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Dream Riders #1
Frankie
Frankie’s dream is more like a nightmare when her new horse turns out to be Zen – a shaggy, disobedient clown of a pony, who will totally wreck her chances of fitting in at Pony Club in her new town. Zen is everything Frankie doesn’t want – until the magnetic horse whisperer Shannon shows her just what Zen could be if ridden freely.
Natural horsemanship opens up a whole new way of riding and a whole new world of connection between Zen and Frankie. But Frankie’s dad is getting more depressed after her parents’ divorce, star rider and star mean girl Violet has it in for Frankie, and her best friend Kai is keeping a secret. Then Shannon announces she’s closing down her riding centre. Frankie’s got an idea that could save it … but can she and Zen rise to the challenge?
Natural horsemanship opens up a whole new way of riding and a whole new world of connection between Zen and Frankie. But Frankie’s dad is getting more depressed after her parents’ divorce, star rider and star mean girl Violet has it in for Frankie, and her best friend Kai is keeping a secret. Then Shannon announces she’s closing down her riding centre. Frankie’s got an idea that could save it … but can she and Zen rise to the challenge?
- GenresFamily
240 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2019
9 people want to read
About the author
Laura Bloom
16 books33 followersIt’s the people traditionally left out of the frame who interest Laura the most, as well as what happens after what would be the climax in many stories. A couple reuniting after the war, in IN THE MOOD; a woman who has changed her name and started a new life, only to find her old life catching up with her, in THE CLEANSKIN; what happens when you break up with the perfect person, in CHOOSING ZOE.
Laura’s novels have been shortlisted for the NSW Literary Awards, the ABC Fiction Prize and the Young Australian Readers’ Awards and published in France, the US and the UK.
Laura grew up in Sydney and graduated with a BA, Communications from the University of Technology, Sydney. She has worked in the areas of youth policy, social justice and health promotion, and has travelled widely, including living for spells in Germany, India, the UK, and as a toddler in New Guinea, which is where she began her love affair with the sub-tropics.
She now lives in a small town near Byron Bay on the East Coast of Australia with her chosen family, including her godson and her son who has autism. For such a word-based person it’s been an extraordinary journey to learn to love and communicate beyond words.
Laura’s novels have been shortlisted for the NSW Literary Awards, the ABC Fiction Prize and the Young Australian Readers’ Awards and published in France, the US and the UK.
Laura grew up in Sydney and graduated with a BA, Communications from the University of Technology, Sydney. She has worked in the areas of youth policy, social justice and health promotion, and has travelled widely, including living for spells in Germany, India, the UK, and as a toddler in New Guinea, which is where she began her love affair with the sub-tropics.
She now lives in a small town near Byron Bay on the East Coast of Australia with her chosen family, including her godson and her son who has autism. For such a word-based person it’s been an extraordinary journey to learn to love and communicate beyond words.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 4, 2020
An absolutely lovely book.
I found the cover of this one irresistible (that beautiful pony!) but the story itself was really good. A girl, her pony, natural horsemanship -- pretty much my ideal book!
If you like horse stories, this is recommended. I'm looking forward to the next one!
I found the cover of this one irresistible (that beautiful pony!) but the story itself was really good. A girl, her pony, natural horsemanship -- pretty much my ideal book!
If you like horse stories, this is recommended. I'm looking forward to the next one!
June 28, 2019
Confession 1: I was never a horsey girl.
Confession 2: I once tried to be a horsey girl.
You see – my stepfather got us a pony. She was a black and white appaloosa called Asha. I liked to pat her. I enjoyed drawing her. But I probably only rode her a handful of times because I found her terrifying! Horses and me? Well it just didn’t work.
So you’re going to think I wouldn’t like a book like Frankie (Dream Riders #1) right?WRONG!
I have learnt in the past not to judge a book by it’s horsey cover after making the mistake of NOT reading Penny Pollard’s Diary series because I thought they were horsey! So stupid.
And you know what? Frankie is a book that defies expectations precisely because it is about not making judgements. It's about being open to listening and learning and being tolerant. It’s about finding your truth. And it is a brilliant book for any middle grade reader on the cusp of growing up and navigating grey areas of relationships, change and life in general – with or without a pony.
Frankie is about so much more than horses. And Frankie herself is an inspirational protagonist – a kid navigating a move from the city to the country, a difficult family break up (her mum has left for another woman) and a long term friendship that has changed. Frankie is whipsmart and a problem solver as well. She handles the secrets from her city friend Kai and the custody arrangements with her mum and dad with maturity. But it is the pony club issues that really stump her. You see she had a dream to be horsey – and now she has a pony, Zen, and is going to pony club- but it’s not working out quite as she dreamed.
Enter the horse whisperer Pam and her horse stud Dream Paddock. Here, Frankie finds a way to understand Zen and through it, find her people and her own understanding of the changes in her life. The parts of the book with Frankie learning the language of her horse Zen gave me goosebumps. I couldn’t help feeling that if I had have met someone like that, I would have found my way to be horsey too.
Written with insight, Frankie shows us that to be open to listening to the truth, even through the cacophony of our own expectations. This is the first book in a series and there is a hint at the end to the second book and I can’t wait!
*Thanks to Walker Books for my copy of this book.
Confession 2: I once tried to be a horsey girl.
