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Phoenix
A fresh, unexpected horse-kid series from an unexpected horse-kid herself, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, award-winning and #1 New York Times -bestselling author of The War That Saved My Life and Fighting Words
Harper’s life just exploded. Her parents are getting a divorce. And she suspects her best friend, Cat, may have known the reason for it long before she did. Now Harper and her mom are starting over in a cramped house, in a new town, where everything feels unfamiliar, including the riding barn next door. There, Harper watches the kids she avoids at her new school take lessons. Harper’s never been around horses before. And no, she does not want to learn to ride. Then with no warning, a truck dumps a starved and neglected horse right in Harper's yard. She has no idea what to do with a live horse let alone a nearly dead one. But one look at the horse’s huge eyes and his skinny body, and something inside Harper unlocks. The horse is named Phoenix, she decides. And she will not give up on him. Neither, it turns out, will Phoenix give up on her. She doesn’t know it yet, but this is Harper’s first step—toward new friends, new challenges, new adventures. Toward riding.
Harper’s life just exploded. Her parents are getting a divorce. And she suspects her best friend, Cat, may have known the reason for it long before she did. Now Harper and her mom are starting over in a cramped house, in a new town, where everything feels unfamiliar, including the riding barn next door. There, Harper watches the kids she avoids at her new school take lessons. Harper’s never been around horses before. And no, she does not want to learn to ride. Then with no warning, a truck dumps a starved and neglected horse right in Harper's yard. She has no idea what to do with a live horse let alone a nearly dead one. But one look at the horse’s huge eyes and his skinny body, and something inside Harper unlocks. The horse is named Phoenix, she decides. And she will not give up on him. Neither, it turns out, will Phoenix give up on her. She doesn’t know it yet, but this is Harper’s first step—toward new friends, new challenges, new adventures. Toward riding.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published March 3, 2026
About the author
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
33 books2,954 followersKimberly Brubaker Bradley's next book, The Night War, will be published April 9, 2024. She is the author of nineteen previous books, including the Newbery Honor winners Fighting Words and The War that Saved My Life. The sequel to the latter, The War I Finally Won, appeared on many state-award and best-books lists and was described as “stunning” by The Washington Post and “honest” and “daring” by The New York Times. She is also the acclaimed author of She Persisted: Rosalind Franklin. Kimberly and her husband have two grown children and live with their dogs, two highly opinionated mares, and a surplus of cats on a fifty-two-acre farm in Bristol, Tennessee. Visit her at kimberlybrubakerbradley.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
October 16, 2025
Phoenix is the first installment of a horse series designed for readers in grades 3-5, but with its absence of profanity or sexual content and no mature themes, strong readers even younger will enjoy this one. Gifted writer Kimberly Brubaker Bradley calls this the horse series of her heart and her love of horses and horsemanship is readily apparent in her writing.
Harper and her parents are comfortably settled in Knoxville with good jobs, in a great school and all with positive connections to the community when a Big Bomb drops and the affair between the mom of Harper’s best friend and her dad. The news gets out at school, the two girls stop speaking and Harper moves with her mom to a tiny house on a large piece of property that includes a horse barn and multiple arenas, paddocks and grazing areas. Never being a horse person and still reeling from the impending divorce and the brokenness of her friendship with Cat, Harper is struggling to find any spark of happiness when an equally broken horse is practically dropped on her doorstep and everything changes. Determined to nurse this abused and nearly starved horse back to health, Harper finds a purpose and then finds she is able to open her heart to a new place and new friends.
Harper’s reactions to such an abrupt end to her parents’ marriage run the gamut including sadness, anger and confusion and are shared realistically. Her stubbornness over keeping the abandoned and abused horse is also clear and will further cause readers to connect with her mixed up and battered heart and then cheer at the end when healing begins between Harper and Cat and even her philandering father. Harper’s surprised pleasure in riding a horse is expressed clearly in Bradley’s excellent writing and her hope of someday riding Phoenix is just as aptly described when the still-skinny and not yet recovered enough to ride horse takes off in a burst of freedom and joy. The direction of subsequent installments in the new series is clear: further recovery of Phoenix and some way for Harper to keep her; continued healing of Harper’s broken relationships; and growth in riding skills by 8 yr old Emma and 6th graders Harper, Dante, Night, and Carine.
Text is free of profanity. The violence against Phoenix is not detailed and while the affair between Harper’s dad and Cat’s mom is understood, Bradley is careful in how it is described and skirts around the sexual aspect very discreetly. Representation: Harper and her parents present as Caucasian; Miss Chelsea, the owner/instruction of the horse ranch is Black and in two places there is a brief reference to her wife Jessie; Emma is likely also Black and is described as brown-skinned, with multiple beaded braids; Dante has Puerto Rican heritage and his skin is noted as lighter than Emma’s; Night uses they/them pronouns and at first meeting, Dante introduces himself with name and his pronouns of he/him, indicates Night’s choice and while Harper fumbles a bit with hers, she follows suit; Carine and her mother are Caucasian and it becomes clear at the first introduction of the pair that this mom has developed strong biases and prejudices and while Carine seems embarrassed by her mother’s blatant and sometimes more subtle stereotyping, she has some trouble with the clear mix of racial heritage and economic levels of those at the new stables where she boards her horse and takes lessons. Certainly there is more coming with Carine’s strained relationship with her demanding, rude and pushy mother.
Recommended highly for those with horse-loving readers, especially ones who need less than 200 pages. No illustrations included.
Thanks for the eARC, NetGalley.
Harper and her parents are comfortably settled in Knoxville with good jobs, in a great school and all with positive connections to the community when a Big Bomb drops and the affair between the mom of Harper’s best friend and her dad. The news gets out at school, the two girls stop speaking and Harper moves with her mom to a tiny house on a large piece of property that includes a horse barn and multiple arenas, paddocks and grazing areas. Never being a horse person and still reeling from the impending divorce and the brokenness of her friendship with Cat, Harper is struggling to find any spark of happiness when an equally broken horse is practically dropped on her doorstep and everything changes. Determined to nurse this abused and nearly starved horse back to health, Harper finds a purpose and then finds she is able to open her heart to a new place and new friends.
Harper’s reactions to such an abrupt end to her parents’ marriage run the gamut including sadness, anger and confusion and are shared realistically. Her stubbornness over keeping the abandoned and abused horse is also clear and will further cause readers to connect with her mixed up and battered heart and then cheer at the end when healing begins between Harper and Cat and even her philandering father. Harper’s surprised pleasure in riding a horse is expressed clearly in Bradley’s excellent writing and her hope of someday riding Phoenix is just as aptly described when the still-skinny and not yet recovered enough to ride horse takes off in a burst of freedom and joy. The direction of subsequent installments in the new series is clear: further recovery of Phoenix and some way for Harper to keep her; continued healing of Harper’s broken relationships; and growth in riding skills by 8 yr old Emma and 6th graders Harper, Dante, Night, and Carine.
Text is free of profanity. The violence against Phoenix is not detailed and while the affair between Harper’s dad and Cat’s mom is understood, Bradley is careful in how it is described and skirts around the sexual aspect very discreetly. Representation: Harper and her parents present as Caucasian; Miss Chelsea, the owner/instruction of the horse ranch is Black and in two places there is a brief reference to her wife Jessie; Emma is likely also Black and is described as brown-skinned, with multiple beaded braids; Dante has Puerto Rican heritage and his skin is noted as lighter than Emma’s; Night uses they/them pronouns and at first meeting, Dante introduces himself with name and his pronouns of he/him, indicates Night’s choice and while Harper fumbles a bit with hers, she follows suit; Carine and her mother are Caucasian and it becomes clear at the first introduction of the pair that this mom has developed strong biases and prejudices and while Carine seems embarrassed by her mother’s blatant and sometimes more subtle stereotyping, she has some trouble with the clear mix of racial heritage and economic levels of those at the new stables where she boards her horse and takes lessons. Certainly there is more coming with Carine’s strained relationship with her demanding, rude and pushy mother.
Recommended highly for those with horse-loving readers, especially ones who need less than 200 pages. No illustrations included.
Thanks for the eARC, NetGalley.
