The Secret of the Kelpie

By Lari Don, Philip Longson (Illustrator)

Part of the Traditional Scottish Tales series

A mysterious horse by the loch hides a dark secret. Can Flora save her family from the kelpie's grasp?

4.1/5 Goodreads · 187 ratings

32 pages

$17.95Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon.

Bookroo's summary

Flora and her siblings play by a Scottish loch, unaware of lurking danger. A beautiful white horse appears, but Flora senses something amiss. Its wet hoof prints reveal a chilling truth—it's a kelpie, a shape-shifting water horse from folklore, known for stealing children. As her siblings clamor to ride, Flora must uncover the kelpie's secret before it's too late. Can she protect her family from this mythical threat? Dive into this enchanting retelling of a classic Scottish tale, where bravery and quick thinking are the keys to survival.

From the publisher

“Every loch in Scotland, however beautiful, has its cold, dark depths. And every loch in Scotland has its kelpie. But it’s easy to forget those dangers on a sunny afternoon…” Flora is playing with her brothers and sisters by the loch when she notices a stunning white horse. While her siblings clamour for a chance to ride the beautiful animal, Flora is worried. Where has this strange horse come from? Why are its hoof prints wet? Too late Flora realises this is no horse! It’s a kelpie: a shape-shifting water horse from Scottish folklore known to steal children. Can Flora reveal the secret of the kelpie in time to save her family? The kelpie, once a lesser-known creature of Scottish mythology, is now enjoying legendary status as Andy Scott’s magnificent Kelpies statues have become a world-famous tourist attraction. The classic tale of the kelpie is wonderfully retold for 4-7 year olds in this gripping adaptation by renowned Scottish children’s author and storyteller Lari Don, with breathtaking illustrations by artist Philip Longson.

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