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Unicorns of Balinor #1
The Road to Balinor
Introducing a new fantasy series about a girl, her unicorn, and her quest to restore peace in Balinor. After a terrible riding accident, Ari cannot remember anything of her past and is sent to live on a farm with foster parents. What Ari doesn't know is that she is not from our world, but from Balinor, a land of sorcerers and unicorns! Her parents, the King and Queen, sent her to Earth to protect her from a raging war before they were banished from their homeland. Now Ari--Princess Arianna--has found the road back to Balinor. As she struggles to remember her heritage, she must face the challenge of restoring peace to Balinor.
138 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1988
61 people are currently reading
2724 people want to read
About the author
Mary Stanton
58 books320 followersMary Stanton was born in Florida and grew up in Japan and Hawaii, after which she returned to the United States and received a B.A. in Philosophy and Literature from the University of Minnesota.
Stanton’s career as a fiction writer began with the publication of her first novel, The Heavenly Horse from the Outermost West, in 1984. A beast fable similar in tone and theme to Watership Down, it was published in the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan. The sequel to that novel, Piper at the Gates, appeared in 1989. She sold her first mystery to The Berkley Publishing Group in 1994.
In all, Stanton has written nineteen mystery novels, two adult fantasy novels, eleven novels for middle-grade readers (including the successful series, The Unicorns of Balinor), and three scripts for a television cartoon series, Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders, as well as edited three short story anthologies. Her nonfiction articles on horse care and veterinary medicine have appeared in national and regional magazines.
Stanton's newest series, The Beaufort & Company Mysteries, was launched in December 2008 with the publication of Defending Angels. Set in Savannah, Georgia, the paranormal mysteries chronicle the adventures of Bree Winston-Beaufort, a young lawyer who inherits her uncle's law firm and its deceased clientele, whom she represents in appeals before the Celestial Court.
The second book in the series, Angel's Advocate, was published in June 2009, followed by Avenging Angels in February 2010.
Mary also publishes the Hemlock Falls and Dr. McKenzie mysteries under the name Claudia Bishop. See the Claudia Bishop web site for more information.
Stanton’s interests outside writing have remained consistent over the years. She is a horsewoman, a goat aficionado, an enthusiastic (if inept) gardener, and a fan of gourmet food, but not an expert. She has developed a writing program for teens and middle grade readers that has had considerable success in schools.
Stanton has been a dedicated reader all her life, with particular emphasis on biography, history, veterinary science, medicine, psychology and current affairs. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America.
Stanton’s career as a fiction writer began with the publication of her first novel, The Heavenly Horse from the Outermost West, in 1984. A beast fable similar in tone and theme to Watership Down, it was published in the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan. The sequel to that novel, Piper at the Gates, appeared in 1989. She sold her first mystery to The Berkley Publishing Group in 1994.
In all, Stanton has written nineteen mystery novels, two adult fantasy novels, eleven novels for middle-grade readers (including the successful series, The Unicorns of Balinor), and three scripts for a television cartoon series, Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders, as well as edited three short story anthologies. Her nonfiction articles on horse care and veterinary medicine have appeared in national and regional magazines.
Stanton's newest series, The Beaufort & Company Mysteries, was launched in December 2008 with the publication of Defending Angels. Set in Savannah, Georgia, the paranormal mysteries chronicle the adventures of Bree Winston-Beaufort, a young lawyer who inherits her uncle's law firm and its deceased clientele, whom she represents in appeals before the Celestial Court.
The second book in the series, Angel's Advocate, was published in June 2009, followed by Avenging Angels in February 2010.
Mary also publishes the Hemlock Falls and Dr. McKenzie mysteries under the name Claudia Bishop. See the Claudia Bishop web site for more information.
Stanton’s interests outside writing have remained consistent over the years. She is a horsewoman, a goat aficionado, an enthusiastic (if inept) gardener, and a fan of gourmet food, but not an expert. She has developed a writing program for teens and middle grade readers that has had considerable success in schools.
Stanton has been a dedicated reader all her life, with particular emphasis on biography, history, veterinary science, medicine, psychology and current affairs. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
September 6, 2015
This popped up on my "recommended" shelf. These books were my JAM back in elementary/middle school. I bought them from the scholastic book fair. I loved them. Girls, unicorns, magic, ultimate evil-y evil. God. I remember being devastated when the author didn't continue after book 7 or 8. God. Well. If you fucking love unicorns and don't care too much about plot resolution, read these books. Because these books are about PRINCESSES and UNICORNS and MAGICAL GEMS and UNICORN GEMS and stuff like that.
August 11, 2016
I originally read this series sometime between 1998 and 2003--my elementary school years--and as an elementary schooler, I thought these books were great (right up until the extremely disappointing non-ending of the series). I started to reread the series about six months or maybe a year ago, and I returned them to the library without bothering to finish reading the series. If I recall correctly, there was a line in the third book that was just so stupid that I couldn't read any more. Better to let childhood memories stay confined to childhood, I supposed. But still, I didn't want these sitting around on my shelf without ratings, so I'm finally ready to muddle through them, ruining the nostalgia as I go.
