The Grimmelings - by Rachael King

Book Synopsis

Three starred reviews!
A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year

A girl must unravel the mystery behind disappearances in her community and the arrival of a strange boy and a wild horse in this "dark, lyrical, and unforgettable" (School Library Journal, starred review) middle grade fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Katherine Rundell and The Whisperwicks.

Thirteen-year-old Ella lives a lonely life near a remote lake where the horses that make up her family's business are also her only friends. Ever since her father went missing years before, the family household has been made up entirely of women, something that's viewed with suspicion by their neighbors, who sometimes call them witches.

Ella doesn't believe in magic, but she does know words have power. She really should have known better than to utter a wish and a joking "curse" on the same day--a wish for a true friend and a curse on the boy bullying her little sister. Before long, the bully goes missing the same strange way her father did, and a strange boy and a beautiful black horse seemingly appear in his place. At first, the new boy seems to be the friend Ella wished for, but he's pushy, quick to anger, and knows more than he should about her family.

As Ella digs deeper into the mysterious occurrences, she discovers her family is living in the shadow of a vengeful kelpie, and she must break its curse to save not just her family but her entire community.

Review Quotes

Ella lives with her mother, younger sister Fiona, and Scottish grandmother Grizzly on a farm in New Zealand, where they run a horse-trekking business. An unfamiliar black horse appears in the first sentence of this story, and from that point onward chaos and terror are released into their lives. A classmate disappears. ?e weather gets dramatic. ?e townspeople, already a bit mistrustful of this household of four women, pull even further away. ?e magpies are behaving oddly. Grizzly starts voicing gnomic Scottish warnings, and Fiona seems to be constructing odd little charms of feather and bone. Tension builds through King's use of an atmospheric landscape, Scottish-dialect words that lend strangeness to this crisply realized world, and the gradual reveal that the black horse is a malevolent kelpie (the water horse of Scottish folklore). ?e practicalities of horse trekking, with its chores and annoying customers, give readers brief, down-to-earth breaks from the aura of looming disaster, but nothing can prevent the malevolent spirit from attempting to reenact his ancient narrative in a new place, on a new generation. ?e writing is taut and intense, tackling high stakes with a memorable setting and a cast of believable characters, both adult and child, in the tradition of Susan Cooper.--Horn Book Starred Review "January/February 2026 Issue"

When a bullying classmate disappears, Ella fears her ill wishes are to blame. After all, locals treat her, her ailing Scottish granny, business-oriented mother, and eccentric younger sister Fiona with suspicion, and sometimes her own mind feels impossible to navigate. The missing boy is just the start: a kelpie from Scottish folklore emerges to haunt the New Zealand hills, and Ella gets caught between an intriguing new friend, a mysterious black horse, and her own deeply beloved but just as deeply wounded family. A history of family tragedy intertwines with the legacy of colonial violence as Ella and Fiona delve deeper into their family's past to try to protect their loved ones and their alienated community. Through it all, Ella's authentic bond with her pony Magpie brings the hallmarks of a great horse-girl story, and the family's stable is full of distinctly engaging characters. Granny's contagious love of Scots vocabulary infuses the narration with an enthralling attention to language, convincingly voiced and bittersweet, while the cancer that's killing her is a constant background thread that contributes to a poignant, albeit tidy, conclusion. The complexity of the characters and their awareness of their own co-existence with Indigenous people--the family's horse trekking business' sole employee is Maori--make this a standout contemporary perspective as well as homage to horse-and-folklore antecedents. First published in New Zealand and bearing influences of Susan Cooper and Mollie Hunter, this is an immensely satisfying read perfect for readers who aren't quite ready for Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races (BCCB 12/11).
FHK--BCCB, STARRED REVIEW "November 2025"

Words have power; Ella knows this all too well after unintentionally cursing a boy. Now, with a vengeful kelpie haunting her family and community, she must confront both her past and her present in order to make things right. What unfolds is a story that is as chilling as it is beautifully told, steeped in folklore, family bonds, and the weight of consequences. From the very first page, the writing is both haunting and lyrical, weaving an atmosphere heavy with foreboding. King conjures the landscape with vivid precision; wild waters, shadowed hills, and the spectral figure of the kelpie all feel immediate and alive, pulling readers deep into Ella's world. Equally compelling is the novel's attention to characters, both human and animal. Every horse is portrayed with remarkable individuality: some stubborn, others calm, a few quick to spook. These subtle distinctions add layers of realism and heart to the story. At its center is Magpie, Ella's extraordinary gray horse: larger than life, fiercely protective, and unforgettable. Magpie's bond with Ella, assumed white, serves as an anchor and shield, a symbol of resilience in the face of fear. VERDICT This novel is as much about courage and redemption as it is about folklore and danger. Dark, lyrical, and unforgettable, it lingers long after the final page. Fans of haunting myths and richly drawn characters will find much to savor here.--School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW "9/26/25"

"A tense tale of animal companionship, wild magic, and the majesty and awe nature inspires."---- Sydney Morning Herald

"Oh glory: A horse book that is also a beautifully written, deliciously creepy supernatural mystery, The Grimmelings weaves myths and monstrosity into a deeply human story of family love and salvation. A perfect read for kids and people who used to be kids. I couldn't put it down." --Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of Daughter of Smoke & Bone

"Rachael King's characters live and breathe. She...[creates] a world that is familiar yet unexpected, tense and eerie with flashes of beauty."--David Mitchell, author of Cloud Atlas and The Bone Clocks

"So multilayered and intelligent and fascinating. Ella and Fiona and their world absolutely held me. Alan Garner, Susan Cooper, their great classics came to mind. The blending of mythology and humanity. A very special book."--Hilary McKay, author of The Skylark's War

When a New Zealand family is menaced by a creature of Scottish legend, they fight back to protect themselves and their neighbors.

Grimmelings are "the first or last gleams of the day," and Ella learned about them from Grizzly--her Scottish grandmother, Griselda, who calls herself a "word-hoarder." Ella lives with her family (who are cued white), including little sister Fiona, their mother, Morag, and Grizzly, whose cancer has returned. Morag runs a horse-trekking business with help from Hana, who's Maori. Grandad drowned in the nearby lake, and Dad disappeared by the lake as well, six years ago, although his body was never found. When a class bully goes missing after Ella curses him, she feels guilty, although Ella isn't from a house of witches, contrary to local rumor. But a kelpie has pursued her grandmother from Scotland through a "thin place" in the lake that allows passage between worlds--and it won't leave their family in peace until they defeat it. Each woman and girl is strong in her own way, and Ella's bond with her pony, Magpie, proves crucial in the fight, which ends in a climactic scene at the spring fair. A final chapter set at midsummer serves as an epilogue. Ella is a fierce hero, and the kelpie is a ferocious adversary. King effectively weaves together horses, Scottish mythology, and family history, threading the story with themes of conservation, awe of the natural world, and delight in new words.

Prepare to be beglamoured. (Fantasy. 9-12)--Kirkus "October 1, 2025"

About the Author

Rachael King is a writer, book reviewer, and former literary festival director from Aotearoa (New Zealand). When she was young, she played bass guitar in rock bands, rode horses bareback along a beach, and voraciously read fantasy books. Now, she writes books of her own: Red Rocks and The Grimmelings for young readers and The Sound of Butterflies and Magpie Hall for adults. Visit her online at Rachael-King.com.