Book cover of The Rocking-Horse Winner

Book description

Hoping to prove his luck and satisfy his mother's obsession with money, a young boy rides madly atop his rocking horse and predicts the winners of horse races

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Rocking-Horse Winner as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

The first literary paranormal suspense I’d ever read, this story absolutely devastated me when I discovered it as a sophomore in college—which is a compliment! 

The uncanny child is Paul, a young son so desperate for maternal affection that he races toward madness to win his mother’s favor and quiet the “whisperings” only he can hear. While that premise alone would be sufficient for a moving piece of literature, what affected me so deeply was that the adults who are aware of Paul’s mysterious abilities choose to use them for their own gain, with only superficial attempts to rein in…

From J.'s list on uncanny children.

If you love The Rocking-Horse Winner...

Ad

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Want books like The Rocking-Horse Winner?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 96 books like The Rocking-Horse Winner.

Browse books like The Rocking-Horse Winner

Book cover of The Lottery and Other Stories
Book cover of The Midwich Cuckoos
Book cover of The Girl With All the Gifts

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,277

readers submitted
so far, will you?

Ad

📚 If you like The Rocking-Horse Winner, you might also like...

Book cover of The Bridge: Connecting The Powers of Linear and Circular Thinking

The Bridge by Kim Hudson,

The Bridge provides a compassionate and well researched window into the worlds of linear and circular thinking. A core pattern to the inner workings of these two thinking styles is revealed, and most importantly, insight into how to cross the distance between them. Some fascinating features emerged such as, circular…

Book cover of And Then They Were Gone: Teenagers of Peoples Temple from High School to Jonestown

And Then They Were Gone by Judy Bebelaar,

Of the 918 Americans who died in the shocking murder-suicides of November 18, 1978, in the tiny South American country of Guyana, a third were under eighteen. More than half were in their twenties or younger.

The authors taught in a small high school in San Francisco where Reverend Jim…

5 book lists we think you will like!