The wonder horse by Mark Greenwood

Mark Greenwood calls himself a 'history hunter'. His author bio says he "enjoys searching for lost explorers and glittering treasure, delving into baffling mysteries and investigating famous cold cases". 

He has now completed a 4-book History Hunter series which started in 2024 with The dragon's treasure and The vanishing. The final two books in this series are The wonder horse and The deadly diamond, both released in June 2025. 

The History Hunter series is fabulous for middle grade readers, especially those who love a juicy story about true events!

This one is all about the famous racehorse, Phar Lap, and draws readers in immediately, as it starts with a chapter called The End, detailing the horse's tragic death at just 5 and a half years old. 

Phar Lap grew from an unwanted, lanky and clumsy yearling into an inspiring success - winning 37 of his 51 races over 4 seasons. It was the Great Depression, and the people loved their new equine hero. But amid the success and love for this winning horse there were also dangers lurking, with some people prepared to go to extreme lengths to stop Phar Lap from winning. 

The way this book is written is completely captivating from start to finish (yes, even for those who have no interest in horses or horse racing!). It is written in a conversational style which engages instantly, while also maintaining historical accuracy. It shares the full story behind the headlines, and includes fascinating tidbits of information, such as the superstition that resulted in Phar Lap's naming.

The final few pages of this book include extra resources: Phar Lap statistics, and a list of 'more to explore' including 12 books, 2 films, a podcast and 4 websites. There is also a sneak peek chapter of The deadly diamond - all about the Hope Diamond.

Themes: Horse racing, Horses, Mystery, History.

Kylie Grant