The Risen Horse

Reach for this book when your teen is grappling with the tension between their private identity and the expectations of an institution that demands they conform. It is a powerful choice for families navigating transitions where a child feels like an outsider or is struggling to maintain their cultural roots in a restrictive environment. The story follows fifteen year old Isabel as she is sent to the Carlisle School for Indians, a historical boarding school designed to strip Native American children of their heritage. While the setting is historical, the emotional core is deeply contemporary, touching on resilience, the search for belonging, and the way creative expression can serve as a lifeline. Isabel discovers her voice through art and her connection to horses, transforming her isolation into a source of inner strength. Due to the depictions of systemic racism and the forced assimilation of Indigenous people, this book is best suited for mature middle schoolers and high schoolers who are ready to discuss justice, heritage, and the ethics of the past.