Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Horse, girl save each other post-divorce in heartfelt debut.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
PHOENIX is a tale about preteen Harper after her life blows up due to her dad's infidelity. Her parents divorce and her mom moves them to rural Tennessee, so Harper and her mom, a nurse, are dealing with a lot. Their new place is a tiny house on the grounds of a stable owned by the kindly, wise, and no-nonsense Miss Chelsea, where Harper soon meets the horses who live there and the kids who care for them. Harper's never really been into horses—but when a slaughter-bound truck of horses dumps a dying one in the paddock, she's determined to save him, names him Phoenix, and has the presence of mind to get title from the truckers. Her mom, Miss Chelsea and the kids make it clear that she's taking on quite a lot and it might not work. "He's mine," says Harper, who's not one to abandon her loved ones.
Is It Any Good?
This affectionate Pony Club-themed series debut is a heartening tale of a dying horse and an uprooted 11-year-old girl who save each other, helped by caring family and friends. Harper's determination to care for Phoenix and nurse him back to health because he's hers and she refuses to abandon him is inspiring, and driven by her father's abandonment leading to her parents' divorce. Her mom, who's dealing with a lot, is a big hero and a positive influence here, and the stable's full of kind, interesting characters, whether horse or human. Along the way, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley packs a lot of horse lore, including the importance of slow feeding when you're healing a starved horse—but, like Harper herself when the story begins, you don't have to love horses to love this story.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stories like Phoenix that involve kids putting their lives back together after their parents' divorce. Do you know kids in this situation? Do stories like this help you understand what they're going through?
Have you ever cared for a sick or injured animal and nursed them back to health? What kind of animal, what did you do, and who helped?
Harper wasn't into horses until Phoenix came along and changed everything. Have you ever changed your mind about something you didn't care much about and now find really interesting?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Animals ( Dogs , Horses ) , Friendship , School ( Middle School )
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Empathy , Perseverance
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Dial
- Publication date : March 3, 2026
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 14
- Number of pages : 176
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : March 24, 2026
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