The Secret Horses of Briar Hill

Gr 5–8—Emmaline May is the only one who can see the winged horses in the mirrors of Briar Hill Hospital. While their fathers and brothers are off fighting in World War II, the children at Briar Hill are fighting their own battles with tuberculosis. Emmaline tries to tell the others about the horses, but no one believes her. When one horse is trapped at Briar Hill with a broken wing, Emmaline must keep him safe until it heals, but there is a dark and sinister force waiting for the creature. Through her friend Anna, who also has tuberculosis, and Thomas, the lonely young caretaker, who is missing an arm, Emmaline holds tight to her faith in the horses. But when tragedy strikes and the horrors from her past emerge, she must find the courage to keep believing. Fiona Hardingham, a captivating narrator, conveys the bleakness of the children's situation while also keeping just the right amount of hope in her voice.