The blacksmith's six children are playing by the shore of the local loch when they spot a beautiful white horse in this retelling of a traditional Scottish folktale. Agnes thinks it might be a princess' horse, while Archie opines that it must be a knight's steed. Led by eldest child Fergus, everyone climbs onto the surprisingly capacious equine. Everyone, that is except for young Flora, who notices its wet hoof prints. It falls to her, the youngest child, to rescue her siblings when the horse turns out to be a kelpie in disguise, and it heads for the loch, there to drown its victims and eat them. Can Flora discover the secret of the kelpie, and defeat it...?

Part of Edinburgh-based publisher Floris Books' "Traditional Scottish Tales" collection, The Secret of the Kelpie offers an exciting reimagining of kelpie lore, combining elements from various sources, listed in the brief author's note at the beginning of the book. It's interesting to note that the kelpie - a shape-shifting water creature from Scottish lore, often said to assume the shape of a horse - gave its name to Floris Books' Scottish children's book collection. Leaving that aside, Lari Don's story here is engrossing, while Philip Longson's artwork is immensely appealing. I liked the fact that Flora defeats the kelpie using iron, as it is a common element of Celtic fairy lore that the "other creatures" can be defeated using this metal. Recommended to young folklore lovers, and to anyone searching for picture-books with a Scottish cultural setting. ( )

One of the very first things that interested me the second I read this book is the use of Scottish language such as the phrase Don’t be daft I feel as the reader this provided a sense of place in the story. Second thing that interested me throughout the book was the illustrations of the story they seemed to be full of lines and swirls that suggested action that as the reader could help other readers be draw in. Overall not only was this books illustrations able to draw a reader in, but, also the use of actual Scottish words/phrases was key in engrossing people into the story.