Grounded

'Sheena Wilkinson's first, Taking Flight, is one of the best Young Adult books I've read - and the sequel Grounded is even better. We're plunged into the messy life and emotions of Declan, the young man trying to escape his difficult background on a Belfast estate by building a career working with horses. [Wilkinson's] human characters are rounded and utterly real, but the most fascinating character is Folly, the nervous, damaged horse that Declan rescues from abject neglect. Folly's story runs parallel to that of Cian, a young boy already dabbling in drugs, alcohol and crime. Can Declan help either of them? Their stories are compelling, heart-breaking and truly shocking. I'd recommend Grounded and taking Flight to absolutely any reader, and I can't wait to see what Sheena Wilkinson comes up with next. She reminds me of K M Peyton, one of the most successful children's writers of our time.' Keren David, young adult author