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The Shadow Pony

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The Shadow Pony

By: Olivia Wakeford
Narrated by: Iestyn Arwel
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A gorgeous story of family love through generations – perfect for fans of Hannah Gold and Katya Balen

A GORGEOUS STORY OF FAMILY LOVE THROUGH GENERATIONS

Evan hates change, which is a big problem because the last few years have brought a lot of it. His family is split down the middle, and lately Grandad hasn’t been himself. But Evan can always depend on best friend Okie Dokie, his lovable dog.

When a school trip takes Evan to an old mine where Grandad used to work, things go disastrously wrong. Grandad refuses to talk to Evan about the mine, and especially about the poor pit ponies that worked down there in the dark.

But Evan is desperate to know more about Grandad’s past and if he can only find out what Grandad’s hiding, the weird gulf between them will surely disappear. Can Evan uncover Grandad’s secrets before they are lost forever?

©2026 Olivia Wakeford (P)2026 HarperCollins Publishers Animal Fiction Animals Animals & Nature Family Life Growing Up & Facts of Life Literature & Fiction Social & Life Skills
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Reviews

‘Wakeford is incredibly good at weaving emotional layers into stories of ordinary life … A powerful and moving story, written with real heart’ BookTrust
‘This heartfelt story touches on the important relationship between grandchildren and grandparents, and the bond between people and animals’ The Week Junior, Book of the Week
‘Wakeford’s moving novel explores memory, family and the powerful bond between humans and animals’ i, Best New Children's Books for Spring
Praise for My Dog:
‘An incredibly moving, tender and heartfelt story. Beautifully and sensitively told, My Dog is a stunning debut novel by a very talented author’ Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear
‘This is a book about a boy and a dog, but it’s about so much more. A heart-melting book that shows us there’s always hope and love to be found even in the midst of grief’ Nizrana Farook, author of The Girl Who Stole an Elephant
‘A lyrical, magical adventure … At its heart this is not so much a book about grief as a testament to the perennial power of a child’s imagination’ Daily Telegraph
‘A gorgeous, heart-wrenching story of love, loss and healing. This stunning tale of a remarkable boy and his dog will break your heart, then piece it back together again’ Aisling Fowler, author of Fireborn
‘This beautifully written debut is both heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measure, giving us a sensitive and nuanced portrait of a young boy coping with grief’ LoveReading4Kids, Debut Book of the Month
‘My Dog is a warm and very readable treatment of a difficult subject. Full of tenderness and understanding, it’s perfect for dog lovers and non-dog lovers alike’ Adam Baron, author of Boy Underwater
‘If ever there is a story to encourage empathy in readers, this is it. Beautifully written, with stunning inside illustrations by David Litchfield, this is an ode to pets and their unconditional love, but also to extended family … This would be a good class reader as it could start lots of valuable conversations’ BookTrust
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