Here at Lovereading4kids we're very excited to see Joe and the Hidden Horseshoe, the first in a new series from Victoria Eveleigh whose Katy's Ponies trilogy continues to be a huge hit with pony fans. We're excited, not just because her new series is a terrific read for both boys and girls but also because we are proud to say we were instrumental in getting Victoria her first publishing deal for her debut trilogy Katie's Ponies at Orion Children's Books. In the story of Joe his life changes unexpectedly when he discovers an old horseshoe. In addition to telling a terrific story, she also provides a fresh and honest voice on contemporary rural life and uses her experience as an Exmoor farmer to make these stories believable and compelling for young readers and aspiring riders today. Perfect for those who love reading books about animals and in particular fans of Michael Morpurgo.
Joe and the Hidden Horseshoe A Boy and His Horses Synopsis
There are lots of things Joe would wish if he had the chance - that his family hadn't moved from the city to the country, that his mum hadn't bought two ponies no one could ride, and that one day he might have a dog of his own. So when he finds a lucky horseshoe in his garden, he makes some wishes just for fun. After all, there's always a chance they might come true...
Victoria Eveleigh was born in London, but her heart has always been in the countryside, and her stories are full of the things she loves: horses and ponies, countryside, farming and people.
She and her husband, Chris, farm sheep and cattle on Exmoor – and they also have a herd of free-living Exmoor ponies. Their children are grown up now, but when their daughter was a girl she had an Exmoor pony called Tinkerbell. Their eventful partnership inspired Victoria to write her first stories: a trilogy about a girl and an Exmoor pony growing up together on a hill farm. This was followed by a story set on the island of Lundy, based on a legendary stallion called Midnight.
The stories were initially self-published, but in 2012 Orion Children’s Books published these stories as Katy's Wild Foal, Katy's Champion Pony, Katy's Pony Surprise, and A Stallion Called Midnight. The books include author's notes, charming chapter illustrations by Chris and beautiful cover illustrations by Angelo Rinaldi.
Victoria's new trilogy - Joe and the Hidden Horseshoe, Joe and the Lightning Pony and Joe and the Race to Rescue - has involved some fascinating research about farriery, aikido, Pony Club mounted games and heavy horses. The stories still have horses and ponies at their heart, but this time a boy called Joe is the main character. Victoria feels that boys don’t feature enough in pony stories nowadays and she hopes that both boys and girls (and adults) will enjoy reading them.
