Sweet Success for Darby Karchut

Published March 27, 2025

Yippee skippy happy news! Darby Karchut’s Middle Grade contemporary, THE HORSE WHO CARRIES THE STARS, recently won the 2025 Western Writers of America’s Spur Award for Juvenile Fiction.

ABOUT THE BOOK  Thirteen-year-old Reece Harding has both hands full dealing with one headstrong mare who’s all go and no whoa. When a devastating wildfire threatens their corner of Colorado, it’s going to take all of Reece’s horse skills and some Appaloosa luck to save the day and prove to herself—and her family—she can handle Kip, the horse who carries the stars on her rump and a fire in her heart.

“A superb cast highlights this quiet, insightful tale of interspecies friendship.” Kirkus Reviews.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR  Darby Karchut is an award-winning author, former teacher, and compulsive dawn greeter. Her many books include the DEL TORO MOON series, ON A GOOD HORSE, and THE HORSE WHO CARRIES THE STARS. She is the recipient of the Colorado Book Award, the High Plains Book Award, and the Will Rogers Medallion Award. A native of New Mexico, she now lives in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Repped by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management. Visit the author at www.darbykarchut.com and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Goodreads.