March 15, 2026
Harper and her mother have suddenly up and moved away to a new home. A very tiny home next to a horse barn. They left after Harper’s father became the scandal of the school with her best friend’s mother. Harper is sad, and angry and lonely, until a mostly dead horse shows up in her life.
I like the horse stuff and I have absolutely loved books by Bradley in the past. I think my unease with this book is personal. Every word and phrase is so measured to deliver the highest emotional-social impact. Everyone, who was on the side of right, chose the exact correct phrases and words. Ones I’ve only ever heard from adults schooling the world on proper sensitive behavior. Maybe I’m reading too many adult books these days to enjoy this sort of pedantry directed at kids.
I like the horse stuff and I have absolutely loved books by Bradley in the past. I think my unease with this book is personal. Every word and phrase is so measured to deliver the highest emotional-social impact. Everyone, who was on the side of right, chose the exact correct phrases and words. Ones I’ve only ever heard from adults schooling the world on proper sensitive behavior. Maybe I’m reading too many adult books these days to enjoy this sort of pedantry directed at kids.
March 27, 2026
So disappointed! I love this author and was excited to see this new offering in junior fiction. The horse information was good but too much. I know it's the first in a series but I was left with too much unresolved sadness. The parents are lacking and failing their daughter. And other kids are so messed up in the story, too. To top it off 11-year olds are talking about microaggressions at the lunch table. Say what?!
March 6, 2026
This is a sweet younger middle grade story that would be wonderful for readers looking for an entertaining book that also gently explores heavier topics such as divorce, depression, anxiety, and starting at a new school.
Even as an adult, I found it both engaging and enjoyable. Kids who love horses will especially appreciate the relationship that develops here—it’s heartfelt and adds a lot of emotional depth to the story.
I also appreciated the way the mother supports her child throughout the book. While it might not be exactly how I would approach parenting, her encouragement and presence felt genuine and caring, which added another layer to the narrative.
This would be a great addition to a classroom or school library, especially for students who need a book for a report or discussion. While it’s certainly entertaining, it also offers meaningful themes and emotional depth that give readers plenty to think about beyond the story itself.
I am thankful to have received a complimentary ALC from Penguin Random House Audio via their influencer program which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
Even as an adult, I found it both engaging and enjoyable. Kids who love horses will especially appreciate the relationship that develops here—it’s heartfelt and adds a lot of emotional depth to the story.
I also appreciated the way the mother supports her child throughout the book. While it might not be exactly how I would approach parenting, her encouragement and presence felt genuine and caring, which added another layer to the narrative.
This would be a great addition to a classroom or school library, especially for students who need a book for a report or discussion. While it’s certainly entertaining, it also offers meaningful themes and emotional depth that give readers plenty to think about beyond the story itself.
I am thankful to have received a complimentary ALC from Penguin Random House Audio via their influencer program which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
E ARC provided by Netgalley
Harper and her mother Beth move suddenly from Knoxville, Tennessee to Sommer Springs after Harper's father has an affair with the mother of Harper's best friend Cat, who lives across the street. Unwilling to put up with the gossip, Beth finds another nursing job and a very small house to rent where their Great Pyrenees dog, Harvey, is welcome. The rural community is very different; on the way into town, Harper sees dead chickens strung up on a clothesline, and the home they are renting is right next to a horse stable. This is run by Miss Chelsea, whose wife is a doctor. Several children from Harper's 6th grade class ride at the stables, and she meets Dante, Night (who uses they/them pronouns), and Emma. Harper is very angry about the reasons for moving, and has fallen out with Cat, so feels very isolated. She spends a lot of time watching the others ride, and talks to them briefly on the bus. Dante knows that Harper isn't talking because she is sad, and doesn't push her. When a "kill truck" shows up at the stables when everyone is done, Harper ends up with a very sick horse given to her! She and her mother do an internet search for how to properly care for the ailing animal, and end up feeding it tiny bits of hay around the clock. Miss Chelsea agrees to help with the horse, although she wants to buy it from Harper, who refuses to sell it. Harper equates the horses experience of being "thrown away" with her own father's dismissal of her. There is a lot of concern about the cost of owning a horse, which is considerable, but Harper is adamant that she be allowed to keep the horse, whom she names Phoenix, although her mother inquires about perhaps turning the animal over to a horse rescue. Harper ends up working at the stable in the morning to help pay for Phoenix's upkeep. When she returns from a tense weekend at her father's, she sees a woman, Ms. Rawlings, who is attempting to feed Phoenix and has called the police about what she considers an abused animal. There is a tense standoff, complete with nasty microaggressions where Ms. Rawlings assumes Dante is a stable groom because he is Latine. Carine Rawlings and her horse start participating in the lessons and practices, but it takes a while for her to fit in. Phoenix continues to improve, although the path is rocky. This is the first book in a purported series.
I'm always looking for books for readers who would love to own their own horses, but I'm debating this one. While there are good details about caring for an ailing horse, as well as about riding and stable life, there is a lot of discussion about the father's affair, even though Bradley is so circumspect in her treatment of the topic that younger readers won't even understand that an affair occurred. Harper is 11, and there is talk about her attending therapy, but she doesn't manage to get to a therapist even though she is having a very difficult time. Readers who like horses will have to make it far enough into the book, and they may not, since Harper is afraid of horses at the beginning, and doesn't really want anything to do with the stables.
The fact that this starts with the description of the dead chickens and Harper's reaction to them doesn't do this book any favors. I usually enjoy Bradley's books, but this was far more like Fighting Words than her popular historical titles like The War That Saved My Life.
Harper and her mother Beth move suddenly from Knoxville, Tennessee to Sommer Springs after Harper's father has an affair with the mother of Harper's best friend Cat, who lives across the street. Unwilling to put up with the gossip, Beth finds another nursing job and a very small house to rent where their Great Pyrenees dog, Harvey, is welcome. The rural community is very different; on the way into town, Harper sees dead chickens strung up on a clothesline, and the home they are renting is right next to a horse stable. This is run by Miss Chelsea, whose wife is a doctor. Several children from Harper's 6th grade class ride at the stables, and she meets Dante, Night (who uses they/them pronouns), and Emma. Harper is very angry about the reasons for moving, and has fallen out with Cat, so feels very isolated. She spends a lot of time watching the others ride, and talks to them briefly on the bus. Dante knows that Harper isn't talking because she is sad, and doesn't push her. When a "kill truck" shows up at the stables when everyone is done, Harper ends up with a very sick horse given to her! She and her mother do an internet search for how to properly care for the ailing animal, and end up feeding it tiny bits of hay around the clock. Miss Chelsea agrees to help with the horse, although she wants to buy it from Harper, who refuses to sell it. Harper equates the horses experience of being "thrown away" with her own father's dismissal of her. There is a lot of concern about the cost of owning a horse, which is considerable, but Harper is adamant that she be allowed to keep the horse, whom she names Phoenix, although her mother inquires about perhaps turning the animal over to a horse rescue. Harper ends up working at the stable in the morning to help pay for Phoenix's upkeep. When she returns from a tense weekend at her father's, she sees a woman, Ms. Rawlings, who is attempting to feed Phoenix and has called the police about what she considers an abused animal. There is a tense standoff, complete with nasty microaggressions where Ms. Rawlings assumes Dante is a stable groom because he is Latine. Carine Rawlings and her horse start participating in the lessons and practices, but it takes a while for her to fit in. Phoenix continues to improve, although the path is rocky. This is the first book in a purported series.
I'm always looking for books for readers who would love to own their own horses, but I'm debating this one. While there are good details about caring for an ailing horse, as well as about riding and stable life, there is a lot of discussion about the father's affair, even though Bradley is so circumspect in her treatment of the topic that younger readers won't even understand that an affair occurred. Harper is 11, and there is talk about her attending therapy, but she doesn't manage to get to a therapist even though she is having a very difficult time. Readers who like horses will have to make it far enough into the book, and they may not, since Harper is afraid of horses at the beginning, and doesn't really want anything to do with the stables.
The fact that this starts with the description of the dead chickens and Harper's reaction to them doesn't do this book any favors. I usually enjoy Bradley's books, but this was far more like Fighting Words than her popular historical titles like The War That Saved My Life.
March 19, 2026
Darn. I have loved her other books but this one was a clunker for me. The precipitating crisis is very adult. Also, kids who hang out on a farm and then meet on bus and introduce themselves with their pronouns? A jarring note that distracted from the story.
