THE SNOW PONY

A tough and tender novel about a family's struggle to hold together during harsh times, and 14-year-old Dusty's faith in a wild horse they said could never be tamed.

Only Dusty can ride the wild Snow Pony. And no one but Dusty will trust her... Three years of drought have reduced the Rileys’ farm to a dirt patch and strained the family to the breaking point. Dusty’s only consolation is her wild and beautiful horse, the Snow Pony. Together they seem unstoppable. But when sudden violence erupts during a trip up to the mountains, Dusty and her horse find themselves tested as never before. Alison Lester is the well-known creator of many popular and award-winning children's books, many of which reflect her own country childhood. The Quicksand Pony was shortlisted for the National Children's Award, Festival Awards for Literature in 1998, and in 1999 was the winner of the WA Young Readers Book Awards. The Snow Pony was shortlisted for both YABBA and KOALA awards, reflecting its popularity with young readers of horse stories. Alison is involved in many community art projects, and travelled to Antarctica in 2005 to run the Kids Antarctic Art Project. She spends part of every year travelling to remote indigenous communities, helping children and adults write and draw about their own lives. In 2012, Alison Lester became Australia's first Children's Laureate, a position shared with Boori Monty Pryor.