
THE REAL COWGIRL
Written by Isabelle Duff, published by EK Books, June 2024
Sal wants to be a real cowgirl – brave, strong, wild, smart, kind, fierce, a good friend. Sal feels safe and strong at home, or out riding with her pony, but she finds going to school scary and isolating. Her friends, both pony and human, help her to feel brave and build her up to feel all the wonderful things they can see in her.
Sensitively illustrated and written by a talented young author, this is a heart-warming story about being yourself and finding bravery through friendship.
DUE FOR RELEASE JUNE 2024



An inspiring story about the people – and animals – who make us brave, perfect for young readers who are struggling with nerves or anxiety.
In The Real Cowgirl, Sal feels safe and strong at home, and out riding with her pony. She has big dreams of being a cowgirl; of being brave, smart and wild. But at school, where she feels anxious and isolated, those dreams seem very far away. How will Sal find her self-confidence and be her true self even when she is scared?
Join Sal and her pony for this heart-warming story about friendship, and the way in which it can make you feel brave. Featuring beautiful, vibrant illustrations of Sal’s life on the farm, it will delight young readers with an interest in animals and adventure. It will also provide inspiration and comfort for children who experience anxiety, showing them the power of small acts of bravery, and how our friends can build us up to feel all the wonderful things they already see in us.
The Real Cowgirl was inspired by the author’s own childhood, growing up on a farm in NSW, Australia with her pony as a source of support and comfort. It is a story about being yourself, finding bravery through friendship, and what it takes to be a real cowgirl.