March 21, 2026
Short and satisfying! I loved it and I have never in my life been the slightest bit interested in horses. 🤷
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I'm grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book from a favorite author.
The story was very good, following a young female main character who moves to a small town after her family experiences a major trauma.
I think the plot was compelling with some relatable points for middle grade radersand it had excellent pacing for the most part, but it ended abruptly and with quite a few unresolved story lines. I know it's part of a series but it needed more.
I also think this should have been for older teens. There were quite a few mature themes that I struggle thinking are appropriate for the young middle grade age it's aimed towards (the main character is 11)- parental infidelity, abandonment, racism, non-binary gender, animal abuse. I could see these being much more emotionally challenging than the reader it's geared towards might be able to handle or understand. It felt like a lot to address in a short book and I wish it had focused on any one of the issues so that as a parent there could be deeper more specific conversations on one heavy topic instead of the emotional whiplash I was left with at the end.
Because of that, I can't recommend it to anyone younger than 13 at the very youngest and would definitely advise parents to preread first.
The story was very good, following a young female main character who moves to a small town after her family experiences a major trauma.
I think the plot was compelling with some relatable points for middle grade radersand it had excellent pacing for the most part, but it ended abruptly and with quite a few unresolved story lines. I know it's part of a series but it needed more.
I also think this should have been for older teens. There were quite a few mature themes that I struggle thinking are appropriate for the young middle grade age it's aimed towards (the main character is 11)- parental infidelity, abandonment, racism, non-binary gender, animal abuse. I could see these being much more emotionally challenging than the reader it's geared towards might be able to handle or understand. It felt like a lot to address in a short book and I wish it had focused on any one of the issues so that as a parent there could be deeper more specific conversations on one heavy topic instead of the emotional whiplash I was left with at the end.
Because of that, I can't recommend it to anyone younger than 13 at the very youngest and would definitely advise parents to preread first.
March 8, 2026
Phoenix tells the story of Harper, a girl whose life is upended by what she calls "The Bomb." The bomb being her parents' divorce due to her father's infidelity with her best friend's mom.
Harper and her mom move to a new town, in a tiny home owned by Ms. Chelsea, a woman who is married to a doctor and also owns a riding stable.
One day, a kill truck stops by the stable, and Harper makes a bold decision to save a dying horse that she names Phoenix. As she cares for this neglected and abused animal, she starts to open herself up to the people around her and begins to heal from her own hurt and trauma.
Overall, I thought this was an okay book, but I do think it would appeal to middle schoolers, especially animal lovers. I did think it was interesting that the author chose to include infidelity, but it's so subtly mentioned that I think it would be hard for younger readers to catch. I wasn't a huge fan of Harper, although you could feel her sadness and depression through the pages. There are also mentions of racism, and a main non-binary character.
I'm curious to see how this series unfolds!
Harper and her mom move to a new town, in a tiny home owned by Ms. Chelsea, a woman who is married to a doctor and also owns a riding stable.
One day, a kill truck stops by the stable, and Harper makes a bold decision to save a dying horse that she names Phoenix. As she cares for this neglected and abused animal, she starts to open herself up to the people around her and begins to heal from her own hurt and trauma.
Overall, I thought this was an okay book, but I do think it would appeal to middle schoolers, especially animal lovers. I did think it was interesting that the author chose to include infidelity, but it's so subtly mentioned that I think it would be hard for younger readers to catch. I wasn't a huge fan of Harper, although you could feel her sadness and depression through the pages. There are also mentions of racism, and a main non-binary character.
I'm curious to see how this series unfolds!
March 10, 2026
Harper’s life is turned upside down by the bomb that her father drops on their family. This book deals with some pretty big things (her father’s affair), but also shows how healing animals can be. I like that Harper is real with how she feels and her character seems realistic. Harper’s mom feels less realistic to me. If you had just found out your husband was having an affair and now you’re filing for divorce, wouldn’t you be more of a mess? She’s always understanding of whatever Harper wants to do. She seemed to be more of a supporting character to Harper instead of someone this actually happened to. (The biggest instance of this is when they’re driving home from visiting Cat, and her mom is singing in the car on the way home. Really?! You just visited the house of your husband’s lover and you’re singing? Nope.) The character of Phoenix is lovely. He was beautifully written. I’m eager to see what the next book holds in store for those two. Knight’s gender identity seems a little forced.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2026
Horse lovers are going to love this book! This is a story about friendship, forgiveness, riding, and patience. It is the first installment of a horse series designed for readers in grades 3-5. I know readers are going to connect with Harper. She is a girl trying to cope with her parent’s recent divorce, a new school and a lot of mixed-up feelings. Through a weird set of circumstances, she ends up owning an abandoned and abused horse. Phoenix is the horse who is described as still-skinny and not yet recovered enough to ride. It is Phoenix who helps Harper to heal broken relationships and begin to grow her riding skills.
I cannot wait to share this book with my students.
I cannot wait to share this book with my students.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 stars
I'm here for the horse parts of the story, which were more or less well done. (Not sure how Dante got the halter over Katara's nose while her face was stuffed in a bucket for example.)
The qualms I have are all character based. The pre-teen angst is a bit different from my Saddle Club reading days. The characters all seem to vacillate between mild brattiness (I'm being generous in Harper's case here) and unrealistically mature opinions on certain things that seemed a bit much for 11.
I'm here for the horse parts of the story, which were more or less well done. (Not sure how Dante got the halter over Katara's nose while her face was stuffed in a bucket for example.)
The qualms I have are all character based. The pre-teen angst is a bit different from my Saddle Club reading days. The characters all seem to vacillate between mild brattiness (I'm being generous in Harper's case here) and unrealistically mature opinions on certain things that seemed a bit much for 11.
June 12, 2026
Won’t lie. I walked into B&N and saw this cover and knew I needed this book. I am still a horse girlie at heart and I cannot resist a horse story to this day. This was a super heartwarming middle grade novel in which Harper is navigating the messy divorce of her parents and the loss of all she’s ever known: school, friends, consistency. Her mom moves them into a tiny little house at the edge of a riding/boarding stable. Harper claims to not love horses but when a literal kill truck dumps a downed horse on her lawn, it’s love at first sight. Adeptly named Phoenix, Harper and her horse need to learn to live, love and trust again… together.
I did cry for a few pages over this one.
I did cry for a few pages over this one.
May 1, 2026
This is most definitely a story straight from the heart of an automatic read author for me. While I love this authors historical fiction, I so appreciate her respect for the internal lives of the kids who are her main characters. She captures the fierceness and vulnerability perfectly. I also appreciate that she can leave emotions untidy and unresolved. Harper’s dad gets called out in the book for trying to put words in Harper’s mouth to make HIM feel better. And always, always a deep love of horses and their infinite capacity to heal us and our wounded souls.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I liked learning about the various characters. How soon until the next book in the series is out? I have plenty of students who'd be interested in this title.
March 11, 2026
I fell in love with Kimberly Brubaker Bradley’s writing while listening to The War That Saved My Life with my young son, throwing our hearts into the story of a girl who is “tempest tossed” into a new home after a life of abuse and neglect and who begins to learn to love and trust through the relationship with a pony. We have re-read it and its sequel countless times now.
In many ways Phoenix felt joyfully familiar, albeit set in a different continent and different century, but again featuring a “tempest tossed” girl reeling from trauma, feeling abandoned, who despite having no previous love of horses finds connection and purpose through a relationship with a horse who had literally been thrown off a kill truck to die. Though Phoenix is firmly set in 2026, with very real 2026 scenarios including parental infidelity, the heart of both books is unmistakably the author’s love of horses and deep understanding that, as a character says in The War I Finally Won: horses help.
The audiobook felt very short to me, being used to the length and pacing of the author’s other novels, but I know my horse-loving readers will devour this and future books in the planned Ride On series.
The trauma of parental infidelity and unexpected divorce felt appropriately disorienting, and the author does an amazing job of creating a likeable main character whose communication and friend-making skills are relatably flawed and awkward.
