
Reach for this book if your child is navigating the complicated emotions of a family member's struggle with addiction or if they are feeling the weight of changes they cannot control. This sensitive story follows twelve-year-old Claire, whose older brother is in rehab and whose family is on the verge of selling their beloved horses. To cope with her 'flutter feeling' of anxiety, Claire searches for a legendary herd of wild horses in the woods, hoping to find a way to keep her family and their animals together. Through Claire's journey, the book addresses the reality of the opioid crisis and family recovery with immense grace and hope. It is a perfect choice for middle-grade readers who need to know that while they cannot fix their loved ones, they can find their own strength and community. The story validates the anxiety children feel when home life is unpredictable while offering a path toward resilience.
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Sign in to write a reviewThemes of family separation, financial loss, and the stress of a loved one's illness.
Claire spends time alone in the woods and encounters a storm.
The book deals directly and honestly with substance abuse and recovery. The approach is secular and realistic, focusing on the ripple effects of addiction on siblings. It concludes with a hopeful but grounded resolution: Andy is home and working on recovery, but the family understands it is a long, ongoing process.
A 10 to 12-year-old who feels 'invisible' because of a family crisis. It is specifically suited for children who use animals or nature as an emotional refuge.
Read the scenes where Claire visits Andy in rehab. They are gentle but may prompt questions about what 'rehab' actually is and why people use drugs. A parent might see their child becoming overly responsible or 'too good,' trying to minimize their own needs so as not to add to the family's stress.
Younger readers will focus on the mystery of the wild horses and the bond with animals. Older readers will resonate with the nuance of Claire's resentment toward her brother and the fear of her family's changing financial status.
Unlike many 'horse books' which are purely escapist, this uses the bond between humans and animals as a sophisticated metaphor for the work required in human recovery.
Claire Barton is a twelve-year-old living in rural Vermont, grappling with the absence of her brother, Andy, who is in residential treatment for opioid addiction. The family's financial and emotional strain leads her parents to decide to sell their two horses. Desperate to find a solution, Claire discovers the concept of equine therapy and becomes obsessed with finding legendary wild horses she believes are living in the woods behind her home. Along with her friend Maya, she navigates the mystery of the woods while learning to voice her own needs within a family consumed by crisis.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.