This book maybe short but the impact it has is astounding. It is perfect for all young horse-riding fanatics out there and this book will give budding young riders hope whilst providing a background rarely seen in horse-riding fiction. Challenging some of the genre’s stereotypes Meg and Merlin is heart-warming, a story about friendships, having big dreams and how these dreams can come true…. or nearly true.

Accompanied by lovely black and white drawings by Sonia Alberts, I know many young readers will adore this special story and I hope primary libraries/classrooms will have a copy for their students to show there is always hope and other ways around perfect scenarios that can still make you happy. Meg and Merlin is a wonderful short story which will put a smile on your face by the end of the book.

This lovely story is perfect for horse lovers and anyone who has a dream.

It’s coming up to Meg’s tenth birthday. What she really wants is the same thing she’s wanted every year for as long as she can remember – a horse of her own. She knows her parents can’t afford it – they can hardly afford the occasional riding lesson anymore – but she still can’t help but wish that one day her dream will come true.

When Meg wakes up on the morning of her birthday, she can’t believe her eyes. There’s a horse in her garden! For one brief moment, she is carried away by the hope that he might be hers. What she discovers is that the kindness of strangers, community spirit and sharing mean everyone’s dreams can come true – even the horse’s.

This is a story full of empathy. Children often have big dreams but have to accept the fact that what they want is beyond what their parents can afford. Understanding the pressures of family finances is difficult and can cause a lot of sadness for parents and children. In Meg and Merlin: Making Friends, Meg’s parents give her every opportunity they possibly can with love and encouragement. This positive family dynamic shows that compromises, sacrifices and understanding go along way to creating a happy family.