The Foal in the Wire

An astonishingly raw and beautiful verse novel about survival, love and the bonds between humans and animals from an important young Australian poet

A 2026 CBCA NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR OLDER READERS
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2026 INDIE BOOK AWARD - YOUNG ADULT

An astonishingly raw and beautiful verse novel about survival, love and the bonds between humans and animals from an important young Australian poet

Sam, a teenager, lives on a farm with his mother and emotionally distant father, a horse trainer.

Haunted by trauma and depression, struggling with school and disillusioned with his home life following the death of his older brother, Sam's life changes when he finds a wounded foal tangled in barbed wire in one of the paddocks at the edge of their property.

In the course of rescuing and caring for the foal he becomes close with Julia, a troubled girl from the next property.

The Foal in the Wire is the deeply moving and inspiring story of Sam, his love for a girl and the horse that brings them together.

Praise for The Foal in the Wire

'The Foal in the Wire will stay with you forever' KEVIN BROOKS, Carnegie Medal-winning author of The Bunker Diary

'Reading The Foal in the Wire, I knew I was in the hands of a trustworthy storyteller whose lyricism and brave honesty seized me from the first page and lasted until the very last words of the final chapter' RON KOERTGE

'The real deal' SONYA HARTNETT

'A tender novel of hope and healing' STEVEN HERRICK

'A heartbreaking novel in verse that explores the redeeming qualities of love and friendship amid a backdrop of family violence and despair. Robbie Coburn's poetry smoulders with pain and grief, love and loss, redemption and hope. An unforgettable story of beauty' SHARON KERNOT

'This is a captivating and moving story, told in a unique way, of a misfit boy and girl who find hope because of their love for a foal' LOUIS NOWRA

'Heartfelt and tender . You will read this in a single, sincere and studious sitting' WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN

'Coburn's words transport you to another world . While the verse novel is short in length, it shouldn't be rushed. Allow it to seep in and the words will remain with you for a long time. Coburn's work offers hope and solace, reminding you the dark phases of life occur will inevitably pass' ARTSHUB

'A haunting tribute to the bonds between humans and animals . In The Foal in the Wire, Sam finds that to rescue is to be rescued. Long may his story live' SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

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