All that Glitters

by K.M. Peyton, Susan Jameson (Narrator)

All That Glitters is a fabulously funny story about two scruffy ponies, fancy dressage horses, competition, friendships, adventure and buried treasure which will appeal to boys and girls who love ponies and life outdoors!

5 pages, Audiobook

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Kathleen Wendy Herald Peyton MBE, who wrote primarily as K. M. Peyton, was a British author of fiction for children and young adults

Reviews

[Louise Culmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Millie and Imogen are happy keeping their ponies in the rather rundown stable owned by eccentric old Miss Brocklebank. But then Miss Brocklebank’s bossy niece Polly arrives to take over the stables, she plans to make them smarter and more commercial and may not want Millie and Imogen and their rather shabby ponies there. Meanwhile Millie’s brother Jake and his friend Harry think they may have found treasure in Miss Brocklebank’s garden, making it even more important that they stay. And then the sullen Amy arrives to make things even more difficult. This is a very entertaining story with very varied and likeable characters (ponies as well as humans) lots of humour, and a plot that makes you eager to find out what happens next. I couldn’t put it down.

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoyed watching Flambards years ago, but no one seems to have done an audio version of those, so I thought I'd try another Peyton. Not a single likeable character in the bunch (except maybe the horses). Dishonesty of every sort is casually exercised. So when the meant-to-be exciting parts of the story came along—danger and competition—i just didn't care.

Reader was good.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

KM Peyton is a masterful story-teller and this new book from Forelock Books is a delightful addition to her published works. Now that sounds very formal, and this book is anything but – in fact it’s a delightful tale of messing about. Millie Hodge and her friend Imogen spend the whole book messing about with scruffy ponies and in stable-yards and with friends going on adventures and hacks and exploring, and forever changing their minds about people, and dramatic rescues and buried treasure and practising for a big event that left me laughing out loud.

There’s something about the book that reminded me of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ by Arthur Ransome. Peyton’s writing is simultaneously more complex and less formal and obviously more suitable to modern readers than Ransome’s, but there is something about this world around Millie’s farm and the village of Under Standing that reminds of the drama and the poignancy of Ransome’s world. KM Peyton describes this messy world of adults and their faults and obsessions through the eyes of her young protagonists Millie and Imogen whose opinions are both strangely perceptive and often priceless.

But that doesn’t really get to the heart of the book, and it is a book with a very big and magical heart filled with a love of horses. Peyton lovingly depicts the variety of horses and ponies in Millie and Imogen’s world with humour and insight: the girls’ adorable ponies nicknamed Manky and Wonky; reckless Amy’s untameable Dragon; good looking Alex’s fine Arab mare, and so many more.

As their adventures come to a dramatic and hilarious conclusion, you will be rooting for Millie, Imogen and their ponies Bluebell and Barney. You’ll get to the last page and immediately want to start over and immerse yourself in their magical world all over again.

[Marsha Valance · Rating 4 out of 5]

While trying out a metal detector, 4 British children discover a buried Roman treasure. They also cope with rescuing 4 riding school horses and an elderly lady from a flood, and training their horses and ponies for a riding demonstration at a local fair. A delightful book about the joys of rural life in England.

[Kate Joekel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Km Peyton book,

Like all her books that I've read so far, it is about girls and equine animals. Pretty much right on , made me laugh.