Jessie and the Star Rider

by Esme Higgs, Jo Cotterill, Hannah George (Illustrator)

Fans of Clare Balding and Jacqueline Wilson will love this fun and heartwarming new adventure series for animal-mad 8-12 year olds from superstar equestrian influencer Esme Higgs!

After solving the mystery of the stolen pony, the Starlight Stables Gang are ready to have a relaxing summer and enjoy the Haversham Horse Trials, but things aren't as sunny as they seem. Can the Starlight Stables Gang band together and work as a team once again, or will it prove too much for one of the friends?

Read the second adventure in the Starlight Stables Gang series - a brand new story told from the viewpoint of Jessie!

286 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 24, 2023

Reviews

[Lily Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was a really good book because it was all about horses 🐴and horses are one of my favourite animals

[Jess C · Rating 5 out of 5]

can’t remember when i started and finished it trying to catch up on my book reading chart of what i have read!

BUT I LOVE THIS SERIES AS NORMALLLL CANT WAIT FOR BOOK 3

[Emmaby Barton Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved the way this book discussed anxiety and disability - how to support someone with a disability, the importance of empathy not sympathy, the grounding techniques for anxiety (and how supportive jessie’s mum was!), the strong friendship between the gang - the way jessie got upset but apologised etc. (and yay for saving the stables haha)

“when you’re riding, it’s never just about the rider. you and the horse have to be on the same side, you have to work together. you have to support and encourage each other, even when you don’t feel like it. that’s what teamwork is.”

“try to remember it for next time. because it’ll happen again, and only you can control the way you deal with it” (relatable re being upset/losing temper, but learning from it!)

[Abi Plested · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read book one coz my daughter begged me to. Read book 2 coz I loved book one!! Haha! Really lovely book for any horse mad pre teen.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really good yet not as good as the first one in the series, 3.5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

[Kitchen Sink Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that, when I reviewed the first of these books, I explained that I am not really a horsey person, never have been, but that I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed the book. So of course, I had to read this second one, and once again I loved it! Esme Higgs really does bring the equestrian world to life with such open joy and honestly, showing us just what it is like to be a young person involved, in any way possible, with horses. She does not just focus on the glamour which many people see and think of when they think of the equestrian world. She shows her young readers that it is important to embrace the life of being a rider fully. From caring for your horse, its wellbeing, other horses in the stables, your own safety and that of those around you.

In this second warm, funny, and heart-warming story, The Starlight Stables Gang: Jessie and the Star Rider we are back at the Starlight Stables and the gang are ready for a nice relaxing summer enjoying the Haversham Horse Trials after they solved the mystery of the stolen pony (in book 1). But summer is not quite as sunny for them as they could hope, they are going to have to come together once more to work as a team but, it could be too much for one of them… One of the horses has managed to kick a hole in the stables block so now there is a lot to get fixed. The trouble is this is just adding to the list of things to fix, ponies to feed and expenses to pay. It could be too much; the stables may have to close. Will a show and a star rider be the help they need?

[Greenreadsbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

These starlight Stables books are fab. Perfect for horse lovers, but they focus on friendship, family, and inclusivity. This second book was written from the point of view of Jessie and deals with anxiety as well as ongoing themes like dyslexia, poverty, independence, and collaboration. The story is modern, well paced, and enjoyable with a lovely range of characters. I can't wait to read the next one!