What's a boy to do, if his dad won't let him ride? Sid's father is back from the war, but it's not the kind of homecoming the family had hoped for. Dad's return brings fear, not comfort, and for some reason he thwarts Sid's every attempt to become a jockey.Time is running out for a boy who is almost old enough to leave school and start work. Can Sid prove himself to be a winner? Or will he sink into the mire of post-war rural hardship, doing any old job just to survive?With an older sister who has already sacrificed her own dream, Sid can't resist the temptation to go all out.Deceiving his parents, Sid risks all - jeopardizing the very dream he longs for. Riding into danger, galloping to disaster, Sid's exhilaration turns to terror.Set in post-WWII rural New Zealand, Holding The Horse is a story of dreams, determination, and ultimately sacrifice. J L Williams evokes the 1940s with accuracy and sensitivity.

When Sid embarks on a life-changing struggle he changes more lives than just his own. A fast-paced story of courage, conflict and reconciliation. More than a coming-of-age story, Holding The Horse is a heart-warming tale of healing and hope which will long remain in the heart and mind.

Sid's affection and care for horses is beautifully drawn, and there are some lovely descriptions of riding, especially at night along the beach. The final beachside riding scene will have you dreading the catastrophe that looms ahead in the darkness. What happens next threatens to destroy Sid's dream forever, let alone any chance he has with the girl he loves. And yet that's not the end - another potential disaster for the whole town still lies ahead. A racing good book for anyone who loves horses, history or characters with grit and determination.

Philippa Werry, award winning author.

Set in rural New Zealand in 1946 this story is both engaging and engrossing. Sid's father, not long home from the war, is struggling to cope with a return to a life that now offers few opportunities: his own shadowed past sets him against his son's ambition of becoming a famous jockey. Without knowing the reasons for his father's opposition, Sid does all he can to realise his dream, even to the extent of putting everything he hopes for in jeopardy. The story's momentum is carried swiftly along by pacy dialogue; persuasive family dynamics, including issues concerning a small deaf sibling; a dash of happy coincidence, as well as a low-key romance between Sid and Sarah, the daughter of a local horse owner. The historical background of returned soldiers suffering PTSD, as well as feeling generally abandoned by officialdom, is convincing. With a neatly constructed, satisfying plot this exciting story is also warm-hearted tale that should have wide appeal.

Bill Nagelkerke, award winning author and translator and former children's librarian