Illustrated by David Litchfield.

Published by Harper Collins Children’s Books, 2026.

The Shadow Pony is an emotionally driven story which centres around family. It tackles some difficult themes with sensitivity and has a really fascinating historical perspective.

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 his 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 is hiding, the weird gulf between them will surely disappear. Can Evan uncover Grandad’s secrets before they are lost forever?

The relationship between Evan and his grandad is at the heart of this story. The two have always been close – sharing a love of rugby, jigsaws and banana milkshakes. Theirs is a close bond but it’s coming under threat. When Melly comes to stay, Evan has a rival for Grandad’s attention and then there are changes to Grandad himself, which Evan notices but doesn’t understand. The book gently explores what it’s like to live with dementia and memory loss. Some of the most poignant moments in the book are Grandad’s reflections on memory and legacy.

“What happens when there’s no one left to remember you? What happens if you don’t remember yourself?”

The book will also strike a chord with children whose parents no longer live together and are now part of a blended family instead. Evan’s mom and dad have recently separated and his brother still lives with his dad in London while Evan and his mom have moved to Wales. There’s the added complication of mom’s new boyfriend and his daughter Melly also being part of the mix, and Evan has to learn to navigate these changes.

Animals are also central to the story. Evan and Melly’s pets, Okie (the dog) and Blue (the cat), cause mayhem and are at the centre of the tension between Evan and Melly. The book also makes much of the friendship and loyalty which exists between animals and humans. More than once, animals are shown as saviours. The book also explores some of the history of mining in South Wales, with a particular focus on the use of pit ponies – animals who spent most of their lives underground in dark, cramped conditions.

Additionally, the book examines bullying and how difficult it can be to make friends when you move to a new school.

I enjoyed watching how the different dynamics between the characters played out, as well as the story’s dramatic ending. The Shadow Pony is a story with emotional depth and a lot of heart.

Rating: 💙💙💙💙

Suitable for children aged 9+

Buy book Click on the link to buy The Shadow Pony from Bookshop.org.

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Thank you to Harper Collins Children’s Books for sending me this book to review. I reviewed it as part of The Shadow Pony blog tour. You can read my interview with author Olivia Wakeford here. Check out all the other posts on the tour for more exclusive content.