The one element that felt a bit forced was the introduction of the delightful nonbinary character, Night. My now-12 year old son paused the audiobook just after the kids first introduced themselves with their pronouns to say bluntly, “Mom. I love her [meaning Kimberly Brubaker Bradley] but low key for real NO ONE in middle school says their pronouns. And like mostly everyone would be chill about a nonbinary kid on the bus but it would still, like, be unusual. So like, they wouldn’t just like, be like, hey, I’m they/them and like everyone else just say pronouns like its just how middle school kids now introduce themselves. It’s not like that. Kids don’t talk like that. We might be like, “oh, you’re nonbinary?” And like talk about it, openly. But not introduce with pronouns like it’s just what middle school normal is.”
That said…that’s only a small critique from a 7th grader very sensitive to how his generation is depicted. He was into the book otherwise, though its target readers are younger.
I loved the diversity of representation, including economic diversity. And I can’t wait for the next installment.
Highly recommended for elementary school libraries.
In many ways Phoenix felt joyfully familiar, albeit set in a different continent and different century, but again featuring a “tempest tossed” girl reeling from trauma, feeling abandoned, who despite having no previous love of horses finds connection and purpose through a relationship with a horse who had literally been thrown off a kill truck to die. Though Phoenix is firmly set in 2026, with very real 2026 scenarios including parental infidelity, the heart of both books is unmistakably the author’s love of horses and deep understanding that, as a character says in The War I Finally Won: horses help.
The audiobook felt very short to me, being used to the length and pacing of the author’s other novels, but I know my horse-loving readers will devour this and future books in the planned Ride On series.
The trauma of parental infidelity and unexpected divorce felt appropriately disorienting, and the author does an amazing job of creating a likeable main character whose communication and friend-making skills are relatably flawed and awkward.
The one element that felt a bit forced was the introduction of the delightful nonbinary character, Night. My now-12 year old son paused the audiobook just after the kids first introduced themselves with their pronouns to say bluntly, “Mom. I love her [meaning Kimberly Brubaker Bradley] but low key for real NO ONE in middle school says their pronouns. And like mostly everyone would be chill about a nonbinary kid on the bus but it would still, like, be unusual. So like, they wouldn’t just like, be like, hey, I’m they/them and like everyone else just say pronouns like its just how middle school kids now introduce themselves. It’s not like that. Kids don’t talk like that. We might be like, “oh, you’re nonbinary?” And like talk about it, openly. But not introduce with pronouns like it’s just what middle school normal is.”
That said…that’s only a small critique from a 7th grader very sensitive to how his generation is depicted. He was into the book otherwise, though its target readers are younger.
I loved the diversity of representation, including economic diversity. And I can’t wait for the next installment.
Highly recommended for elementary school libraries.
March 31, 2026
After her parents' messy divorce, Harper and her mom move to the country, and things are definitely different. She's never really been around horses before, but she gets her chance when she meets Miss Chelsea -- who owns a stable near her new home -- and Night, Dante, Emma, and Carine, kids who all ride. When a horse trailer drops off a sick horse in Harper's care, and Harper finds herself the owner of the malnourished Phoenix. Taking care of a horse is a lot of work, and Harper's only just starting to make friends, but maybe Phoenix is just what Harper needs to start rebuilding her life.
The strength of this book is the characters, and I'm excited that this will be a series because I really want more books with all these kids! Harper's story was really engaging; a strong start to the series.
This book took me back to Saddle Club; I read and reread the first dozen in that series when I was a kid!
The strength of this book is the characters, and I'm excited that this will be a series because I really want more books with all these kids! Harper's story was really engaging; a strong start to the series.
This book took me back to Saddle Club; I read and reread the first dozen in that series when I was a kid!
June 7, 2026
3.5 stars - I had a similar reaction to Kwame Alexander’s The Mighty Macy: good author doing a book that’s been done a hundred times before.
September 28, 2025
I enjoy reading KBB's historical fiction books, and this one is quite different. It's a contemporary realistic fiction, maybe aimed at kids a little younger than, say, the audience of The War That Saved My Life, More like 4th-5th-6th graders.
There are some pretty big issues tackled in this book, and because it's the first book in a series, nothing is really wrapped up at the end. The main character, Harper, and her mom move to a new town after Harper's dad's affair with a neighbor blows up their lives big time. The way the mom and Harper left town was quite abrupt, which I know was a plot device for Harper being the new kid and the kid out of her element, but it felt a little unrealistic.
Harper's school life isn't the major focus of the story except for one detail that keeps coming up: because of overcrowding at her school, she has to eat lunch standing up. (As someone who has spent decades in school settings, I have never ever heard of this happening, so it was a little jarring.) Most of the action of the book centers around the horse barn on the property of the house Harper and her mom are living in, and Harper becomes the owner of a very sick horse that was dropped off at the barn to die. Through nothing more than sheer will and a quick Google search, Harper miraculously nurses that horse back to health.
I kinda feel like Harper is all over the place, which, as a kid whose mom whisked her away from her life after her dad's affair with her best friend's mother, perhaps makes sense. She has lots of complicated feelings toward her parents, she has to make new friends in her new town, she discovers that she loves horses and is kind of a natural at it, but a couple times in the book, she is downright rude to the adults around her. She makes impulsive decisions and behaves a little out of character for someone her age, I think.
I think what lost me on feeling good about this book was the moment when Harper decided she needed to see her best friend in person and so, OF COURSE her mom stopped making dinner and DROVE THEM two hours on a school night back to where they used to live. C'mon. That is completely irresponsible and improbable.
There are some pretty big issues tackled in this book, and because it's the first book in a series, nothing is really wrapped up at the end. The main character, Harper, and her mom move to a new town after Harper's dad's affair with a neighbor blows up their lives big time. The way the mom and Harper left town was quite abrupt, which I know was a plot device for Harper being the new kid and the kid out of her element, but it felt a little unrealistic.
Harper's school life isn't the major focus of the story except for one detail that keeps coming up: because of overcrowding at her school, she has to eat lunch standing up. (As someone who has spent decades in school settings, I have never ever heard of this happening, so it was a little jarring.) Most of the action of the book centers around the horse barn on the property of the house Harper and her mom are living in, and Harper becomes the owner of a very sick horse that was dropped off at the barn to die. Through nothing more than sheer will and a quick Google search, Harper miraculously nurses that horse back to health.
I kinda feel like Harper is all over the place, which, as a kid whose mom whisked her away from her life after her dad's affair with her best friend's mother, perhaps makes sense. She has lots of complicated feelings toward her parents, she has to make new friends in her new town, she discovers that she loves horses and is kind of a natural at it, but a couple times in the book, she is downright rude to the adults around her. She makes impulsive decisions and behaves a little out of character for someone her age, I think.
I think what lost me on feeling good about this book was the moment when Harper decided she needed to see her best friend in person and so, OF COURSE her mom stopped making dinner and DROVE THEM two hours on a school night back to where they used to live. C'mon. That is completely irresponsible and improbable.
April 1, 2026
Book 1️⃣ in a new MG series by @kimberly_brubaker_bradley
🐴
After her parents’ divorce turns her world upside down, Harper moves with her mom to a new town where everything feels unfamiliar. She has no interest in the nearby riding barn until a starving, neglected horse is suddenly left in her yard. Naming him Phoenix, Harper forms an unexpected bond as she nurses him back to health. Through their connection, she begins to heal, opening herself up to new friendships, challenges, and the possibility of finding her place again.
🐴
Harper is such a tender-hearted character, and I loved watching her grow through caring for Phoenix. There’s something so powerful about healing through animal care, and this story captures that beautifully. It made me want my own horse by the end! I’m already looking forward to book two.
CW: microaggressions, anima death (chickens), animal cruelty, divorce (theme), adultery, racism, bullying
The ending felt a bit rushed 4.25 ⭐️
🐴
After her parents’ divorce turns her world upside down, Harper moves with her mom to a new town where everything feels unfamiliar. She has no interest in the nearby riding barn until a starving, neglected horse is suddenly left in her yard. Naming him Phoenix, Harper forms an unexpected bond as she nurses him back to health. Through their connection, she begins to heal, opening herself up to new friendships, challenges, and the possibility of finding her place again.
🐴
Harper is such a tender-hearted character, and I loved watching her grow through caring for Phoenix. There’s something so powerful about healing through animal care, and this story captures that beautifully. It made me want my own horse by the end! I’m already looking forward to book two.
