Kimberly Brubaker Bradley grew up horse-obsessed in a tragically non-horsey place and family. When she was eighteen and went to college, she took the reins in her own hands and hasn't stopped riding since. Kim foxhunted, competed at mid-amateur levels of eventing, and was the longtime "Boss Mare" of the Holston Pony Club for kids in her Tennessee hometown--a big part of her inspiration for this series--all while she was busy writing Newbery Honor-winning novels like The War That Saved My Life and Fighting Words. Kim is a fierce advocate for horses and the value of the human-horse connection. This is the horse-kid series of her heart.

"Phoenix is a story of hope rising stubbornly above despair. Beautiful, authentic, and so moving, it's a gripping and heart-expanding read. I read it in one sitting--it is wonderful."
--Carrie Seim, author of Horse Girl and Horse Camp: A Horse Girl Mystery

"Phoenix has all the charm, wit, and fierce intelligence readers have come to expect from Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. She makes bold choices as she both educates and entertains. You don't have to love horses to love this book, but you just might find you do after reading Phoenix."
--Holly Goldberg Sloan, New York Times bestselling author of Counting by 7s and Finding Lost

★ "Bradley deftly weaves humor into even the darkest moments, [and] the barn community feels authentically diverse and welcoming . . . A potent, heartrending story about surviving upheaval and discovering that some rescues work both ways." --Kirkus (starred reivew)

★ "[A] classic-feeling girl-saves-horse story . . . Harper's relentless belief in Phoenix and herself buoys this optimistic series launch." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Very relatable and thoughtfully written [showing that] learning responsibility and empathy are Harper's pathway to healing. . . . Ideal for readers looking for short books about strong animal bonds." --Booklist

Publisher: Bound to Stay Bound Books

Pub date: 2026-03-03

Length: 162 pages