Nate has returned to Camp Wolf Trail, his own personal heaven for the past two summers, with a secret: he’s a Bird Nerd. At least, that’s what the kids at his school called him when they teased him about his newly found interest in birds—from observing birds to learning interesting facts to drawing them in his secret notebook. Nate confides in Vik, but can he trust his friend, the cabin jokester? Tension grows when before an overnight horse-riding trip Nate discovers that he has another secret. He is terrified of horses, even Herschel, the bony old horse assigned to Nate from the group of rescue horses that the campers ride.

Nate shows honesty and bravery when he faces his fears—both of being laughed at for his hobby and of riding horses. But what will Nate do when a wildfire threatens the safety of his friends, the rescue horses, and himself while on a horseback trek deep in the forest? What will be the fate of homely Herschel, the horse no one wants to adopt? With profound admiration of nature, honesty, and above all, boy-friendly, lively humor, acclaimed author Kitson Jazynka and veteran illustrator Craig Orback catch and capture readers’ eager interest in this exciting book for boys. This paperback edition also boasts a bird ID card, perfect for outdoor exploration!

Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Illustrated by: Craig Orback