You see – my stepfather got us a pony. She was a black and white appaloosa called Asha. I liked to pat her. I enjoyed drawing her. But I probably only rode her a handful of times because I found her terrifying! Horses and me? Well it just didn’t work.
So you’re going to think I wouldn’t like a book like Frankie (Dream Riders #1) right?WRONG!
I have learnt in the past not to judge a book by it’s horsey cover after making the mistake of NOT reading Penny Pollard’s Diary series because I thought they were horsey! So stupid.
And you know what? Frankie is a book that defies expectations precisely because it is about not making judgements. It's about being open to listening and learning and being tolerant. It’s about finding your truth. And it is a brilliant book for any middle grade reader on the cusp of growing up and navigating grey areas of relationships, change and life in general – with or without a pony.
Frankie is about so much more than horses. And Frankie herself is an inspirational protagonist – a kid navigating a move from the city to the country, a difficult family break up (her mum has left for another woman) and a long term friendship that has changed. Frankie is whipsmart and a problem solver as well. She handles the secrets from her city friend Kai and the custody arrangements with her mum and dad with maturity. But it is the pony club issues that really stump her. You see she had a dream to be horsey – and now she has a pony, Zen, and is going to pony club- but it’s not working out quite as she dreamed.
Enter the horse whisperer Pam and her horse stud Dream Paddock. Here, Frankie finds a way to understand Zen and through it, find her people and her own understanding of the changes in her life. The parts of the book with Frankie learning the language of her horse Zen gave me goosebumps. I couldn’t help feeling that if I had have met someone like that, I would have found my way to be horsey too.
Written with insight, Frankie shows us that to be open to listening to the truth, even through the cacophony of our own expectations. This is the first book in a series and there is a hint at the end to the second book and I can’t wait!
*Thanks to Walker Books for my copy of this book.
May 23, 2019
My eleven year old son just LOVED this book - and he's not even all that into horses! He loved it because the story is so engaging and the characters are so easy to relate to, and so loveable, and funny and warm. Frankie tells such a beautiful story about trust and friendship, about vulnerability and new beginnings. A really inspiring book for young readers, and set in the gorgeous Northern Rivers of NSW.
May 10, 2019
The tagline for this book - Without a saddle or a bridle, all that's left is the truth - captures the essence of this great book for middle grade/early teens perfectly. It's full of all kinds of truths - about friendship, about loss, about love... and ultimately, about remaking yourself and your life. It's a super enjoyable and easy read that also has depth, great characters and an absorbing plot. It's great for both horse lovers and readers who have never met a horse!
June 30, 2020
Frankie is living with her dad. He's depressed and sitting on the couch watching TV a lot of the time. He has a job but can work from home. Frankie visits her mother, who left her father after they moved to the country. This change was supposed to bring them all together as a family, but it didn't work.
She was excited because after dreaming about having her own horse, she's going to get one. Then she meets Zen and is underwhelmed. He's fat and slow and farts. Another huge disappointment. Her mum and dad have seen her take up lots of hobbies then drop them, so it's no surprise they don't think this will last.
Frankie is hoping to make new friends at Pony Club. The club is run by an ex-Olympian and everyone wears the correct gear and look like they take it very seriously. Some of the girls there she's seen at school. Her first time there ends in disaster, she tells her mum it's not for her. But then she decides not to give up on Zen. There is another woman running pony training at a property on the way home. She tells her mum to stop and ask if she can train them. Her mum insists Frankie do the asking.
Shannon Falkiner has a whole different way of training, all to do with listening to the horse. Frankie agrees to work around the property in exchange for Zen being allowed to stay with Shannon. Zen is like a whole different pony with her. After a couple of weeks getting to know Zen and adopting a listen to what he's feeling way of doing things, Frankie comes up with some great ideas to help Shannon keep Pocket of Dreams Equestrian Centre.
This book is all about not giving up on yourself, your friends, including the four-legged variety, and taking a chance. Frankie reconnects with her friend Kai, makes new friends, and learns how to show Zen at the local show.
I loved this story and it's another gift for my horse loving granddaughter.
She was excited because after dreaming about having her own horse, she's going to get one. Then she meets Zen and is underwhelmed. He's fat and slow and farts. Another huge disappointment. Her mum and dad have seen her take up lots of hobbies then drop them, so it's no surprise they don't think this will last.
Frankie is hoping to make new friends at Pony Club. The club is run by an ex-Olympian and everyone wears the correct gear and look like they take it very seriously. Some of the girls there she's seen at school. Her first time there ends in disaster, she tells her mum it's not for her. But then she decides not to give up on Zen. There is another woman running pony training at a property on the way home. She tells her mum to stop and ask if she can train them. Her mum insists Frankie do the asking.
Shannon Falkiner has a whole different way of training, all to do with listening to the horse. Frankie agrees to work around the property in exchange for Zen being allowed to stay with Shannon. Zen is like a whole different pony with her. After a couple of weeks getting to know Zen and adopting a listen to what he's feeling way of doing things, Frankie comes up with some great ideas to help Shannon keep Pocket of Dreams Equestrian Centre.
This book is all about not giving up on yourself, your friends, including the four-legged variety, and taking a chance. Frankie reconnects with her friend Kai, makes new friends, and learns how to show Zen at the local show.
I loved this story and it's another gift for my horse loving granddaughter.
March 12, 2019
Review to come.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews