A stand-alone follow-up to award-winning middle grade novel Touch of
Gold, set at a horse camp with a mysterious past, featuring themes of
allyship, friendship, and activism.
It's finally summer, and for twelve-year-old Aislinn, that means two
sweet, uninterrupted weeks at her favourite place in the world --
Summerwood Farm. At Summerwood's all-girl horse camp, Aislinn is
surrounded by all the things she loves most: her Arabian, Firefly; her
best friend, Jill; and her mentor, Grace.
But this year, things are different from day one.
There's a boy at camp, Grace seems tense, and rumours swirl about the
stable's land being sold. Not to mention, Aislinn keeps seeing things no
one else can -- a fox, an owl, and even a ghostly boy who seems to need
her help -- and her visions are starting to affect her riding and her
friendships. So one starry night, Aislinn sneaks out to meet the ghost
boy and hear his story. She also learns about the Indigenous history of
the land around Summerwood, and what life was like for residents of a
former Poor Farm that was in the same area. But, as Aislinn soon finds
out, all actions have consequences and she faces serious punishment for
breaking Summerwood's rules.
With stumbles and false starts, we follow Aislinn as she strives to
become an environmental activist, an Indigenous ally, and a better
friend. We see her make mistakes, learn, grow, and change. A true
coming-of-age story with elements of magical realism and authentic
equestrian themes, Spirit of Summerwood is destined to become a
summertime favourite.