CW: microaggressions, anima death (chickens), animal cruelty, divorce (theme), adultery, racism, bullying
The ending felt a bit rushed 4.25 ⭐️
July 3, 2026
Richie’s Picks: PHOENIX by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Penguin Random House/Dial, March 2026, 192p., ISBN: 978-0-593-85986-5
“Listen to the horses, clipping clopping
Hoofbeats everywhere, never stopping
Gonna ride my palomino
Ride him to the fair”
– Raffi (1977)
“All the grown-ups kept telling her it wasn’t her fault. Harper wanted to know whose fault it was. She wanted to know why they’d let a horse, any horse, get in this condition, and then she wanted to punch them in the neck. Or not feed them, until they were this thin and miserable.
The vet examined Phoenix. ‘He’s not worse than he looks,’ she finally said.
‘What does that mean?’ Harper asked.
‘It means his heart and lungs sound okay. He doesn’t seem to have any systemic disease, not so far as I can easily tell. He doesn't have a lot of symptoms other than being dangerously underweight. I’ll write out a schedule for increasing his hay. Keep him in this paddock. No grass, no grain, no carrots, no treats–nothing.’
‘I’ll post a sign,’ Miss Chelsea said. ‘I’ll make sure all my students know.’
Dr. Vaughan was scribbling things on a piece of paper. ‘So,’ she said, looking up, ‘he belongs to?’
‘Me,’ said Harper.
Dr. Vaughan raised her eyebrows.
‘Harper,’ Miss Chelsea said, ‘let me buy him from you. I’ll give you a dollar, and I’ll pay his bills.
‘That’s generous,’ Harper’s mom said.
‘No, it isn’t!’ Harper said. She was suddenly furious. She didn’t know what horses cost, but good ones were expensive, she was sure of that. ‘He’s a good horse!’ she said. ‘Just because he’s been neglected and starved and thrown away, he’s still a good horse–’
She burst into tears. Again. Right in front of Dante and Night. Without the least understanding of why. She’d never been much of a crier, before the Bomb.”
Eleven-year-old Harper has been dealt a really tough hand. The Bomb. She’d had a nice home with two parents, a best friend named Cat across the street, and few worries. But then her mother needed to go home unexpectedly, and discovered Harper’s dad across the street with Cat’s mom.
Harper’s mom files for divorce, packs up Harper and the family dog, and leaves town, renting a tiny house located on the property where Miss Chelsea has a horse farm and gives riding lessons. Dante and Night are two of Miss Chelsea’s students with whom Harper is destined to become friends.
A short while thereafter, Miss Chelsea and her students are out of town at a horse show, when an unscrupulous pair of men hauling a trailerload of horses headed for a slaughterhouse comes by. They want to unload an emaciated gelding who is lying down in the trailer. In a wink of an eye, Harper finds herself the sudden beneficiary of a free, near-death horse.
Thanks to a Google search, Harper and her mom figure out what to do (and not to do) until Miss Chelsea returns. Suddenly, her heart touched by the “good horse” she names Phoenix, Harper thirsts to learn everything she can about horses, and offers to work for Miss Chelsea, when she’s not at school, in exchange for being able to keep Phoenix and learn to care for and ride him.
So begins the first book in a “Ride On” series planned by author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.
As a teen, I enjoyed the occasional Sunday trail ride with friends. It was my sister who was the toroughly obsessed “horse nut,” hitchhiking up to a nearby stable after school every day to care for her first horse. Thus, I know how some young people can become “horse crazy.” To that extent, you might say that this is a “dangerous” book. I guarantee you that there’ll be some young readers out there for whom this tale–which accurately details aspects of the care and riding of horses–becomes the first chapter in a lifelong real-life equine saga.
PHOENIX will thoroughly entrance young animal lovers, including those who didn’t know they were so. I strongly advise adding this horse tale to elementary and middle school collections. Meanwhile, I look forward to the second book in the series.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
“Listen to the horses, clipping clopping
Hoofbeats everywhere, never stopping
Gonna ride my palomino
Ride him to the fair”
– Raffi (1977)
“All the grown-ups kept telling her it wasn’t her fault. Harper wanted to know whose fault it was. She wanted to know why they’d let a horse, any horse, get in this condition, and then she wanted to punch them in the neck. Or not feed them, until they were this thin and miserable.
The vet examined Phoenix. ‘He’s not worse than he looks,’ she finally said.
‘What does that mean?’ Harper asked.
‘It means his heart and lungs sound okay. He doesn’t seem to have any systemic disease, not so far as I can easily tell. He doesn't have a lot of symptoms other than being dangerously underweight. I’ll write out a schedule for increasing his hay. Keep him in this paddock. No grass, no grain, no carrots, no treats–nothing.’
‘I’ll post a sign,’ Miss Chelsea said. ‘I’ll make sure all my students know.’
Dr. Vaughan was scribbling things on a piece of paper. ‘So,’ she said, looking up, ‘he belongs to?’
‘Me,’ said Harper.
Dr. Vaughan raised her eyebrows.
‘Harper,’ Miss Chelsea said, ‘let me buy him from you. I’ll give you a dollar, and I’ll pay his bills.
‘That’s generous,’ Harper’s mom said.
‘No, it isn’t!’ Harper said. She was suddenly furious. She didn’t know what horses cost, but good ones were expensive, she was sure of that. ‘He’s a good horse!’ she said. ‘Just because he’s been neglected and starved and thrown away, he’s still a good horse–’
She burst into tears. Again. Right in front of Dante and Night. Without the least understanding of why. She’d never been much of a crier, before the Bomb.”
Eleven-year-old Harper has been dealt a really tough hand. The Bomb. She’d had a nice home with two parents, a best friend named Cat across the street, and few worries. But then her mother needed to go home unexpectedly, and discovered Harper’s dad across the street with Cat’s mom.
Harper’s mom files for divorce, packs up Harper and the family dog, and leaves town, renting a tiny house located on the property where Miss Chelsea has a horse farm and gives riding lessons. Dante and Night are two of Miss Chelsea’s students with whom Harper is destined to become friends.
A short while thereafter, Miss Chelsea and her students are out of town at a horse show, when an unscrupulous pair of men hauling a trailerload of horses headed for a slaughterhouse comes by. They want to unload an emaciated gelding who is lying down in the trailer. In a wink of an eye, Harper finds herself the sudden beneficiary of a free, near-death horse.
Thanks to a Google search, Harper and her mom figure out what to do (and not to do) until Miss Chelsea returns. Suddenly, her heart touched by the “good horse” she names Phoenix, Harper thirsts to learn everything she can about horses, and offers to work for Miss Chelsea, when she’s not at school, in exchange for being able to keep Phoenix and learn to care for and ride him.
So begins the first book in a “Ride On” series planned by author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.
As a teen, I enjoyed the occasional Sunday trail ride with friends. It was my sister who was the toroughly obsessed “horse nut,” hitchhiking up to a nearby stable after school every day to care for her first horse. Thus, I know how some young people can become “horse crazy.” To that extent, you might say that this is a “dangerous” book. I guarantee you that there’ll be some young readers out there for whom this tale–which accurately details aspects of the care and riding of horses–becomes the first chapter in a lifelong real-life equine saga.
PHOENIX will thoroughly entrance young animal lovers, including those who didn’t know they were so. I strongly advise adding this horse tale to elementary and middle school collections. Meanwhile, I look forward to the second book in the series.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
June 11, 2026
3.5 rounded to a 3 for GR
Another Newbery suggestion. Another one I'm mid on, although it's better than a bunch of the others.
This is the first in a series? It's mentioned in the author's note at the end, but I can find minimal information on the others. It's slated for 6 entries, all under 200 pages. I need the pacing to be better as it goes forward because it's a LOT of information to shove in not so many pages. I'm also curious if Harper will continue to be the POV character or if it will be other stable kids, in which case, I need Carine's to do some VERY heavy lifting and I'm unsure if it will be possible to fix.
This book is about Harper moving to a new town after her father cheats on her mother with her best friend's mom (who also lives across the street). As someone who had this happen to her as a child, Harper wasn't mean enough and I didn't appreciate the "both your mom and I could've behaved better" nonsense from her father. Mom didn't make a colossal mistake that upended everyone else's life, did she? After moving, Harper ends up with a horse that is severely abused after it was dumped off a kill truck. The book follows her moving through the divorce and rehabbing Phoenix, the horse. It also introduces us to the members of the pony club.
Harper is a generally likeable MC. The other members were lovely and it was going fairly well until the sudden introduction of a racist character in the third act. We are introduced to Ms. Rawlings by her mistaking a Hispanic child for a groom because "all the groom at our last stable were Hispanic", reporting the abuse of an animal she has no idea about and trying to feed it despite a giant sign saying not to for his health as soon as she gets to the stable, getting an attitude with the Black owner of said stable and then going "oh" when she's made aware she's the owner, multiple microaggressions, white women tears, etc. This entire arc was done very poorly. Mrs. Rawlings behavior is treated as "she'll be embarrassed because she name dropped her husband's boss and wouldn't you know it? It's the father of the kid she just was racist towards!" She shouldn't be racist to anyone, especially children, regardless of if they have money or status or not. Carine is portrayed as slightly better, but she also engages in some microaggressions of her own. It isn't resolved at the end. I'm assuming because it will be addressed, along with the accessibility and classism in horseback riding issues being raised, in another book, but I'm unsure if it will be addressed in a satisfactory manner. I did not like how it was addressed in this first book.
The cost is talked about, but brushed aside. We're told that keeping Phoenix is a "discussion that's still on the table" but there isn't a definitive "we're keeping him" statement, which leads me to believe the end of the series will be saying goodbye to a horse you've gotten children attached to for 6 books.
I also saw a review that said you could "give this to children under grade 3 due to lack of vulgarity and swearing"...wouldn't recommend. The plot of the story hinges on divorce, infidelity, racism, classism, animal abuse, etc. Unless you want a very upset 6 or 7 year old, I wouldn't just hand this to the average child in that range. I would say 4th or 5th is probably most accurate.
Overall, fine book. It's meh. I didn't think the writing was Newbery caliber and I didn't think some of the issues were handled well over the course of the book. Perhaps it will get better over the course of the series.
Another Newbery suggestion. Another one I'm mid on, although it's better than a bunch of the others.
This is the first in a series? It's mentioned in the author's note at the end, but I can find minimal information on the others. It's slated for 6 entries, all under 200 pages. I need the pacing to be better as it goes forward because it's a LOT of information to shove in not so many pages. I'm also curious if Harper will continue to be the POV character or if it will be other stable kids, in which case, I need Carine's to do some VERY heavy lifting and I'm unsure if it will be possible to fix.
This book is about Harper moving to a new town after her father cheats on her mother with her best friend's mom (who also lives across the street). As someone who had this happen to her as a child, Harper wasn't mean enough and I didn't appreciate the "both your mom and I could've behaved better" nonsense from her father. Mom didn't make a colossal mistake that upended everyone else's life, did she? After moving, Harper ends up with a horse that is severely abused after it was dumped off a kill truck. The book follows her moving through the divorce and rehabbing Phoenix, the horse. It also introduces us to the members of the pony club.
Harper is a generally likeable MC. The other members were lovely and it was going fairly well until the sudden introduction of a racist character in the third act. We are introduced to Ms. Rawlings by her mistaking a Hispanic child for a groom because "all the groom at our last stable were Hispanic", reporting the abuse of an animal she has no idea about and trying to feed it despite a giant sign saying not to for his health as soon as she gets to the stable, getting an attitude with the Black owner of said stable and then going "oh" when she's made aware she's the owner, multiple microaggressions, white women tears, etc. This entire arc was done very poorly. Mrs. Rawlings behavior is treated as "she'll be embarrassed because she name dropped her husband's boss and wouldn't you know it? It's the father of the kid she just was racist towards!" She shouldn't be racist to anyone, especially children, regardless of if they have money or status or not. Carine is portrayed as slightly better, but she also engages in some microaggressions of her own. It isn't resolved at the end. I'm assuming because it will be addressed, along with the accessibility and classism in horseback riding issues being raised, in another book, but I'm unsure if it will be addressed in a satisfactory manner. I did not like how it was addressed in this first book.
The cost is talked about, but brushed aside. We're told that keeping Phoenix is a "discussion that's still on the table" but there isn't a definitive "we're keeping him" statement, which leads me to believe the end of the series will be saying goodbye to a horse you've gotten children attached to for 6 books.
I also saw a review that said you could "give this to children under grade 3 due to lack of vulgarity and swearing"...wouldn't recommend. The plot of the story hinges on divorce, infidelity, racism, classism, animal abuse, etc. Unless you want a very upset 6 or 7 year old, I wouldn't just hand this to the average child in that range. I would say 4th or 5th is probably most accurate.
Overall, fine book. It's meh. I didn't think the writing was Newbery caliber and I didn't think some of the issues were handled well over the course of the book. Perhaps it will get better over the course of the series.
April 2, 2026
I have had to replace my copies of The War that Saved My Life and The War I Finally Won over and over because they are so well-read and loved. I have hosted Kim Bradley at my school and sought her out at conventions and festivals to listen to her speak. I respect her work and her politics. I was thrilled that she was publishing a new series about horses because I remember her speaking so fondly of her horses to my students when she visited. And every middle school librarian out there has their horse readers, IYKYK.
*However*, Phoenix was a miss for me. I will not be handing it to every kid (horse fan or not), imploring, YOU HAVE TO READ THIS!
Harper is dealing with a lot when she finds refuge in an abused horse. The imagery (based on true events) of the kill truck and the dying horse dropped at Harper's feet is really upsetting. It could be compared to books where the dog dies, but usually the dog hasn't been starved to death. Harper and her support characters make it their mission to heal the horse, christened Phoenix, and the reader will find comfort in his convalescence, but daaaang girl. Ten-year-olds are supposed to read about a skeletal horse that can barely open its eyes and is struggling to breathe?
Parental infidelity is a constant theme in the book and the source of Harper's grief. She feels abandoned because her father was having an affair with her best friend's mother. Bradley handles this plot point carefully, but there is no question why Harper and her mother have moved two hours away from her dad, Harper's school, and her friends. There is a lot of typical divorce-splaining about this being between her parents and not anything for Harper to worry about. But Harper and the reader know the whole time Dad dropped "a Bomb" when Harper's mother discovered his relationship with the neighbor/best-friend's mom. So Harper loses her dad and her best friend in one fell swoop. It's tough.
Finally, Bradley's politics make this book an issue book. She addresses gender and racism quickly and firmly. One of the sixth-graders identifies as non-binary. In one of the scenes, Harper points out to her friends that a "microaggression" was exhibited by an adult. I have worked with middle schoolers and specifically sixth graders for thirty-two years, and not once have I ever heard a student use a term like "microaggression" correctly in context. I respect Bradley's views, but am surprised she is using her middle-grade books as a platform.
I don't know. Maybe her historical fiction novels are her bread and butter.
*However*, Phoenix was a miss for me. I will not be handing it to every kid (horse fan or not), imploring, YOU HAVE TO READ THIS!
Harper is dealing with a lot when she finds refuge in an abused horse. The imagery (based on true events) of the kill truck and the dying horse dropped at Harper's feet is really upsetting. It could be compared to books where the dog dies, but usually the dog hasn't been starved to death. Harper and her support characters make it their mission to heal the horse, christened Phoenix, and the reader will find comfort in his convalescence, but daaaang girl. Ten-year-olds are supposed to read about a skeletal horse that can barely open its eyes and is struggling to breathe?
Parental infidelity is a constant theme in the book and the source of Harper's grief. She feels abandoned because her father was having an affair with her best friend's mother. Bradley handles this plot point carefully, but there is no question why Harper and her mother have moved two hours away from her dad, Harper's school, and her friends. There is a lot of typical divorce-splaining about this being between her parents and not anything for Harper to worry about. But Harper and the reader know the whole time Dad dropped "a Bomb" when Harper's mother discovered his relationship with the neighbor/best-friend's mom. So Harper loses her dad and her best friend in one fell swoop. It's tough.
Finally, Bradley's politics make this book an issue book. She addresses gender and racism quickly and firmly. One of the sixth-graders identifies as non-binary. In one of the scenes, Harper points out to her friends that a "microaggression" was exhibited by an adult. I have worked with middle schoolers and specifically sixth graders for thirty-two years, and not once have I ever heard a student use a term like "microaggression" correctly in context. I respect Bradley's views, but am surprised she is using her middle-grade books as a platform.