So, first book's first. I'll ignore all the issues with explaining things to characters for the benefit of the reader, even though the characters already know everything that's being explained to them. That's probably a good thing for elementary schoolers. Some of them might need everything to be as clear and straightforward as possible.
On the other hand, there's a line, and this book trampled all over it. The main character, Arianna Langely is actually the Princess of a unicorn- and talking-animal-filled wonderland called Balinor that exists on the other side of the "Gap". This is all explained within the first two or three chapters. And yet in the chapters after the reveal, there are ridiculously unsubtle hints toward what's already been revealed. There's no word for it other than annoying. Between things like "milady, I mean Ari," and "in the palace--I mean, in the house" being dropped left and right, I'm starting to wonder why a pair of adults who are so scatterbrained as to forget their cover story every two minutes are in charge of the magical princess whose safety will literally make or break the existence of the entire realm. They couldn't find someone better than that to care for this poor girl? Then again, she's obviously quite dim herself, because she never once picks up on the hints anyway.
And then we get to the main conflict of the story. The typical "rich bitch" character shows up within a few chapters, and she wants to lease Chase for a year. Chase being the magical King of the unicorns. Obviously, even Ari's pathetic guardians/foster parents are smart enough to say no to that one, right? Apparently not. They sign Chase over to the Carmichael family without Ari's consent; even when the father turns out to be an animal abuser, nobody goes to any lawyers, files any police reports, or does a damn thing. Let's take a moment to think about this one, yeah? These two servants are trusted with guarding the two most important individuals in all of Balinor, and their brilliant plan is to not only endanger Chase, but also betray Ari--the freakin' princess--in the one way that would genuinely piss her off. For their sake, I hope Ari doesn't hold grudges, or else these two morons are going to arrested for treason.
The only thing I can possibly say to put a positive spin on this is that I seem to recall enjoying some of the characters (and some of the later books' plots); I remember quite liking Lincoln and Toby (who are introduced in this book) and the Carmichael girl eventually gets bearable, I think. And there's a joke about alfalfa that made me laugh hysterically the first time I read it; it doesn't really seem funny now, but trust me, back when I was eight or so, that was an awesome joke.
So, first book's first. I'll ignore all the issues with explaining things to characters for the benefit of the reader, even though the characters already know everything that's being explained to them. That's probably a good thing for elementary schoolers. Some of them might need everything to be as clear and straightforward as possible.
On the other hand, there's a line, and this book trampled all over it. The main character, Arianna Langely is actually the Princess of a unicorn- and talking-animal-filled wonderland called Balinor that exists on the other side of the "Gap". This is all explained within the first two or three chapters. And yet in the chapters after the reveal, there are ridiculously unsubtle hints toward what's already been revealed. There's no word for it other than annoying. Between things like "milady, I mean Ari," and "in the palace--I mean, in the house" being dropped left and right, I'm starting to wonder why a pair of adults who are so scatterbrained as to forget their cover story every two minutes are in charge of the magical princess whose safety will literally make or break the existence of the entire realm. They couldn't find someone better than that to care for this poor girl? Then again, she's obviously quite dim herself, because she never once picks up on the hints anyway.
And then we get to the main conflict of the story. The typical "rich bitch" character shows up within a few chapters, and she wants to lease Chase for a year. Chase being the magical King of the unicorns. Obviously, even Ari's pathetic guardians/foster parents are smart enough to say no to that one, right? Apparently not. They sign Chase over to the Carmichael family without Ari's consent; even when the father turns out to be an animal abuser, nobody goes to any lawyers, files any police reports, or does a damn thing. Let's take a moment to think about this one, yeah? These two servants are trusted with guarding the two most important individuals in all of Balinor, and their brilliant plan is to not only endanger Chase, but also betray Ari--the freakin' princess--in the one way that would genuinely piss her off. For their sake, I hope Ari doesn't hold grudges, or else these two morons are going to arrested for treason.
The only thing I can possibly say to put a positive spin on this is that I seem to recall enjoying some of the characters (and some of the later books' plots); I remember quite liking Lincoln and Toby (who are introduced in this book) and the Carmichael girl eventually gets bearable, I think. And there's a joke about alfalfa that made me laugh hysterically the first time I read it; it doesn't really seem funny now, but trust me, back when I was eight or so, that was an awesome joke.
October 6, 2020
05 Oct 2020
Plot: Amnesiac princess gets stuck on earth with her newly hornless unicorn. Plus, evil is afoot.
1. There are a few pretty cool ideas here- I really like the concept of the rainbow unicorns, for example. And I would have been happy exploring this mystical unicorn society, despite my general meh towards horses. However, pretty much all of the extra magic unicorn bits are- idk. Portentous "what will we do about the princess?!" stuff. Which is kindof a problem because the princess is so bland.
