Phoenix

Phoenix by Kimberley Brubaker Bradley (Text Publishing) PB RRP $22.00 ISBN 9781923058774

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Eleven-year-old Harper’s world has just turned upside down. She has just moved from a large city to a small rural town, following her parents unexpected separation. Everything is new and a stark contrast to what she is used to. Harper now lives with her mother and the family dog in a tiny house next to horse stables… and she isn’t even sure if she likes horses!

One Saturday morning when Harper is home alone and the stables are empty, drivers of a fully loaded ‘kill truck’ dump a severely neglected and emaciated horse in the paddock adjacent to her house. Harper insists that the drivers sign the horse over to her indefinitely. The condition of the horse is unfathomable, and Harper knows nothing about caring for horses, but she is determined to do everything she can to help it return to good health. She names the horse Phoenix as she believes it will come back from the brink of death.

Phoenix is the first book in the upcoming Ride On series, suitable for middle grade readers. This heart-warming narrative is recommended for animal lovers aged 9 years and older who enjoy realistic fiction. Themes include change, hope, determination, perseverance, friendship and family.