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The Riverdale Pony Stories #2
Against all Hope
Poppy McKeever and her two and four-legged friends make a welcome return in the sequel to The Lost Pony of Riverdale.
Cloud is back at Riverdale, but a visit to the vet brings some unwelcome news for eleven-year-old Poppy McKeever.
Her beloved Connemara pony has broken a bone in his foot and may never be sound enough to ride.
As she nurses him back to full strength a mysterious girl moves into a ramshackle farm cottage nearby.
Hope Taylor's life hangs in the balance, and Poppy and her best friend Scarlett vow to do everything they can to give her a fighting chance.
But the more Poppy gets to know Hope and her scheming mum Shelley, the more she wonders if there is more to Hope's story than the pair are letting on.
Before she can confront them, Cloud falls gravely ill. And Poppy faces the toughest night of her life as she battles to save the pony of her dreams.
Cloud is back at Riverdale, but a visit to the vet brings some unwelcome news for eleven-year-old Poppy McKeever.
Her beloved Connemara pony has broken a bone in his foot and may never be sound enough to ride.
As she nurses him back to full strength a mysterious girl moves into a ramshackle farm cottage nearby.
Hope Taylor's life hangs in the balance, and Poppy and her best friend Scarlett vow to do everything they can to give her a fighting chance.
But the more Poppy gets to know Hope and her scheming mum Shelley, the more she wonders if there is more to Hope's story than the pair are letting on.
Before she can confront them, Cloud falls gravely ill. And Poppy faces the toughest night of her life as she battles to save the pony of her dreams.
216 pages, Paperback
First published July 31, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 8, 2016
I've always loved stories about horses and ponies but Amanda Wills' Riverdale series has pony-related plots combined with engaging stories about the humans in Poppy's life. In this book the plot focuses on mysterious new arrivals to the neighbourhood: Shelley Taylor and her daughter Hope. I enjoyed meeting these new characters, and although I guessed their secret rather early on I'm well above the target age range and I did enjoy seeing how Poppy dealt with it when she did figure it out.
I also enjoyed seeing Poppy getting to know Cloud better and I loved the new addition to the family's growing collection of animals. Poppy's little brother Charlie was as fun and loveable as he was in the first book and it was nice to see a little more of her father as well.
Overall I enjoyed the book and was eager to read the next one. I'm knocking a star off for the predictable conclusion to the Hope and Shelley mystery though, as I can believe that Poppy might have taken a while to work it out but I found it surprising that none of the adults in the story were at all suspicious about what was happening.
I also enjoyed seeing Poppy getting to know Cloud better and I loved the new addition to the family's growing collection of animals. Poppy's little brother Charlie was as fun and loveable as he was in the first book and it was nice to see a little more of her father as well.
Overall I enjoyed the book and was eager to read the next one. I'm knocking a star off for the predictable conclusion to the Hope and Shelley mystery though, as I can believe that Poppy might have taken a while to work it out but I found it surprising that none of the adults in the story were at all suspicious about what was happening.
January 19, 2015
Yay! A happy start for our pony girl!!! Not a bad book.... All things go well for our heroine eventually, and there were some nice interesting dynamics between her friend Scarlett and Poppy's mother....
February 8, 2016
Excellent Book
Amanda Wells is a captivating author. Her characters are engaging and well developed. She writes in great detail about horses and the bonds between humans and animals. This series of books remind me of reading Black Beauty as a young girl.
Amanda Wells is a captivating author. Her characters are engaging and well developed. She writes in great detail about horses and the bonds between humans and animals. This series of books remind me of reading Black Beauty as a young girl.
July 2, 2015
3.5 - another sweet story!
September 2, 2015
4.5/5. Really loved this!
January 2, 2017
Good
This is a really good book and I loooooooved it u would probably want to read it once or twice
This is a really good book and I loooooooved it u would probably want to read it once or twice
March 1, 2017
This book is full of suprises
July 28, 2017
It's very hard to rate a book that you know is written for children. I tried to think myself back to when I was a child and look at it from that perspective.
On the whole this is a lovely story for girls who are 'pony-mad' - the sort of book I would have loved years ago. A couple of things niggled me as a reader though. There was a lot of unnecessary repetition and although I wondered if this was a deliberate ploy on the author's part - to keep younger readers engaged - I found it irritating and distracting. The second part was the 'plot' with the sick child. If this book is geared at 10 and 11 yr olds that concept - was a leeeetle bit uncomfortable, especially in a children's 'pony' story.
I do read a lot of children's books for pleasure and although this one attracted me with its simply glorious cover, the stereotypical 'bad' mother and the rather dull writing in places reduces this to a three star book.
However, if you have a pony-mad daughter this may well be right up their among their favourites!
On the whole this is a lovely story for girls who are 'pony-mad' - the sort of book I would have loved years ago. A couple of things niggled me as a reader though. There was a lot of unnecessary repetition and although I wondered if this was a deliberate ploy on the author's part - to keep younger readers engaged - I found it irritating and distracting. The second part was the 'plot' with the sick child. If this book is geared at 10 and 11 yr olds that concept - was a leeeetle bit uncomfortable, especially in a children's 'pony' story.
I do read a lot of children's books for pleasure and although this one attracted me with its simply glorious cover, the stereotypical 'bad' mother and the rather dull writing in places reduces this to a three star book.
However, if you have a pony-mad daughter this may well be right up their among their favourites!
September 11, 2018
Very good book! I am currently reading this series. I am on the third book now. This is the second book. Amazing book and I certainly recommend you read the whole series. On the first book it is okay at first, and then it gets a whole lot better. Definitely recommend!😀 -R
October 4, 2020
I absolutely loved this book one of the best ones I've ever read
It's a great book and I recommend it to everyone
Amanda is a great author and I absolutely love all the books she rights
It's a great book and I recommend it to everyone
Amanda is a great author and I absolutely love all the books she rights
August 19, 2023
Actual rating 3.5 stars
While not the greatest follow up to the first book, and featuring a conflict I could predict within the first few chapters, this was an enjoyable addition to the Riverdale Pony series.
While not the greatest follow up to the first book, and featuring a conflict I could predict within the first few chapters, this was an enjoyable addition to the Riverdale Pony series.
March 10, 2018
Hard hitting
Another good installment of poppy and clouds adventures, brought tears to my eyes in some places, just goes to show the truth is always unclear til the end.
Another good installment of poppy and clouds adventures, brought tears to my eyes in some places, just goes to show the truth is always unclear til the end.
March 4, 2021
Read by my 11-year-old daughter
April 9, 2016
Brilliant
Such an inspiring story really good for horse mad people
Truly thrilling with secrets worries and scares
I just really loved it
Such an inspiring story really good for horse mad people
Truly thrilling with secrets worries and scares
I just really loved it
December 31, 2017
Great story! I love the character development. Hope's situation was something unexpected and well-written. Time to read the next one!
Read
August 11, 2018Great book for all ages
As an older person, I knew how it would turn out. But it was still fun reading to the end.
As an older person, I knew how it would turn out. But it was still fun reading to the end.
July 10, 2024
such a good book
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews