Magical Venice – The Water Horse

Holly Webb's The Water Horse is a magical story for 9 year olds about a spoilt little princess of Venice who suddenly starts to see what's really going on around her.

What happens

Olivia has everything. Hot chocolate in bed. Rose petals in her washing water. A maid, Etta, to lace her into gowns so stiff she has to sit down in stages.

What she didn't know was that her aunt had been quietly bewitching her for years. Lady Sofia's charms kept her sweet and obedient and not asking questions.

Then, at the New Year masked ball, Olivia eats a whole box of crystallised fruits, tears off her mask to be sick, and the spell breaks. (Not the most glamorous way to wake up!)

Now she notices things. Angry faces in the crowd. Her toddler cousin standing strangely still. And her father the duke, whose magic holds the whole city together, looking thinner and fainter every time she sees him.

At the yearly Wedding of the Sea, the golden ring wobbles and drops out of the air. Olivia has to step in and help finish the spell in front of the whole court.

You're right inside Olivia's head as she works it all out, and she starts off quite a brat. She threatens poor Etta more than once! It's lovely watching her slowly realise that her maid might be the only real friend she has.

Etta's kitten is a lovely touch. Olivia makes him out of a spilt cup of hot chocolate, and he's called Coco.

And the water horse? The opening pages give a glimpse of a long white shape gliding down a canal, with a mane where Olivia thought there was weed.

A gentle heads-up. Olivia's mother died when she was a baby, and her father is clearly very unwell. People whisper that he's dying, and a big neighbouring empire is waiting to pounce. It's written softly, but a child who worries about a poorly parent may feel it.

Princess fans who like their heroines with a bit of spark will have great fun with Olivia.

What to read next

Holly Webb has written more stories set in this magical Venice. The Maskmaker's Daughter follows Colette, a dressmaker's girl who feels a length of shimmering blue silk calling to her.