactions between the characters is realistic and interesting, and builds nicely between the main characters. I’m curious to see where this goes. Highly recommended.

Author: Linda Shantz
Fiction: Young Adult
In My Library? As an eBook it is

My seven-year-old son won the first three books in the Pocket Pegasus series by Susan Stafford last year. It was a heap of fun for him and my elder daughter to take part in the Kids Summer Reading Program. It’s taken me awhile, but I’ve finally had a chance to read the first book – Flash and the Turtle Creek Triad.

This series has such an interesting storyline – a pegasus figurine that comes to life after being struck by lightning. How lucky the main character, twelve-year-old Laura appears to be!

But once you have a live pegasus – and one that talks, at that! – how do you keep that a secret? The first book in the Pocket Pegasus series was a delight to read. Young Laura’s adventures with Flash – her talking pegasus – and her work at a nearby horse property are an interesting read.

Flash and the Turtle Creek Triad by Susan Stafford

The book has amusing scenes with the two-hand high talking pegasus as he learns to stay a secret in Laura’s world. But by the time the twelve-year-old has turned thirteen, her secret isn’t such a secret any more.

Along with her best friend Krissy and an unexpected friendship with a lonely teenage boy, the Turtle Creek Triad is born. A great start to a new series.

Author: Susan Stafford-Pooley
Middle Grade Fiction
In My Library? Technically my son’s, but yes!

Horse by Geraldine Brooks was a title that came up a few times when I asked about what people planned to read in 2024. Or, what book they had recently really enjoyed. And for Horse, it was the latter! Looking on Goodreads, this book has over 100,000 ratings! I now am able to add this book to my read pile. I found it a fascinating read.

Horse follows the journey of one particular racehorse and jumps between the era when the colt was born, raced and then went to stud. But it also tells the tale, a good sixty or so years later, of the location of this horse’s skeleton and his journey from fame to obscurity.

Geraldine Brooks has used history to fuel the imagination for some truly entertaining fiction. And that is what I really enjoy about historical fiction – how you can learn some truths about a particular event, era or person and feel like you’re right there with them, as events happen in their lives. But likewise with fiction, there are scenes that the author may choose to create, to fit in with a particular occurrence in history.

Through the exploration of one particular horse’s life and race history, Brooks also delves into the issues of racism, slavery and touches on the abuse of horses.

Horse by Geraldine Brooks

As she tied together the lives of people with seemingly very little in common, it was fascinating to read how they invariably intertwined. For the aspects that focused on a thoroughbred colt that eventually became a famous racehorse, the horse parts rang true.

I absolutely loved young Jarrett’s character and his growth alongside the horse he raised from a foal, helped to train and fell in love with, in spite of not being allowed to have him as his own horse. I felt keenly the times when he – because of his skin colour – and his father, drew the short straw and had to put up with the twisted way white men played with their lives.

Horse is a long historical novel – around 400 pages. But to me, it didn’t seem wordy at all. Things are well described, and the book explores some unique topics.

I loved learning about Jess and her fascination with the skeleton of animals – and even humans. There were some historical art references that I have to plead ignorance to – and I even learned a new word ‘onomatopoiec’ through this novel! But the horse information reads true and there is plenty of it. Highly recommended, especially if you appreciate the thoroughbred breed and learning some American racing history!

Author: Geraldine Brooks
Historical Fiction
In My Library? No, but I did enjoy borrowing it from our local library!