Rosie-May Blue: Mayhem at the Pet Show

P. E. Woods

Pene Chadwick

Little Steps, 2021

125pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9780648267430

Rosie-May Blue and her family have just moved to the township of Waterfall Way. While Rosie-May is excited about that, she is also worried about starting a new school and making new friends, particularly because she is missing her old friends dearly.

When Rosie-May’s pony, Carrie, goes missing, Rosie-May fears for the worst. Her newfound friend Ellie is a comfort at her new school and together, they share a love of horse-riding. However, will their friendship survive the secret that Rosie-May uncovers? Will the secret spoil Rosie-May’s chance at winning a prize at the Waterfall Way Pet Show?

This is a new series for newly independent readers that will appeal to that huge cohort of girls who love horses and anything to do with them.  With characters and situations that will resonate with them, they will see themselves embedded in the story, always a positive for capturing attention and ensuring satisfied readers.  Series are important element in developing competent, confident readers as there is not the need to establish new characters and their relationships and circumstances each time a new book is started – the reader can pretty much continue from where the last one left off – and so to have a new one that will have such broad appeal is always welcome.