Spellbound Ponies 1: Magic and Mischief
Stacy Gregg
HarperCollins
Pub. 2021

 

August 23, 2021

Spellbound Ponies Magic and Mischief is the latest book by Stacy Gregg.

Seven year old Olivia has just moved to a new town. She is not too pleased about the new country side she lives in, however her mood changes when her mum says that she can do horse riding lessons. Olivia is so excited to be able to ride a horse.

It feels like everything is going great in their new house, until it is time for Olivia’s first riding lesson. In Spellbound Ponies 1, we follow Olivia’s journey in the magical and mysterious stables where she meets friends and foes. Can Olivia and Eliza break the magical spell placed upon the stables?

In this book, Stacey Gregg’s shows us that some people might not deal with loss very well and they could get angry and do stuff that they might regret. This story also tells us that when faced with a challenge, you can overcome it with the help of your friends.

I think children from the ages of 5 – 10 will relate well to the main characters, Olivia and Eliza. They’re also great role models for younger kids.

Another reason why this book would be great for children aged between 5-10 is that it is easy to read and Stacy Gregg makes it fun and enjoyable by adding in rhymes like I’m a mare who doesn’t care and climb on my back and don’t forget the sack. Olivia is a kind and brave person; she and Eliza have a great bond with one another, so they are able to work together successfully.

I particularly enjoyed reading about how Olivia is a little bit scared to do some of the stuff she does in the book but Eliza encourages her so in the end Olivia challenges herself to complete the task at hand.

Some people might enjoy knowing what is going to happen but I found this book slightly predictable as I sort of knew how it was going to end. It’s the first book in the Spellbound Ponies series so if you are interested in ponies or magic this would be a great one to read and enjoy.

The adventure in the book moves quickly so you don’t need to read a lot to get into the exciting section. While I was reading the book, all of the little pictures helped me have a better connection with the narrative.

Overall this is a good book with easy words to read and short chapters. I would recommend it to anyone who likes reading short stories: this is a perfect book for you with a mix of ponies and magic.

• Abbey Leatherland is 12 and lives in Hamilton.