Evan hates change, which is a big problem because the last few years have brought a lot of it. His family is split down the middle, and lately Grandad hasn’t been himself. But Evan can always depend on best friend Okie Dokie, his lovable dog.

When a school trip takes Evan to an old mine where Grandad used to work, things go disastrously wrong. Grandad refuses to talk to Evan about the mine, and especially about the poor pit ponies that worked down there in the dark.

But Evan is desperate to know more about Grandad’s past and if he can only find out what Grandad’s hiding, the weird gulf between them will surely disappear. Can Evan uncover Grandad’s secrets before they are lost forever?

Olivia Wakeford is the author of My Dog. She has worked in film and television, been a scriptwriter, dog-walker, PA and more, but her favourite job is writing novels for children. Olivia graduated with distinction from the MA in Writing for Children at Bath Spa University. She was born in Wales and now lives in London with her husband and their socially awkward Labrador, Obi.

Number of pages: 256
Reading age guide: 8 to 12 years
Publication date: 26th February 2026
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780008658618
Format: Paperback

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