Booklist praises Amy Alznauer’s WHERE THE WILD HORSES ARE in starred review: “a richly textured [and] tender, emotionally perceptive middle-grade debut”
★ Where the Wild Horses Are by Amy Alznauer
Oct. 2026. 352p. Holiday/Neal Porter, $18.99 (9780823462360). Gr. 4–7
“Alznauer delivers a richly textured novel about the hard-earned trust between a girl and a wild mustang, set against a nuanced portrait of family and belonging. Hearing in a Deaf household, 12-year-old Nash is a self-proclaimed cowboy: boot-wearing, western-loving, and passionately devoted to horses despite being “horseless,” an unbearable state for someone whose imagination gallops toward kingdoms, outlaws, and open ranges. Though she rides at Mary D’s barn, Nash has never had a horse of her own. When she discovers the Extreme Mustang Makeover contest, Nash sees a possible miracle: riders train newly captured mustangs over the summer for prize money that could let her keep the horse. Assigned a wary horse she names Reverie, Nash commits herself to the painstaking work of earning its trust. Complicating her summer is the arrival of her cousin Benny, once her closest companion. Deaf like Nash’s parents, Benny unsettles Nash’s self-image and rekindles old tensions as the girls rebuild their bond. Alznauer reinvigorates the classic horse story with her tender, emotionally perceptive middle-grade debut. Nash is deeply relatable, and the supporting cast—including wise Mary D and gentle bookseller Mr. Clyde—adds dimension to a story otherwise rooted in the fierce hopefulness of adolescence. The measured pacing mirrors Nash’s work with Reverie, making each incremental gain feel earned throughout this warm, beautifully observed novel.”
— Alicia Rogers