Set during the 1930s, M.J. Evans' Coal Dust and Dreams is a coming-of-age story about a young girl's attempts to support her poverty-stricken family. Living in the village of Hengoed, South Wales, Bethan's father, Thomas, is determined to give his daughter the best education possible to help her pursue her dream of becoming a veterinarian. However, when an unexpected accident in the Penallta Colliery puts Thomas in the hospital, Bethan has no choice but to leave school and work in the local mine herself to help her family. While working, she strikes up a beautiful bond with a pit pony named Dobbin. Soon, Bethan has Dobbin competing in the local horse shows, seeking to win the prestigious International Horse Show in Olympia, London. Meanwhile, World War II has reached British shores.

Coal Dust and Dreams is a coming-of-age tale full of heart that showcases how the resilient nature of the human spirit helps us overcome unexpected hurdles in life. M.J. Evans spins a captivating yarn that animal lovers are bound to love. Bethan and Dobbin's bond is at the center of an enthralling narrative that incorporates real-world historical events. Evans' characters are working-class people who navigate life through adversity and seemingly overwhelming challenges by sheer will and an inherent sense of hope. Bethan is a likable young protagonist who inspires others through her actions and never lets her gender hinder her from going after what she wants. As a reader, you can't help but root for her. I also liked the way the author portrayed Dobbin's unique personality. These are the kind of stories that brighten your day and put a smile on your face. Recommended to readers who love coming-of-age stories.

Set in the 1930s, Coal Dust and Dreams: The Story of a Girl and Her Pit Pony in the Coal Mines of Wales by M.J. Evans is a delightful tale of one girl’s courage, strength, and ability to dream big. Bethan was just eleven and a half when her father suffered a severe accident in the Penallta coal mine in South Wales. He was a haulier, a man who controlled the pit ponies to haul the wagons of coal from the mine face to the shaft where they could be transferred to the surface. With her father out of action for several months, Bethan was forced to put her dreams of education and university out of her head, quit school, and take her father’s place down the mine. Her natural affinity with horses and especially the horse her father was responsible for, Dobbin, saw her quickly come to terms with the hard and seemingly never-ending life in the darkness of a Welsh coal mine. It was here that she discovered the two great loves of her life; animals and a special friend, Dylan, who helped her navigate this grimy new world, with its back-breaking work and the ever-present rats who were always on the lookout to steal your lunch when you weren’t looking.

Coal Dust and Dreams is a wonderfully sweet, inspiring story of a man’s world in which a young girl was able to make such a huge difference. Told as a grandmother reminiscing to her granddaughter, this enables readers to see, feel, and almost taste the coal dust of a Welsh mining village. Author M.J. Evans perfectly lights up this dour world with the character of Bethan. Her natural happiness, joy, and intense desire to help her family and the horses shine through on every page. I appreciated that it didn’t matter how many setbacks Bethan faced, primarily because of her gender; she would have a quick cry about it, gird herself, and set off to achieve what she wanted. In a village where the mine dominated the entire social fabric so completely, it was a joy to witness the pride and celebration when one of their own achieved something special. The author has done a tremendous job of putting the reader directly into the environment and feeling not only the austerity and grimness of the period but also the family and societal connectedness of a region almost wholly dependent on one source of income and employment. The entire community becomes invested in seeing the Penallta mine succeed and is intensely proud of what they do. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.