Emmet and Me by Sara Gethin

Claire's life is about to be totally disrupted when her mother leaves home, and she is shipped to her granny's house in Ireland with her two brothers Will (Patrick) and Louis. She's a lot to contend with at 10, what with trying to fit into a new school with hostile girls and cruel nuns brandishing the threat of the strap. But Claire does find solace when she meets Emmet, and their friendship begins over a love of horses and stories.  This is an endearing tale told through Claire's young and naive eyes, and as the reader, you are aware of things that she yet is not.

In my opinion, it's a coming of age story. Claire's life seems harsh and imperfect, but she's learning to roll with the changes and deal with her mother's abandonment. In the early stages, she doesn't realise that others have a worse life, but as her friendship with Emmet evolves, she starts to learn the realities of life and begins to empathise with others. 

Sara Gethin writes Claire's story in a way that puts you in Claire's shoes while at the same time realising there's a bigger picture she's not quite grasped yet.

It's a heartwarming and tender yet sad tale, but I really enjoyed reading it and enjoyed the snippets of the Welsh language and the Irish setting.

I'll definitely look out for other books by this author.