The Grimmlings by Rachael King

Spellbinding middle-grade fantasy adventure of loyalty, courage, and being careful what you wish for . . .Thirteen-year-old Ella knows that words are powerful. So she should have known better than to utter a wish and a curse on the same day, even in jest. When the boy she has cursed goes missing, in the same sudden, unexplained way as her father several years earlier, Ella discovers that her family is living in the shadow of a vengeful kelpie, a black horse-like creature. With the help of her beloved pony Magpie, can Ella break the curse of the kelpie and save not just her family but the whole community? Rachael King's writing is immersive and vibrant, and rich in lore and an appreciation of the natural world that fans of Katherine Rundell, Susan Cooper and Kiran Millwood Hargrave will love.