Katy's Exmoor Ponies by Victoria Eveleigh

This trio of books is for horse lovers. In Katy's Exmoor, the first of the trio, Katy goes out into the fields to find that one of the Exmoor ponies has had a foal in all the cold and snow! Will Katy be able to save a life and gain a friend? In Katy's Exmoor Friends, the second of the trio, Trifle (the foal in the snow) is sent to the market by Katy's dad! He wonders if the home that Trifle has now will be close so Katy can visit him. It certainly is! But will Katy and her new pony be able to win an award and save Grandad from a terrible accident? In Katy's Exmoor Friends, the last of the trio, Trifle has a foal called Tinker Bell! But it is how this comes to light that is the problem. Can Katy save Moon and find out unexpected problems that lurk in the shadows?


I would rate these books 5/5 for animal and horse lovers.

The Captain Hook Affair by Humphrey Carpenter

Lucy is very sad. She has to go to a children's home because her Grandma is ill and her Mum is also getting ill and doesn't have a good job. But before she goes her Grandma gives her a pencil which, although Lucy doesn't know it, is magic! The pencil takes you into a book once the pencil nib and paper touch. You can also bring characters out of the book you disappear into. The headmaster of Lucy's children's home is sent away in disgrace for pretending that the children had been too naughty to deserve going on their trip to Cornwall. Who can save the children from their new, mean headmaster by getting help from story characters?

I would rate this book 5/5 for readers who like a bit of magical mystery. This book can only be found second hand but is definitely worth hunting down.   

The King of the Copper Mountains by Paul Biegel

The King is very ill. The doctor says that all that will save him now is if he is told a different story every night. But when his trusty, talking dog has used up all his fabulous stories,what will passers-by tell the old king?

This is a story with stories inside it and very exciting stories they are as well! I had a fun time figuring out which pieces of each story fitted together and made a kind of jigsaw. Dragon tells of a mighty battle and Rat tells why it happened and Sheep tells who fought in the battle.

I would rate this book 5/5 for readers that don't get bored when talking dogs are putting breakfast on the table and lions are popping princesses' balloons!

The Secret Railway by Elisabeth Beresford

Billy is in a grump. His family have moved to an ancient, deserted sea town, with a strong pong of fish. But Grandad knows more about the old town than Billy realises. Him and his sister can have some pretty amazing adventures on a weedy railway track with its carriages that used to be posh and a street boy who's lived there all his life.

My favourite part of this book was when the boys went on one of the rickety carriages which they didn't notice didn't have any breaks! Luckily, Billy's sister (and a chicken that she found and made her pet!) saved them with a rope when they sped down hill.

Due to some boring parts where it was just chat, chat, chat, I would give this book 4/5. This is an old book but is worth hunting down second hand.

The Dragon Princess by E.D. Baker

This magical book is about a princess of a wondrous land, filled with trolls and sea monsters. Follow her family in the witching world with three books in one: No Place for Magic, The Salamander Spell and The Dragon Princess. In No Place for Magic, the main character Emily goes on an exciting and dangerous carriage ride to meet her future husband whose parents hate magic. But when little brothers go missing who knows what will happen? In The Salamander Spell, we follow Emily's sister Grassina. Grassina's mother has a bad allergy to flowers. Worn out with work, Grassina wanders into the reeds to find a friend that will help. Can the salamander stop the spell? In The Dragon Princess, Emily has a daughter. But Emily's mysterious past catches up with her daughter in surprising ways! However, being turned into a fire-breathing creature when werewolves are about is a good strategy...

I would probably rate this book 5/5 for readers who like a bit of evil magic!