2. I mean yes, I recognize this is a book for pre teens (the protagonist is thirteen. THIRTEEN. Who let this child do anything?) but a little personality wouldn't have gone amiss. Ari is polite and uncomplaining and loves her horse and that's pretty much it. The most entertaining bits of the book were when the hopelessly over the top rich asshole and his horse mad daughter came and leased the ex-unicorn.
3. I know this is not the point but I have a lot to say about that lease. That was a terrible lease. No lease should allow for the shooting of an animal- there should be clauses of what kind of equipment is permitted and what's not allowed. Whoever drafted this contract for the farm was an idiot. I wrote and entire page about it when I was taking notes for this book.
4. The antagonist looks like a standard evil eye of sauron ripoff you know the usual. Ho hum, dark lords. They just pop up everywhere. Like mushrooms.
5. My favourite character so far is the bitchy horse mad girl because she's so ridiculous I'm mildly fascinated about what she will do next. Plus as of the end of the book she is stuck in a of some sort with Ari so that has potential? I guess?
6. Probably not the worst thing to come out of the scholastic age (I mean, rainbow Unicorns) but far from the best. It's a forgettable, cliche story with nothing to mark it. Good enough for a beginner reader, I guess.
Plot: Amnesiac princess gets stuck on earth with her newly hornless unicorn. Plus, evil is afoot.
1. There are a few pretty cool ideas here- I really like the concept of the rainbow unicorns, for example. And I would have been happy exploring this mystical unicorn society, despite my general meh towards horses. However, pretty much all of the extra magic unicorn bits are- idk. Portentous "what will we do about the princess?!" stuff. Which is kindof a problem because the princess is so bland.
2. I mean yes, I recognize this is a book for pre teens (the protagonist is thirteen. THIRTEEN. Who let this child do anything?) but a little personality wouldn't have gone amiss. Ari is polite and uncomplaining and loves her horse and that's pretty much it. The most entertaining bits of the book were when the hopelessly over the top rich asshole and his horse mad daughter came and leased the ex-unicorn.
3. I know this is not the point but I have a lot to say about that lease. That was a terrible lease. No lease should allow for the shooting of an animal- there should be clauses of what kind of equipment is permitted and what's not allowed. Whoever drafted this contract for the farm was an idiot. I wrote and entire page about it when I was taking notes for this book.
4. The antagonist looks like a standard evil eye of sauron ripoff you know the usual. Ho hum, dark lords. They just pop up everywhere. Like mushrooms.
5. My favourite character so far is the bitchy horse mad girl because she's so ridiculous I'm mildly fascinated about what she will do next. Plus as of the end of the book she is stuck in a of some sort with Ari so that has potential? I guess?
6. Probably not the worst thing to come out of the scholastic age (I mean, rainbow Unicorns) but far from the best. It's a forgettable, cliche story with nothing to mark it. Good enough for a beginner reader, I guess.
May 3, 2008
I actually never got the chance to know about this series when I was a kid, so I read it as an adult. It was a fun read, despite the cheesiness of some parts (hey, it's meant for kids, so you have to have an open mind when you read it). The unicorns were the best part, and that is the whole reason I read the series anyway.
August 18, 2019
Unicorns of Balinor is a series of children's books by Mary Stanton, who was one of the writers for my favorite cartoon, Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders. The unfinished series consists of eight short chapter books about a girl named Ari who leans she was once a princess from a magical land called Balinor. The story contains elements of Anastasia, Jewel Riders, and Wicked. Though it helps to read them in order, any of the books can easily be enjoyed on its own. Each one tells a complete adventure story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. This is not the only Jewel Riders-inspired book series from the turn of the millennium. Avalon: Web of Magic by Rachel Roberts was another series of chapter books about girls from the real world who also learn that unicorns and magic exist in a different realm. Her books incorporated lyrics directly from the original Jewel Riders soundtrack. The Jewel Riders references in Unicorns of Balinor were more subtle but still present.
The Road to Balinor is the first and only book in the Unicorns of Balinor series that takes place in what appears to be the real world. Ari wakes up in recovery from a horrible accident and realizes that she can't remember anything that happened before it. All she knows is that she has a close bond with her beloved horse, Chase, whose bronze mane and coat matches her hair. When her caretakers insist on selling Chase to Lori, her spoiled bratty neighbor, Ari decides to run away with Chase when she discovers the magical land of Balinor. There, she learns her true identity as their missing Princess Arianna and Chase's true identity as Sunchaser, the unicorn Lord of all Animals. Unfortunately, Lori follows her and manages to stick around for every subsequent book despite being completely useless. Ari is then given a series of quests to prove her worth as the High Princess, leading up to her defeat of the wicked Shifter in Night of the Shifter's Moon, the second to last book in the series.
