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The Shadow Pony
Not yet published
Expected 26 Feb 26A gorgeous story of family love through generations – perfect for fans of Hannah Gold and Katya Balen
A GORGEOUS STORY OF FAMILY LOVE THROUGH GENERATIONS
Evan hates change, which is a big problem because the last few years have brought a lot of it. His family is split down the middle, and lately Grandad hasn’t been himself. But it’s not all bad – Evan can always depend on Okie Dokie, his lovable dog.
When a school trip takes Evan to an old mine where Grandad used to work, things go disastrously wrong. Grandad refuses to talk to Evan about the mine, and especially about the poor pit ponies that worked down there in the dark.
But Evan is desperate to know more about Grandad’s past and if he can only find out what Grandad’s hiding, the weird gulf between them will surely disappear. Can Evan uncover Grandad’s secrets before they are lost forever?
A GORGEOUS STORY OF FAMILY LOVE THROUGH GENERATIONS
Evan hates change, which is a big problem because the last few years have brought a lot of it. His family is split down the middle, and lately Grandad hasn’t been himself. But it’s not all bad – Evan can always depend on Okie Dokie, his lovable dog.
When a school trip takes Evan to an old mine where Grandad used to work, things go disastrously wrong. Grandad refuses to talk to Evan about the mine, and especially about the poor pit ponies that worked down there in the dark.
But Evan is desperate to know more about Grandad’s past and if he can only find out what Grandad’s hiding, the weird gulf between them will surely disappear. Can Evan uncover Grandad’s secrets before they are lost forever?
Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 26, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
" I'm not always a fan of change either, but sometimes it's unavoidable. No matter how much we want things to stay the same."
My Dog by Olivia Wakeford was without a doubt one of the best children's books of 2025.
The Shadow Pony deserves to be equally applauded and enjoyed. This is the story of Evan who finds himself jolted into a life of continual changes and disruptions -Grandad is doing strange things; mum's boyfriend's daughter Melly has come to stay with her cat Blue and his dog Okie is proving more and more problematic whilst school life is continually unsettled by Kai who aims to make his life a misery.
Following a trip to a local disused mine where Evan learns about the use of pit ponies and the horrendous way they were treated, he decides to use this as a base for a school project and hopefully cheer up his grandad who used to work in the mine- but things backfire with shocking results.
Olivia Wakeford one again tugs at our heart strings and has written a story that not only entertains and grips but touches emotions and explores issues that many children have to deal with in their families - dementia and bi-polar disorder. The story is touchingly told without being too emotive to deflect from the importance of the content for readers young and old.
David Litchfield's illustrations add a further beauty to the book .
A perfect read for 9-12 year olds and great upper KS2 class read.
A top 2026 children's book! No question .
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's books for the advance copy
My Dog by Olivia Wakeford was without a doubt one of the best children's books of 2025.
The Shadow Pony deserves to be equally applauded and enjoyed. This is the story of Evan who finds himself jolted into a life of continual changes and disruptions -Grandad is doing strange things; mum's boyfriend's daughter Melly has come to stay with her cat Blue and his dog Okie is proving more and more problematic whilst school life is continually unsettled by Kai who aims to make his life a misery.
Following a trip to a local disused mine where Evan learns about the use of pit ponies and the horrendous way they were treated, he decides to use this as a base for a school project and hopefully cheer up his grandad who used to work in the mine- but things backfire with shocking results.
Olivia Wakeford one again tugs at our heart strings and has written a story that not only entertains and grips but touches emotions and explores issues that many children have to deal with in their families - dementia and bi-polar disorder. The story is touchingly told without being too emotive to deflect from the importance of the content for readers young and old.
David Litchfield's illustrations add a further beauty to the book .
A perfect read for 9-12 year olds and great upper KS2 class read.
A top 2026 children's book! No question .
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's books for the advance copy
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When Evan's parents get divorced, his older brother Charlie decides to live with their dad and he moves with his mother to Wales - the best part of which is being near his grandfather, whom Evan adores.
But something strange is going on with his grandad - something related to a past that is murky and that he refuses to discuss with Evan. Yet Evan know that he must get to the bottom of this if he is to restore his relationship with his grandfather.
And none of this is helped by the unexpected arrival of Melly, who is the daughter of his mother's boyfriend Nick....
A beautiful story of family, both blended and biological, and a piece of storytelling that gives a well-deserved hat tip to the lives of miners in Wales, and the pit ponies who had to work alongside them under grim conditions. This one is well worth a read.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
But something strange is going on with his grandad - something related to a past that is murky and that he refuses to discuss with Evan. Yet Evan know that he must get to the bottom of this if he is to restore his relationship with his grandfather.
And none of this is helped by the unexpected arrival of Melly, who is the daughter of his mother's boyfriend Nick....
A beautiful story of family, both blended and biological, and a piece of storytelling that gives a well-deserved hat tip to the lives of miners in Wales, and the pit ponies who had to work alongside them under grim conditions. This one is well worth a read.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews