I remember enjoying pony stories when I was growing up so was delighted to receive details about this new series of books by a new author, Amanda Wills.

Aimed at readers aged 8-12, this is the first in the Riverdale Pony Stories and introduces us to Poppy McKeever as she hopes to own Cloud, a Connemara pony running wild in Dartmoor.

Poppy's family have made a move from a town outside London to the countryside in Dartmoor and she was dreading it until her dad tells her their new home comes with a sitting tenant - a pony!

Unfortunately they've been misled as the pony turns out to be Chester the donkey and Poppy is devastated. But then she hears stories of a mysterious wild pony with a troubled past. Could she get to see him? Could she tame him and claim him as her own?

Poppy has her own troubled past but quickly makes friends and settles into her new home as she pursues her love of all things horses.  

This fits perfectly into the canon of pony adventures. It's warm and uplifting and completely compelling.

In Pony Magazine (!), the reviewer writes "Once you pick up this book you won't want to put it down - you'll love being in the world of Riverdale!" And it's true!

I was fortunate to receive two books from the publisher, and as soon as I finished book one, I was onto the follow up and there are many more in the series to come. Wonderful!