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I collected all kinds of animal toys as a kid. I felt a strange sort of connection with them, more than human dolls. But I never was a “horse girl”. The 2000s seemed to have some weird connection with girlhood and horses. I remember the TV playing different cartoons about being an equestrian or books in glittery pinks about unicorns and pegasi. I never got on that band wagon, and my chance to be a horse girl eventually passed me by.

Horses are still a childhood staple. Now as an elementary art teacher, I’ve had a few of my students really enjoy horses, but I have opted-out of drawing them in the art room.

So when I saw The Horse Dreamer, by Holly Surplice, just looking at the cover took me back to my childhood musings, and I felt behooved to review it.

As an illustrator, I was drawn to the cover image, a loose, dreamy, sketch layered with soft black inks. The image enchants, it is cozy and mysterious, and I thought it perfect for fall. I was preparing myself for a light read, but this book hits the ground running and doesn’t stop.

The Horse Dreamer is a healing book, and author Holly Surplice amazes me with her charmingly sweet writing with the books challenging but needed book for children. Surplice is intentional on the journey she takes us. It's a deeply emotional narrative that is decadent! My expectations were utterly surpassed.

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The story centers of Merryn, a young girl whose family is coping with the unexpected death of her father, all in different ways. Merryn’s Mum spends long days sitting and staring, unable to care for her children. Her older sister, Tressa, assumes the parental role in their home, feeding and taking care of Merryn and her younger sister, Lowen. Merryn is lonely, worn-down, and emotional.

In this grief, she finds solitude in the coastal forest surrounding her home. She dreams of riding the back of a horse, feeling the crisp wind in her hair. Escape. Merryn retreats into the woods whenever there’s a bad flare-up with her home life. Sorrel arrives in a storm, smelling of “crisp air and the ocean,” almost magical, as if “made of seaweed and vine, twigs, and sorrel leaves.” And together Merryn begins to heal through summer and autumn, they ride and play, but as Christmas approaches, it will require all of Merryn’s newfound strength to help her mom and her sisters heal too.

I completely empathised with Merryn and her family. I saw myself in that raw, troubled childlike confusion. Though I can’t say that The Horse Dreamer has converted me into a horse girl, I would say this book is a must-read for all lovers of horse stories. It is also a powerful middle-grade story that reminded me how books addressing challenging subjects and tough topics remain much-needed. The publisher recommended age is 8-12, and I would recommend this to my younger students and older readers in a hoofbeat.

About the Author

Holly lives in the beautiful Outer Hebrides with her three children, Painter and Pencil the dogs, Penny Crayon the cat, and a collection of other furry and feathered family. Island life inspires both her written and illustrative work but many of her stories come from observing the animals around her and remembering her farming childhood. Holly studied illustration at Edinburgh College of Art, with her first picture book acquired by Walker Books during her degree show. Holly’s books are full of heart, with meaningful writing and expressive illustration. Learn more and follow the author:

Holly Surplice Website.

The Horse Dreamer Spotlight Review is part of our September Scholastic Back-to-School Celebration.

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Morgan (Loren) Turgeon has a passion for reading and creating all things kidlit. I'm a big fan of whismy and a little bit of fantasty. I graduated from Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 2025, and currently she is an elementary art teacher while she continues to illustrate. Learn more at MorganLoren.art.