The Diamond Horse by Stacy Gregg

HarperCollins Children's Books, 2017. ISBN 9780008124403
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. This book has two main characters, each with their own unique story to tell, each with a challenge that they need to overcome to be able to move on. These two characters are connected in a way even they are not aware of.
Being a princess is not all it is cracked up to be. Anna lives in a beautiful palace with a number of animals around her, some living in the palace and others in cages in the grounds of the palace. Anna has a special way with the animals that everyone around her is not happy with. The main animal she has to be wary of is her older brother, who is determined to make Anna's life unbearable.
Anna is faced with a number of challenges that she has to endure, some things no princess should have to deal with.
Valentina is a circus performer with a love of animals, she does all she can to protect the animals from the mean ring master. Valentina is looking to her future and trying to do what she can to make her life better.
I highly recommend this book. Once you start reading it is hard to put it down.
Karen Colliver