I could tell a lot of things about Mary Stanton from these books. She is clearly an animal lover. Her biography reveals that she based many of the unicorns in Balinor on real horses that she grew up with, and her real-life farm experience went into her descriptions of Glacier River Farm, where the story begins. Dr. Bohnes, the human wisest sage in the book was also a veterinarian. All the animals in Balinor can speak just as well as any human, and they are treated as equal to humans or sometimes even superior, in the case of the Celestial Unicorns. The first book foreshadows a threat to Balinor that wanted to take away the animals' voices, similar to the plot of Gregory Maguire's Wicked, but this evil scheme was never mentioned again. In fact, there were a lot of things that seemed to be conveniently tacked on or forgotten in each book. It seems that Mary was more focused on making the books more enjoyable individually than on telling one overarching epic story.
My favorite human character in this series was Ari for her kindness and humility. My favorite animal was Atalanta, a beautiful violet and silver unicorn known as the Dreamspeaker, who watched over Ari and came to her in times of need. I felt like Lori's character was a missed opportunity as Ari's foil. We've all seen the bratty girl archetype in movies and shows, but those characters can turn out to be the most interesting if done correctly, such as Violetta from Mia and Me. Lori eventually becomes Ari's lady-in-waiting out of sheer greed, but even then she never grows as a character, learns from her mistakes, or does anything remotely interesting. The character who did manage to surprise me was Lincoln, Ari's pet dog who started talking when she crossed over the gap into Balinor. In the final book, Shadows Over Balinor, he turns out to be a great deal more than he appears. Another great "character" is the magic scepter that Ari retrieves in Valley of Fear. The scepter has a sculpted unicorn head on it that talks in the way as the bird on Mary Poppins' umbrella. However, it only answers direct questions in the most generic way possible. This worked much better for comic relief than Lori's predictable reactions to everything.
Overall, Unicorns of Balinor is a fun series in doses, but it doesn't work well as an epic princess story because the main plot of Ari finding her family and recovering all her memories never gets resolved. The quests Ari is given in each book seem conveniently tacked on for the sake of adding another book to the story instead of progressing her goal to return to her former life and restore peace to Balinor. Even when the Shifter is finally defeated, a new villain is quickly introduced for the sole purpose of continuing the series, which turned out to be fruitless because the stopped after the eighth book. If you love princesses who talk to their animal friends, you will probably enjoy this series. However, I don't think it's necessary to read all eight books unless you become attached to the characters because each book is very similar in both story and tone.
The Road to Balinor is the first and only book in the Unicorns of Balinor series that takes place in what appears to be the real world. Ari wakes up in recovery from a horrible accident and realizes that she can't remember anything that happened before it. All she knows is that she has a close bond with her beloved horse, Chase, whose bronze mane and coat matches her hair. When her caretakers insist on selling Chase to Lori, her spoiled bratty neighbor, Ari decides to run away with Chase when she discovers the magical land of Balinor. There, she learns her true identity as their missing Princess Arianna and Chase's true identity as Sunchaser, the unicorn Lord of all Animals. Unfortunately, Lori follows her and manages to stick around for every subsequent book despite being completely useless. Ari is then given a series of quests to prove her worth as the High Princess, leading up to her defeat of the wicked Shifter in Night of the Shifter's Moon, the second to last book in the series.
I could tell a lot of things about Mary Stanton from these books. She is clearly an animal lover. Her biography reveals that she based many of the unicorns in Balinor on real horses that she grew up with, and her real-life farm experience went into her descriptions of Glacier River Farm, where the story begins. Dr. Bohnes, the human wisest sage in the book was also a veterinarian. All the animals in Balinor can speak just as well as any human, and they are treated as equal to humans or sometimes even superior, in the case of the Celestial Unicorns. The first book foreshadows a threat to Balinor that wanted to take away the animals' voices, similar to the plot of Gregory Maguire's Wicked, but this evil scheme was never mentioned again. In fact, there were a lot of things that seemed to be conveniently tacked on or forgotten in each book. It seems that Mary was more focused on making the books more enjoyable individually than on telling one overarching epic story.
My favorite human character in this series was Ari for her kindness and humility. My favorite animal was Atalanta, a beautiful violet and silver unicorn known as the Dreamspeaker, who watched over Ari and came to her in times of need. I felt like Lori's character was a missed opportunity as Ari's foil. We've all seen the bratty girl archetype in movies and shows, but those characters can turn out to be the most interesting if done correctly, such as Violetta from Mia and Me. Lori eventually becomes Ari's lady-in-waiting out of sheer greed, but even then she never grows as a character, learns from her mistakes, or does anything remotely interesting. The character who did manage to surprise me was Lincoln, Ari's pet dog who started talking when she crossed over the gap into Balinor. In the final book, Shadows Over Balinor, he turns out to be a great deal more than he appears. Another great "character" is the magic scepter that Ari retrieves in Valley of Fear. The scepter has a sculpted unicorn head on it that talks in the way as the bird on Mary Poppins' umbrella. However, it only answers direct questions in the most generic way possible. This worked much better for comic relief than Lori's predictable reactions to everything.