I don't know. Maybe her historical fiction novels are her bread and butter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This first book of a new series is obviously meant to hook horse lovers and it will. Readers have to first find out how Harper, the main character, ends up being around horses. She is horrified one day at school that people are looking at her and talking about her family. Her best friend looks guilty. This is how Harper discovers that her father and her best friend's mother are more than neighbors. Harper and her mother pack up and leave quickly. They end up on a horse farm in a tiny home with Harper's Great White Pyrenees. Harper has to start a new school, connect with new kids without them learning the horror story of her life at the moment, and find a way to stop being so angry about her life circumstances. Her Mom makes her keep talking to her Dad, but they don't talk about the real issue much. Harper notices a truck pull up next door one day while the barn folks are off at a horse show. The people driving the truck want to leave a horse that collapsed. Harper knows nothing about horses, but she does not trust these guys (nor does her loyal dog). After they drag the downed horse to a paddock next to her house, Harper tries to help the horse. Her Mom gets back and tells her the starving horse cannot be fed just anything. Immediately her Mom supports her decision to try to help the horse and seems to convince the owner of stable, as well. Most of the rest of the story is about the horse, but the story about what happened to her family and reconnecting with her old best friend is also there. No great conclusions on that front, but readers will love the last scene with Harper and her horse as offers good opportunities for them in the next book. I am grateful to Netgalley for allowing me to read the book before the publication date.
I read this book virtually before its publication, so changes may have been made once published.
I really have a great deal of respect for Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and I am impressed with her horse knowledge in this book. I was unsettled by the school scene where Harper and other students stand at lunch. It just felt so very wrong. I was not very comfortable with the school night out of the blue need to talk to her old best friend one night. With the focus on the horse that needed fed every 3 hours, it felt off. Those are minimal issues, though, if my avid horse fans have the opportunity for a great horse series that could be the next Heartland craze.
I read this book virtually before its publication, so changes may have been made once published.
I really have a great deal of respect for Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and I am impressed with her horse knowledge in this book. I was unsettled by the school scene where Harper and other students stand at lunch. It just felt so very wrong. I was not very comfortable with the school night out of the blue need to talk to her old best friend one night. With the focus on the horse that needed fed every 3 hours, it felt off. Those are minimal issues, though, if my avid horse fans have the opportunity for a great horse series that could be the next Heartland craze.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Phoenix is the story of a girl named Harper that has to move due to her parent’s divorce. She acquires a horse and learns to take care of and ride horses. I thought the story was mediocre. I am usually a huge fan of Kimberly Brubaker Bradley’s books, but this one fell flat for me. The storyline was fine, but I found myself not liking the characters making it hard to have any emotion toward the book. This book also has a non-binary character. Typically when people speak of nonbinary characters in a way that others don’t like, it is deemed as intolerant and evil, so I will preface this with saying that it comes out of a place of love and respect for all people, though that likely does little good to appease people that disagree. Nonbinary people have the body of a male or female, but don’t feel like they are either. The pain and trauma suffered by people with gender confusion is real, and all people have dignity and deserve respect. Part of loving a person requires us to speak the truth. The truth is that gender is not fluid and sex reassignment surgeries damage the body. This book is written for lower middle grade readers as the target audience which makes this character and the pronouns confusing for young kids. Kids at this age may just be beginning to read chapter books and learning about pronouns. In this book, the nonbinary character is referred to as they, and multiple people together are also referred to as they in sentences close together which can be very confusing, especially for 9 year old readers. It also teaches kids that they can change their gender based on how they feel. We are so much more than our preferred activities, and do not need kids to decide they are the opposite gender just because they like activities that don’t fit the traditional gender roles of our society. Nonbinary characters do not belong in middle grade novels. That being said, I do think the book had some strengths. The storyline of Harper’s relationships with other characters and her horse would appeal to many young readers. The book was compelling enough to hold my interest through it, and I thought it was a quick read which would be a good introduction to build stamina when beginning to transition to longer chapter books. I was excited to read a new book by one of my favorite authors. I am thankful to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book. I give it 3 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
11-year-old Harper is dealing with too much change in her life. Her parents are getting a divorce after her father was caught with her best friend's mom doing something jerkish that he really, really shouldn't be doing. What's worse, everyone at school seems to know about it and Harper is just positive that her best friend Cat is responsible for the rumor getting out. Harper and her mom need a fresh start, so they move from Knoxville to a small Tennessee town to live in a cottage on a ranch. Harper isn't sure about their new town, the kids are nice enough, but life is different. Most of the friendly kids take horse riding lessons at the ranch where Harper lives, but Harper has never ridden a horse, nor has she shown an interest in horses. Until one day when some men in a horse trailer stop at the ranch with a near death horse they want to drop off. Harper is the only one around, so she agrees to let them drop the horse if they will give it to her. Harper doesn't know the first thing about saving and rehabbing a horse, but she is determined to learn. Naming her new horse Phoenix, Harper is sure the horse will help her rise from her own flames.
I love Kimberly Brubaker Bradley for her strong, smart characters working through difficult situations, and this book falls firmly in that camp. As a distinctly non-horse girlie, I can honestly take or leave the horse content. That being said, if someone is interested in reading this book only because there's a horse, there are many "horse" books I would probably recommend first. What this book does really well is show how animals (and caring for someone other than yourself) can help us to process and work through difficult situations. Phoenix allows Harper to make friends and start to feel like herself again after her world went reeling. Harper's dad's affair is not glossed over, but it is also deftly handled in a way that is not too graphic for young readers. The reality is that children as young as Harper have parents who engage in affairs and unfortunately kids need to know how to navigate that. As a child I watched the movie Hope Floats wayyy too many times (they re-ran it a lot on ABC Family) so nothing in this book really struck me as too advance for a regular middle grade reader. That being said, as always, adults can decide what works for their own readers.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an early copy of this book.
I love Kimberly Brubaker Bradley for her strong, smart characters working through difficult situations, and this book falls firmly in that camp. As a distinctly non-horse girlie, I can honestly take or leave the horse content. That being said, if someone is interested in reading this book only because there's a horse, there are many "horse" books I would probably recommend first. What this book does really well is show how animals (and caring for someone other than yourself) can help us to process and work through difficult situations. Phoenix allows Harper to make friends and start to feel like herself again after her world went reeling. Harper's dad's affair is not glossed over, but it is also deftly handled in a way that is not too graphic for young readers. The reality is that children as young as Harper have parents who engage in affairs and unfortunately kids need to know how to navigate that. As a child I watched the movie Hope Floats wayyy too many times (they re-ran it a lot on ABC Family) so nothing in this book really struck me as too advance for a regular middle grade reader. That being said, as always, adults can decide what works for their own readers.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an early copy of this book.
March 9, 2026
Harper's life just went pear-shaped. All of a sudden, her parents are divorcing. Then there are rumors at school that Harper's dad had an affair with Cat's mom--and Cat is Harper's best friend and neighbor. Did Cat know? Did she spread the rumors? Why did she look guilty and run away when Harper saw her at school? Soon Harper and her mom have moved two hours away to a tiny house in a small town, and Harper has to go to a new school, and she doesn't want any of it. Their house abuts a horse farm, and Harper can watch riding lessons from her back porch, but she's never been on a horse and has no interest in trying. She sees kids from school taking lessons, and a couple of them are in her class and seem...you know, nice, but Harper's in a bad place for making friends, so it takes a while to stick. And that's before the kill truck. Before a truck full of doomed horses stops by the farm when everyone is away at a show, and asks if they can leave a horse behind--one who collapsed on the truck. Harper says yes. And then she falls in love with the scrawny, starved horse, and is determined to do everything she can to save him.
Bradley is an excellent writer so no surprise that this was really well done. It all felt so organic and believable and completely messy because that's life. Harper struggles with friendships and makes mistakes, both with Cat (making assumptions and not confirming them) and with new friend Dante, who is Latine (taking on a microagressor when she should have let Dante react the way he wanted--it's not her fight). But she always tries, and stands up for herself, and especially stands up for Phoenix, the horse. I loved that everyone (but Harper) was completely realistic about the cost of owning a horse, and caring for a horse, because I think that's really important for horse-loving kids to know. Owning a horse is definitely not for everyone! I also loved that Knight, one of Harper's new friends, is nonbinary. Just so much about this to love! Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator's copy of the audiobook.
