By: Mindy Baker
Format: Available in Paperback, ePub, and MOBI
Genre: Fantasy
Soledad and the Curse of the Phoenix
This lower middle grade fantasy set in an ancient Mesoamerican world, builds hope and courage rising from destruction.
Soledad is a victim of the Phoenix’s evil plagues, just like the rest of her former village. But she’s also different. She’s hiding with her mother’s flute, which the Phoenix is determined to find.
After a friend’s betrayal, she flees along a new path, high into the mountains, where she discovers the truth about what has really happened to her people. She realizes her knowledge, together with the power of the water and the magic of the flute, can help them all.
But this realization brings a whole new danger. Before she can unite her people and face the Phoenix, Soledad will have to find the strength to forgive and learn again how to trust.
Meet Mindy Baker,
the author of Soledad and the Curse of the Phoenix
Trine Grillo –
Soledad and the Curse of the Phoenix by Mindy Baker is an engaging story of how determination and forgiveness changes a heart and a community.
Soledad is on the run, stinging with hurt and unforgiveness. She questions things we all might consider in a similar situation.
Do good daughters run away and scream hateful things? If there is a God, why isn’t He helping me? Was this a punishment?
My favorite part is when Soledad’s sister forgives her without even being asked. Soledad learns that forgiveness brings freedom and as friends and neighbors rally together, they can bring healing and hope to their people.
toniaandforest –
Soledad and the Curse of the Phoenix by Mindy Baker was such a great read! It was suspenseful and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. I love how God was working throughout this book for Soledad’s life.
SageReads –
This fast-paced adventure has plenty of action to keep the reader engaged. The courageous main character drives the story with grit and determination. Fun artwork throughout. I definitely recommend this book. It’s brimming with love for family, courage to choose the right path, heart, and hope.
mconkle13 –
Soledad and the Curse of the Phoenix is a story about a young girl who is set upon a journey filled with action, adventure, and even betrayal. She must protect the mysterious flute and figure out a way to help her village, all while escaping the permeating influence of the Phoenix, who is desperately searching for her. She struggles with regrets and difficult family dynamics and I think this makes her relatable to all kinds of readers.
She’s uncertain about her past choices and her paths ahead, but somehow navigates through all of these difficulties with resilience and bravery.
Woven into the story are beautiful seeds of biblical wisdom and principles that are so important for our children to learn- things like friendship, forgiveness, redemption, and hope! And on top of all that, she can’t shake the intuition that she’s being led to something (or someone!) greater. As an avid lover of fantasy, this whole book was such a page turner, full of culture and loveable characters. I enjoyed this tremendously, and I know your middle schoolers will also!
mgrey –
Despite being middle grade, Soledad and the Curse of the Phoenix can be enjoyed by adults and young readers alike. Baker’s prose is lovely and accessible, and I especially adored the part where Soledad found a llama caught by its hair, and was instantly reminded of having to detangle her sister’s locks. The loss of her sister is built early on, so the emotion and stakes rise with each page — all of which leads to a satisfying conclusion.
Other notable features are the magic in this novel, and the uniqueness of the plagues. They weren’t necessarily an illness, which I enjoyed (the villagers turning into stone was my favorite of these). I also appreciated how The Phoenix is never shown until the ending, so who he is and what he wants is shrouded in mystery.
Overall, the message in this book is a positive one, and touches on themes such as hope, forgiveness, and moving forward. Soledad is a brave and compassionate protagonist, and incredibly easy to root for, so the reader will both connect with and cheer on her emotional progress.
Many thanks to Chicken Scratch Books for the free ARC copy in exchange for my honest review!
Elizabeth Raum –
What an exciting tale! Mindy Baker has created a great story for kids ages 9-14. Soledad must rescue her sister and her village from the Phoenix, who has destroyed Soledad’s village and the people who lived there. He’s not done, either. It’s an epic battle between good and evil that eventually brings a community together. Highly recommended.
jillburke –
Soledad and the Curse of the Phoenix is a great read! It is a story filled with adventures! The colorful descriptions of the scenery and characters kept me engaged and turning the pages. The themes of forgiveness, courage, hope and change throughout the story are perfect for anyone reading this, not just young readers. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an exciting, fresh read!
cargentine5 –
Soledad and the Curse of the Phoenix draws readers into an epic story of overcoming evil. Set in a Mesoamerican world with llamas, mountains, and waterfalls, this novel centers on Soledad, a girl who’s alone and injured at the start of the story. With resilience and courage, she faces her fears and grows into a leader. Imaginative elements like a magical flute and a village of people turned to stone add intrigue. It’s a memorable book about learning to forgive and finding freedom and hope in the process.
epbowser12 –
Soledad and the curse of the Phoenix was such a thrilling and enjoyable book! We read this as a family, and my kids would get upset whenever we had to stop for bedtime, each time saying wow this is such a great book and I wonder what’s going to happen next! This was a beautifully written book that I believe teaches kids about forgiveness and friendship and many more life lessons for our children!! Highly recommend!
emaricelli –
People turned into statues. A magic flute. A mysterious stranger. A girl on the run.
Oh, and a llama!