Overall, Unicorns of Balinor is a fun series in doses, but it doesn't work well as an epic princess story because the main plot of Ari finding her family and recovering all her memories never gets resolved. The quests Ari is given in each book seem conveniently tacked on for the sake of adding another book to the story instead of progressing her goal to return to her former life and restore peace to Balinor. Even when the Shifter is finally defeated, a new villain is quickly introduced for the sole purpose of continuing the series, which turned out to be fruitless because the stopped after the eighth book. If you love princesses who talk to their animal friends, you will probably enjoy this series. However, I don't think it's necessary to read all eight books unless you become attached to the characters because each book is very similar in both story and tone.
November 16, 2011
When I picked this up I expected it to contain more fantasy elements, but in this book of the series at least those take a major back seat to the girl's mundane domestic issues. Even when the fantasy elements do pop up in the story, they aren't presented in a very interesting way. I suppose this would be a good story for younger horse lovers (Ages 7-10), but I'm sorry if you have to read it to them. Also, I can't reveal the particular action I take issue with since it's at the end of the book, but if I were a parent I would consider the main character's actions to be potentially dangerous as well as selfish.
It's not that I don't like children's novels or even books aimed at younger female readers, I just didn't like this one.
It's not that I don't like children's novels or even books aimed at younger female readers, I just didn't like this one.
March 22, 2016
Got this at a book sale for a quarter. I would have loved this when I was 7 - unfortunately, as I read, I kept thinking I could have WRITTEN it when I was 7 (I did write stories along these lines). The main character is very frustrating. The books are so short, though, that I blew through it anyway and went on to read book 2. If I come across any more I'll probably read those as well.
December 23, 2014
I found this hard to get through. I also found it derivative, and using a well-worn path. It is obviously targeted at younger girls, due to the fantasy world, unicorns, and a lot of references to horses and riding them. I couldn't seem to enjoy it, or become involved in the story at all.
May 4, 2014
Unicorns in Balls was an amazing book I don't care what anyone says. The only thing that would make this novel better is if it featured characters from The Chosen by Chaim Potok.
January 21, 2019
Read this in the antho Unicorns of Balinor #1-3. Summary below of the anthology.
Finished book 1/10/19.
I have been reading this series out of order for a few years now. If I find the book at the library I get it. I love horses and the art work on this series is just great. =0)
I found this book at my local Russian pharmacy. They had created a small lending library in the store anyone can borough a book for free and then return it after you read it. Real great idea. So I found this book there. It was my pleasure to find out the antho had books 1-3 in it which I had not read. Score! All three books are 3 stars each overall series is 3-3.5 stars.
I love the main characters. I really really dislike Lori!!! If I could I would gag the b****! So yeah the characters are relatable totally to their readers. The young would learn some powerful life lessons reading this series. =0)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note to self;
Spoilers;
Arianna Langley(Ari,Princess of Balinor,13yo,sis,amnesia,adopted,hurt legs,pal) &
Sunchaser(Chase, Unicorn,Lord of Animals,lost his horn,bonded to Ari,pal)
Lincoln(Linc,dog,pal)
Atalanta(Dreamspeaker,Celestial Valley Unicorn,Goddess to all Animals,mate)+
Numinor(Celestial Valley Unicorn,Golden One,Herd Leader,mate)
Ann Langley(adopted mom,Anale servant)
Dr. Eliane Bohnes(Vet,human,witch,ex-nurse)
Franc()
Ash(Unicorn,leader Rainbow Army)
Rednal(Unicorn)
Lori Carmichael(riding student,rich)
David Greer Smith(horse trainer)
Tobiano(Unicorn)
Finished book 1/10/19.
I have been reading this series out of order for a few years now. If I find the book at the library I get it. I love horses and the art work on this series is just great. =0)
I found this book at my local Russian pharmacy. They had created a small lending library in the store anyone can borough a book for free and then return it after you read it. Real great idea. So I found this book there. It was my pleasure to find out the antho had books 1-3 in it which I had not read. Score! All three books are 3 stars each overall series is 3-3.5 stars.
I love the main characters. I really really dislike Lori!!! If I could I would gag the b****! So yeah the characters are relatable totally to their readers. The young would learn some powerful life lessons reading this series. =0)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note to self;
Spoilers;
Arianna Langley(Ari,Princess of Balinor,13yo,sis,amnesia,adopted,hurt legs,pal) &
Sunchaser(Chase, Unicorn,Lord of Animals,lost his horn,bonded to Ari,pal)
Lincoln(Linc,dog,pal)
Atalanta(Dreamspeaker,Celestial Valley Unicorn,Goddess to all Animals,mate)+
Numinor(Celestial Valley Unicorn,Golden One,Herd Leader,mate)
Ann Langley(adopted mom,Anale servant)
Dr. Eliane Bohnes(Vet,human,witch,ex-nurse)
Franc()
Ash(Unicorn,leader Rainbow Army)
Rednal(Unicorn)
Lori Carmichael(riding student,rich)
David Greer Smith(horse trainer)
Tobiano(Unicorn)
January 16, 2026
Dear Stanton,
I was one of those tomboy girls growing up. Yet, for some reason, though I forgot about my love for books (my mom literally smuggled me to the library all the time as a kid, much to my dad's dismay and sorrow), I still had a niggling desire that I want to read again. At the end of elementary, we had a library day and the librarian told us, "Pick any book to get lost into!" I don't remember her name, but that brilliant lady led me to your books.