Bradley is an excellent writer so no surprise that this was really well done. It all felt so organic and believable and completely messy because that's life. Harper struggles with friendships and makes mistakes, both with Cat (making assumptions and not confirming them) and with new friend Dante, who is Latine (taking on a microagressor when she should have let Dante react the way he wanted--it's not her fight). But she always tries, and stands up for herself, and especially stands up for Phoenix, the horse. I loved that everyone (but Harper) was completely realistic about the cost of owning a horse, and caring for a horse, because I think that's really important for horse-loving kids to know. Owning a horse is definitely not for everyone! I also loved that Knight, one of Harper's new friends, is nonbinary. Just so much about this to love! Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator's copy of the audiobook.
March 24, 2026
Thank you to PRH Audio for the audiobook, and Dial Books for Young Readers for the early advanced reader's copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Having not read any of this award-winning author's other books, I may have gone into this one with too high of expectations. I knew Kimberly Brubaker Bradley had amazing middle grade historical fiction, but this contemporary realistic fiction (Phoenix) left me underwhelmed.
The main character is 11 year old Harper, whose parents just split up (an event she always refers to as "the bomb"). She and her mom have moved away, and are now living next to a horse farm. The marriage fell apart because dad had an affair with Cat's mom (Cat being Harper's best friend), so that friendship has taken a huge hit. Harper is fearful of horses, but when a neglected horse is dropped in her yard, Harper knows she has to care for him and help him heal (and in doing so, begin to heal herself).
I struggled with this book because I can't decide who is the appropriate audience. The subject matter and big feelings Harper has skew toward older middle grade readers. But the writing style, vocabulary, and feel of much of the story leans younger. The publisher suggest ages 10-14, which I think is a good guideline, with the added benefit maybe that even struggling readers in that age range should be able to read this fairly easily. (In other words, an average or below average 12 year old could related to a lot of the content and maturity of the topics, and feel like the writing, book length, story complexity is accessible.)
The book is the first of a series, so a lot of it is introducing characters, framing the Pony club and horse world, and setting up future stories. The ending definitely felt abrupt. Not like a cliffhanger, but just that there was a lot more I wanted of Harper's and Phoenix's stories, that will probably be covered in future books.
The narrator's voice is very pleasing to listen to, so kid readers would probably enjoy the audiobook as well.
Having not read any of this award-winning author's other books, I may have gone into this one with too high of expectations. I knew Kimberly Brubaker Bradley had amazing middle grade historical fiction, but this contemporary realistic fiction (Phoenix) left me underwhelmed.
The main character is 11 year old Harper, whose parents just split up (an event she always refers to as "the bomb"). She and her mom have moved away, and are now living next to a horse farm. The marriage fell apart because dad had an affair with Cat's mom (Cat being Harper's best friend), so that friendship has taken a huge hit. Harper is fearful of horses, but when a neglected horse is dropped in her yard, Harper knows she has to care for him and help him heal (and in doing so, begin to heal herself).
I struggled with this book because I can't decide who is the appropriate audience. The subject matter and big feelings Harper has skew toward older middle grade readers. But the writing style, vocabulary, and feel of much of the story leans younger. The publisher suggest ages 10-14, which I think is a good guideline, with the added benefit maybe that even struggling readers in that age range should be able to read this fairly easily. (In other words, an average or below average 12 year old could related to a lot of the content and maturity of the topics, and feel like the writing, book length, story complexity is accessible.)
The book is the first of a series, so a lot of it is introducing characters, framing the Pony club and horse world, and setting up future stories. The ending definitely felt abrupt. Not like a cliffhanger, but just that there was a lot more I wanted of Harper's and Phoenix's stories, that will probably be covered in future books.
The narrator's voice is very pleasing to listen to, so kid readers would probably enjoy the audiobook as well.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had high expectations for Phoenix, due to author acclaim. Kimberly Brubaker Bradley met those expectations, delivering a solid middle grade horse book with a lot of heart and nuance. This is absolutely a book for all the horse-obsessed kids out there, and it checks off all the desirable horse-book points: knowledgeable author, lovely horses, special relationships between animals and humans, competition and/or redemption arcs. I am less fond of the brief appearance of a couple of horse-book tropes (I am not a fan of instantaneously skilled riders, and the stuck up horse kid and overly intense parent are over used tropes imo), but KBB does some interesting things with the tropes (briefly flipping the rich horse owner trope upside down by showing that wealth and importance aren't always on display, and the showiest people aren't always the wealthiest or most skilled).
As essential as the horses are to the story, I think the conversation they facilitate is the true heart of Phoenix: that no one, horse or child, ever deserves to be thrown away. I love the clear communication that even a "bad" horse doesn't deserve the neglect and starvation that Phoenix experienced, and the vivid understanding that Harper communicates, that she also feels like she was thrown away. And I was deeply satisfied with the message that even though what she wants to convince her dad of is that she wasn't a bad kid and shouldn't have been thrown away, that the adults in her life surpassed her needed communication: they knew that no kid, good, bad, or terrible, deserves to be thrown away.
This heartfelt message, skillfully communicated, is what lifts Phoenix beyond the "horse-book for horse crazy kids" category and into the "book for all the kids who are hurting and need comfort and redemption" category. And since that's pretty much all kids some of the time, this is a book with wide appeal. I highly recommend it.
As essential as the horses are to the story, I think the conversation they facilitate is the true heart of Phoenix: that no one, horse or child, ever deserves to be thrown away. I love the clear communication that even a "bad" horse doesn't deserve the neglect and starvation that Phoenix experienced, and the vivid understanding that Harper communicates, that she also feels like she was thrown away. And I was deeply satisfied with the message that even though what she wants to convince her dad of is that she wasn't a bad kid and shouldn't have been thrown away, that the adults in her life surpassed her needed communication: they knew that no kid, good, bad, or terrible, deserves to be thrown away.
This heartfelt message, skillfully communicated, is what lifts Phoenix beyond the "horse-book for horse crazy kids" category and into the "book for all the kids who are hurting and need comfort and redemption" category. And since that's pretty much all kids some of the time, this is a book with wide appeal. I highly recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Phoenix is a great girls book! Great for any horse-loving, horse owning, horse-crazy girl! Harper's life has been turned upside-down, new place, new life and then she quickly discovers the world of horses when a horse is dropped off at the farm when no one else is around. Her world has changed when she did not ask it to, new house, new school, new people, she has no real interest in horses but living on a horse farm, she is upset by the injustices of others and always wants to do something about them, and she is, trying to accept a lot of things she did not ask for. She went from her big house with her best friend across the street to a tiny house, watching riding lessons from her porch, alone, after school with no friends. Little does she know how much a horse, Pheonix, will help her understand these parts of life she cannot change or do anything about (horses can sometimes do these things for us). That there are things we cannot control, there are a lot of things in life that are not right, unfair and unjust, but we can only accept them and figure out what we can do, and sometimes that means doing nothing. And sometimes we make mistakes and have to apologize or have difficult conversations.
This is a great girl-read! Any girl looking for a great animal/horse story, this is one to read! Well written and fun to read, a good horse-crazy girl read. It is a good length for the avid or not-so-avid reader to enjoy the book. I was a horse-crazy girl in my youth (and now a horse-crazy adult) and this would have been a favorite book of mine had it been written when I was the age these books were written for. I read it in two sittings. It is an excellent read with some under-laying good lessons about life.
The book is very well written and the characters relatable with a very inclusive side to the book. Pronouns and lifestyle choices are included in the read so this is very much of book of this time.
This is a great girl-read! Any girl looking for a great animal/horse story, this is one to read! Well written and fun to read, a good horse-crazy girl read. It is a good length for the avid or not-so-avid reader to enjoy the book. I was a horse-crazy girl in my youth (and now a horse-crazy adult) and this would have been a favorite book of mine had it been written when I was the age these books were written for. I read it in two sittings. It is an excellent read with some under-laying good lessons about life.
The book is very well written and the characters relatable with a very inclusive side to the book. Pronouns and lifestyle choices are included in the read so this is very much of book of this time.
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