Stormy Normy Goes Reining
Leisa Fail
Storm Publications (2025)
ISBN: 978-0648625988
Reviewed by Terri Stepek for Reader Views (10/2025)
The Adventures of Stormy Normy series has introduced young readers (aged 6 to 12) to the life and heart of a delightful horse, his owner, Charlie, and their friends. Stormy Normy Goes Reining is the third and final book in the series, and author Leisa Fail has brought another remarkable tale.
Stormy Normy has not led a life of leisure or ease. While his early life was without doubt, um… stormy, everything changed when he met his person: Charlie. Charlie saw great potential in this horse without pedigree, and she has been determined to prove to the world what this little guy is capable of! After having won a very prestigious award for a grueling endurance ride in book two, Charlie set her sights on a completely different sort of competition known as reining.
Differing from traditional races or endurance rides, the competition of reining judges horse and rider on their ability to perform precise patterns which show off the horse’s athletic ability as well as his control. Charlie and Stormy Normy are both learning that reining requires a lot of “boring stuff” before they can get to the stuff that looks fun. But they’re learning why it’s important. As Stormy puts it:
In reining, just like when building a house, you need a solid base, a solid foundation. So, we started at the bottom, getting the foundations right first. Otherwise, it all falls apart when you step up to do the fancy stuff.
Pretty smart horse.
Leisa Fail provides a winning combination of story and life lessons with Stormy Normy Goes Reining. It’s all done in a natural flow that shows victories and setbacks along the trail, and that nothing is certain. Being told from Stormy Normy’s point of view adds an extra dimension to the story. Both horse and rider learn valuable lessons on this adventure, which expands not only their knowledge and experience, but their ability to relate to others as well. In this case, these lessons are hard fought and require some tough decisions.
As The Adventures of Stormy Normy series is set in Australia, readers can expect to find a few words that may not be in their normal vocabulary, adding an international interest. Illustrator Amy Rennie again provides her easy-going watercolor-style renderings to the book, which offers a peek into the adventure while still providing room for the young readers’ imaginations.
I highly recommend Stormy Normy Goes Reining and the entire series to young readers, their parents, teachers, and librarians. These heartwarming tales should undoubtedly be a staple in the collection of any young horse enthusiasts!