A unicorn book with a girl that didn't care about frills and only animals.
I literally saw myself in Ari.
Thank you, this was a brilliant read, even decades later. If you ever write again Stanton, I'll be here as an alpha reader waiting.
From a millenial,
Canned Bread
5/5
I was one of those tomboy girls growing up. Yet, for some reason, though I forgot about my love for books (my mom literally smuggled me to the library all the time as a kid, much to my dad's dismay and sorrow), I still had a niggling desire that I want to read again. At the end of elementary, we had a library day and the librarian told us, "Pick any book to get lost into!" I don't remember her name, but that brilliant lady led me to your books.
A unicorn book with a girl that didn't care about frills and only animals.
I literally saw myself in Ari.
Thank you, this was a brilliant read, even decades later. If you ever write again Stanton, I'll be here as an alpha reader waiting.
From a millenial,
Canned Bread
5/5
January 4, 2020
When I was growing up, I loved all things unicorn. That is when this book first came into my possession. I decided to read it one more time before giving it away. I didn’t really remember it at all. It felt like the beginning of a story, and one we were just thrust into the middle of. I know this is a series, which makes sense, as the ending feels like just the start of another chapter. Well, Unicorns of Balinor, it’s been fun, but it’s time for me to give you to another unicorn obsessed little girl.
November 6, 2019
Nothing has ever or will ever top this.
Currently reading
November 25, 2024As Good As I Remember
I first read this series back in middle school—back when dinosaurs were still around. I couldn't put them down, and one of my teachers even had to take the books away from me in class, haha. I never got to finish the series because the last four books weren't out yet, and by that time I'd totally forgotten about them (thanks, ADHD). So, I decided to go back and read them all again & complete the series.
After finishing the first book, it’s just as cute and charming as I remembered. The Charmichaels, however, are even worse than I remember. Now that I'm older and I really understand how despicable animal abuse is, it blows my mind that any horse farm owners would let their clients harm their horses; even if they do need the money. It made me want to reach into the book and knock some heads together. I'm glad that part is over because it gave me indigestion, haha. Still, it's a great read, and I can't wait to start the next book.
I first read this series back in middle school—back when dinosaurs were still around. I couldn't put them down, and one of my teachers even had to take the books away from me in class, haha. I never got to finish the series because the last four books weren't out yet, and by that time I'd totally forgotten about them (thanks, ADHD). So, I decided to go back and read them all again & complete the series.
After finishing the first book, it’s just as cute and charming as I remembered. The Charmichaels, however, are even worse than I remember. Now that I'm older and I really understand how despicable animal abuse is, it blows my mind that any horse farm owners would let their clients harm their horses; even if they do need the money. It made me want to reach into the book and knock some heads together. I'm glad that part is over because it gave me indigestion, haha. Still, it's a great read, and I can't wait to start the next book.
January 8, 2009
I read this book back when I was about 13, and I loved it! I didn't use to read much, but I managed to read all 8 short books in the series. (Of course it took me 5 years to do, even though they are simple books, but hey, I still enjoyed them.) They are aimed at younger readers -- I'd say probably from 9-13 -- but they are still cool books with amazing unicorns, awesome plots, and nicely developed characters.
The first in the series (this one, The Road to Balinor) is my favorite of all 8, but they are all good. When I finished the last one last summer, I wanted more for the story still wasn't all the way completed, that's my only complaint: the story is never fully finished.
The first in the series (this one, The Road to Balinor) is my favorite of all 8, but they are all good. When I finished the last one last summer, I wanted more for the story still wasn't all the way completed, that's my only complaint: the story is never fully finished.
January 22, 2015
Pretty descriptions. Lots of purple and the animals were described really well. It could have been planned better with the secret revealed in the openings chapters left as a mystery for the main character (and us) to uncover at the end. But that was not really a train smash. The only thing I could really flaw is the Fantasy religion element which I'm not a fan of in any book. Other than that: fluffy, kiddy cute.
July 11, 2011
As a kid, I liked it, but didn't love it. Reading it again as an adult, I feel pretty much the same way. Except this time, the MC kept annoying me. It's a fun fantasy for young unicorn/horse lovers, but I won't continue the series. I don't believe I did as a kid, either.
November 23, 2011
This first book was pretty good. I felt a little far away as I was reading it, though. I don't know. It wasn't really meant for me, I guess. Of course, you don't need critical thinking to see that this is a horse lovers book, and I'm not a horse lover. It was a good read though; an enjoyable one.