Soledad is a young girl surviving on her own after running away from her village to escape being the victim of a deal her mother made with a nefarious enemy called The Phoenix. She struggles with loneliness, grief, injury, and regret, but she still has enough resolve and determination to innovate and survive. I enjoyed the balance of her character a lot – she wasn’t too weak or too strong, and her moments of doubt and triumph seemed realistic, not contrived for the sake of plot.
The story also had moments of surprise, which I appreciated, and I found her faithful companion – a llama named Suri – simply delightful.
As a junior high English teacher, I am always looking for uplifting, engaging stories of hope to add to my classroom library, and Soledad and the Curse of the Phoenix fits all of my criteria. It’s very difficult to find middle-grade books that are not too babyish for older readers, but I think this one works very well. It delivers on its promise of being perfect for 8 to 12-year-olds, but it is also engaging enough to appeal to slightly older readers who still prefer shorter books than YA with shorter chapters and a few fun illustrations (the drawings at the beginning of each chapter are perfect!). Ultimately, I also love that its themes of forgiveness, friendship, trust, and hope are woven in without being overtly saccharine or preachy.
Thank you to Mindy Baker and Chicken Scratch Books for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
Marci Whitehurst –
Soledad is an action packed, engaging story that will keep kids turning the pages until the very end. It’s full of humor and heart–plus great friendships and family relationships that undergo challenges. Yet through determination and courage, kids come together to save their families and their people.
After running away to escape evil, Soledad must confront the people she left behind and work to save them–with the help of a friend and a llama. I personally love that there’s a llama in this story! Kids will smile and cheer for a character packing gumption and grit–and a grudge that must be dropped.
emilymbush –
My 9-year-old daughter and I both enjoyed Soledad and the Curse of the Phoenix! It’s a fun adventure story that also has deep meaning. My daughter loved the characters, especially the animal that is a companion to Soledad. I loved the forgiveness theme. The story kept us both interested and looking forward to what was going to happen next. It was fun to read it together, but she also could have easily read it on her own. We both recommend it!
lindaalmsauthor –
Your middle grade reader is going to love this book. It’s a fast-paced adventure filled with danger, magic, and a whole lot of heart.
Soledad, the main character, overcomes betrayal and fear, and finds in herself the courage and determination to defeat evil and save her people from a terrible curse.
ekmarshall –
Mindy Baker has created a wonderfully adventurous yet vulnerable main character, Soledad, who is on the run after terrible plagues wrecked her home, her family, and her peace. On her own now, she navigates current threats as well as her own guilt that trails her. As she seeks to defeat the Phoenix and unloose the healing properties of the dammed-up spring so her village can thrive once more, she learns to free her heart from the betrayal and fear that plague her. Will she trust others to help her save those she cares about?
Soledad and the Curse of the Phoenix is an action-packed adventure story with depth and heart that will capture your middle reader’s interest. Hoping to see more titles from this author, including more adventures with Soledad and her trusty llama friend, Suri.
nataleecreech –
Soledad, a young girl flees her home with her mother’s magic flute after her mother becomes entangled in dark magic and promises her to the Phoenix. A series of curses—foretold by her mother—devastate Soledad’s village and family, leaving her to face physical and emotional challenges on her own. She rescues a llama and meets an old friend – but can she trust him? There are themes of determination, providence, hope and forgiveness: Soledad must learn to forgive others, forgive herself, and rediscover her ability to trust. This book would appeal to kids who enjoy the Magic Treehouse books and will spark curiosity about the culture and geography of the Andean region where the story unfolds.
tamafortnerbooks –
I just finished Soledad by Mindy Baker, and oh my… what a beautiful story.
Soledad is a girl scarred by loss, a survivor of the Phoenix’s cruel plagues, yet still carrying her mother’s flute—the one thing the Phoenix is determined to find. Forced to hide away in the wilderness, she discovers a strength she didn’t know she had.
There’s adventure and danger, yes—but what really struck me were the echoes of the biblical story of the woman at the well. As Soledad dares to reconnect, she learns the power of forgiveness and the courage to trust again.
Mindy Baker has a gift for slipping truth into story without preaching. Soledad not only stirs the imagination, but also reminds us that light finds a way to shine.
*Thank you to the author and Chicken Scratch Books for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
kj.houghtaling –
Soledad and the Curse of the Phoenix was an exciting and engaging read! Soledad’s bravery and determination was inspiring as she sought to help her village recover from devastating plagues.
Susan Reimer –
Soledad and The Curse of the Phoenix is a story of hope, forgiveness and faith. When Soledad discovers her mother has promised to give her to the evil Phoenix, she runs away leaving her sister behind. Plagues descend upon her people and Soledad is alone, injured and afraid. Her life takes a turn when she rescues a trapped llama and she begins to wonder if God truly exists. She must face an almost impossible situation in order to save herself and her people and in the process realize she was never really alone after all.
valerieschultz023 –
Soledad and the Curse of the Phoenix, by Mindy Baker, is an excellent middle school novel. The main character is faced with challenges that she must use courage and thinking to solve. This includes the elements of betrayal, self preservation, looking past oneself for the benefit of others. It shows how bravery and determination win the day.
The setting of the story and the challenges the characters must face are unique. It is very different than any middle school novel published. Although the main character is female, this is a story for girls, boys, and adults.