Dream Riders

Without a saddle or bridle, all that’s left is the truth.

Dream Riders is an exciting new middle-grade series about horses, friendship and being true to yourself.

Frankie’s dream is more like a nightmare when her new horse turns out to be Zen – a shaggy, disobedient clown of a pony, who will totally wreck her chances of fitting in at Pony Club in her new town. Zen is everything Frankie doesn’t want – until the magnetic horse whisperer Shannon shows her just what Zen could be if ridden freely.

Natural horsemanship opens up a whole new way of riding and a whole new world of connection between Zen and Frankie. But Frankie’s dad is getting more depressed after her parents’ divorce, star rider and star mean girl Violet has it in for Frankie, and her best friend Kai is keeping a secret. Then Shannon announces she’s closing down her riding centre. Frankie’s got an idea that could save it … but can she and Zen rise to the challenge?

Book Features:

• Pony books appeal particularly to girls who ride or want to ride horses.

• Deals with challenges common to 12 and 13 year olds, such as family, friends, siblings, school, etc.

• Dream Riders sits within the classic tradition of stories about young people and horses, among those that celebrate wildness – books like My Friend Flicka, The Black Stallion series and The Silver Brumby series. In such books, the essential nature of the horse and the promise of a deep connection between human and horse are paramount.

About the Authors

Laura Bloom grew up in Sydney, reading constantly and dreaming of becoming a writer. Now she lives in a small country town with her family and lots of animals, writing novels for children and adults. Her books have been short-listed for awards and sold in many countries. Her latest novel for young readers, Mika and Max – about a girl who meets a boy who makes her see everything differently – is also published by Walker.

Jesse Blackadder was a horse-mad city kid who wanted to be a vet. She was that girl who postered her bedroom with horses and crowded her dressing table with prancing plastic ponies. She finally became a horse owner when she moved to the country as an adult. Jesse is the winner of several literary awards and has published novels for adults and children, including Paruku The Desert Brumby, based on the true story of a group of wild Australian brumbies that became endurance racehorses in Dubai.