September 2, 2023
Definitely a kids book. There's more than a few continuity errors throughout. But, I love unicorns and magic and princesses, so I enjoyed the hour or so it took to finish. Now to track down the sequels at my library or something...
August 15, 2014
This is a great series for little people in elementary who love unicorns
March 26, 2012
I adored this series when I was younger. Pretty much was completely addicted to it. I have no idea how it'd hold up nowadays, but, for my 7 year old self, it was amazing.
August 25, 2022
I LOVED these books when I was younger. The right amount of danger, intrigue, and unicorns. And a princess who can kick butt. And Sunchaser inspired the name of my cat ^^
May 22, 2022
Biased because I read the series first as a 10-year-old. I was feeling nostalgic.
February 22, 2021
This is such a fun and sweet unicorn story. I remember reading and loving these as a little girl, and it was so fun to read it again!
November 10, 2020
This book came with all three books in it so I read The Road to Balinor, Sunchaser quest, and Valley of Fear. All of these books made my imagination go through the roof. It was a very good book in my opinion. I would recommend this book out to anybody who loves fantasies and adventures. This book was really interesting to me. One of those books you can never put down.
I loved that a young girl goes through a lot to save her lost family and reunite the kingdom. After, getting into a terrible accident she struggles from memory loss and leg problems. This girl is a survivor and a warrior because of everything she goes through. This lost princess find her way home to her magical kingdom after being sent to earth for protection. I loved how she always strived to help other people no matter what. Having many quests to complete and a kingdom to save she makes it all happen in a short amount of time before the unicorns lose their way of talking to humans. Arianna is a strong, resilient young girl who takes on major problems for her people. To me this young girl is a role model and I would do anything to be like her because of what she does for her people. She is by far the best character of the book. I also, love that there is a DreamSpeaker unicorn who helps Ari get through her quests easier. This unicorn is like her guardian angel.
I don't like how the book started. This book started off slow and boring with no adventures. It was right after her accident had happened. So her foster parents on earth had to take everything slow and she couldn't do much with her broken legs. I also, don't like how her foster parents tried to sell her magical unicorn, which is bonded to Ari. Her foster parents didn't seem like very nice people at first because they treated Ari like she wasn't important. They put the farm problems before they took care of Ari. I don't like how her dog ends up dying for a long time period. This dog is her guide on earth. Then, they went across the GAP to the magical town of Balinor and got into trouble. Her dog was her protector. He died protecting his best friend from danger. I especially don't like how the book ended. It ended without telling the reader if she ever found her parents or if the kingdom lived in happiness after the trouble.
I loved that a young girl goes through a lot to save her lost family and reunite the kingdom. After, getting into a terrible accident she struggles from memory loss and leg problems. This girl is a survivor and a warrior because of everything she goes through. This lost princess find her way home to her magical kingdom after being sent to earth for protection. I loved how she always strived to help other people no matter what. Having many quests to complete and a kingdom to save she makes it all happen in a short amount of time before the unicorns lose their way of talking to humans. Arianna is a strong, resilient young girl who takes on major problems for her people. To me this young girl is a role model and I would do anything to be like her because of what she does for her people. She is by far the best character of the book. I also, love that there is a DreamSpeaker unicorn who helps Ari get through her quests easier. This unicorn is like her guardian angel.
I don't like how the book started. This book started off slow and boring with no adventures. It was right after her accident had happened. So her foster parents on earth had to take everything slow and she couldn't do much with her broken legs. I also, don't like how her foster parents tried to sell her magical unicorn, which is bonded to Ari. Her foster parents didn't seem like very nice people at first because they treated Ari like she wasn't important. They put the farm problems before they took care of Ari. I don't like how her dog ends up dying for a long time period. This dog is her guide on earth. Then, they went across the GAP to the magical town of Balinor and got into trouble. Her dog was her protector. He died protecting his best friend from danger. I especially don't like how the book ended. It ended without telling the reader if she ever found her parents or if the kingdom lived in happiness after the trouble.
July 20, 2018
The Celestial Unicorns live in the Celestial Valley. One unicorn in particular, the Dreamspeaker Atalanta, watches the events regarding the lost princess of Balinor and the princess's bonded unicorn Sunchaser. Both have been badly wounded. Sunchaser's horn and jewel which contains his powers have been torn away from him. Throughout the book, Atalanta tries to help Ari and Sunchaser remember who they are while guarding the Celestial Valley from attack by the mysterious, evil Shifter who is a lot like Sauron in the Lord of the Rings with the eye and his ways of drawing people to him.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves stories about unicorns and/or horses. Girls above age 6 would probably enjoy this the most, though I'm an adult and still enjoyed reading this book.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves stories about unicorns and/or horses. Girls above age 6 would probably enjoy this the most, though I'm an adult and still enjoyed reading this book.
May 19, 2020
For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-CycleI remember these books being very popular when I was younger, but I never actually read them.Overall, I thought the book was good. The beginning was a bit hard to get into with some weird descriptions and slow pacing. I had a hard time conceptualizing the layout of the worlds based on the descriptions given.As elements were added, things got more interesting. But the main issue with this one was that it served mostly as setup for the later series. I can definitely see this going somewhere very cool, but the first book was a bit dry as it set all the pieces into motion. Nothing very exciting happens; it all just feels like the author pushing the characters to where they need to be for the second book to take off.While the book started off with some heavy fantasy elements, I was a bit disappointed by the emphasis on the mundane day-to-day life in the real world. This would probably be more interesting to hardcore horse-lovers, but I just kept waiting for more magic to happen.Good start to the series. There were dry bits, but I am intrigued by the world setup and the promise of an interesting fantasy adventure. Will probably read the second book at some point, but most likely will check out from the library.
March 13, 2025
The Road to Balinor is the first in the Unicorns of Balinor series by Mary Stanton. It follows the 3rd-person perspective of two main characters, Atalanta and Arianna. Arianna, nicknamed Ari, is the Princess of Balinor who has lost her memory after an accident and doesn’t remember who she is. She is placed at a horse ranch called Glacier River Farm with her foster parents, Frank and Ann, to recover from her wounds. She has a horse named Chase who was also injured in the accident. Atalanta is a unicorn who lives in the Celestial Valley. She is a Dreamspeaker. She can view what is happening with Arianna and tries to help her in whatever limited way she can. The conflict is mainly focused around Ari’s memory loss. There is also a distant threat from an evil Shifter named Entia that doesn’t get very far in this first story. The other conflict involves a spoiled girl named Lori who wants to take Chase away from Ari.
This has a pretty low reading level. I would place it around 2nd to 4th grade. It’s a pretty basic story. The conflicts are very simplistically handled. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, making me think this is a series best read in order. I would imagine the next book in the series picks up right where this one left off. This would be a great series for elementary-aged girls who love horses/unicorns and princesses.
This has a pretty low reading level. I would place it around 2nd to 4th grade. It’s a pretty basic story. The conflicts are very simplistically handled. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, making me think this is a series best read in order. I would imagine the next book in the series picks up right where this one left off. This would be a great series for elementary-aged girls who love horses/unicorns and princesses.
March 1, 2018
I remember reading this when I was younger. I remember loving it. And, although as an adult I’m not quite as in love with this story, it’s still good. I can see why younger me enjoyed this so much. Older me is a little bit eh about the writing style and language. But, it all still works.
I read this story in an hour. It is the typical young girl story of a girl suprememly attached to a horse… or at least, typical for the 90’s when I was reading this for the first time. The girl is a secret princess and she is going to save the world with her unicorn companion. It doesn’t take a genius to work out how this series will end.
BUT it is something that I would quite happily hand to my young daughters (if I ever have any) and watch them enjoy. It’s not overly “girly”, and it shows that girls have their own strength and independence. It also shows the importance of our relationship to animals and the horrors of being a spoilt brat (the Carmichael kid is a perfect illustration of this). All in all, this is a sweet little story for a mindless half hour read. I’ll probably pick up the next one in the series next time I don’t feel 100%, but still want to read something.
I read this story in an hour. It is the typical young girl story of a girl suprememly attached to a horse… or at least, typical for the 90’s when I was reading this for the first time. The girl is a secret princess and she is going to save the world with her unicorn companion. It doesn’t take a genius to work out how this series will end.
BUT it is something that I would quite happily hand to my young daughters (if I ever have any) and watch them enjoy. It’s not overly “girly”, and it shows that girls have their own strength and independence. It also shows the importance of our relationship to animals and the horrors of being a spoilt brat (the Carmichael kid is a perfect illustration of this). All in all, this is a sweet little story for a mindless half hour read. I’ll probably pick up the next one in the series next time I don’t feel 100%, but still want to read something.
June 5, 2019
I read this series when I was in elementary school and I decided to pick it up and read it for fun as an adult. My review and rating are based entirely on having just finished the book and not remembering anything about it or what comes next prior to rereading.
Simple and fun, but a little slow going. The appeal, I believe, is the idea that there is another world where unicorns exist, animals talk, and you have close friendships with these creatures. To achieve that you have a main character with little description who has experienced amnesia, making it easy for the reader to slide into her shoes and imagine discovering they are part of such a magical world. Imagining being a part of that world is fun, but Arianna suffers as a character to achieve this goal. There is little depth or growth to Arianna, but that's the point (easy to put yourself there) and also a product of the slow pacing.
Simple and fun, but a little slow going. The appeal, I believe, is the idea that there is another world where unicorns exist, animals talk, and you have close friendships with these creatures. To achieve that you have a main character with little description who has experienced amnesia, making it easy for the reader to slide into her shoes and imagine discovering they are part of such a magical world. Imagining being a part of that world is fun, but Arianna suffers as a character to achieve this goal. There is little depth or growth to Arianna, but that's the point (easy to put yourself there) and also a product of the slow pacing.
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