Unicorns of Balinor Books in Order

Unicorns of Balinor is an eight-book fantasy series for younger readers that follows Princess Arianna and her unicorn, Sunchaser, as they fight to reclaim a magical kingdom. Stanton combines hospital rooms and foster farms with glacier passes, talking animals and evil sorcerers, giving the story one foot in our world and one in a richly imagined other realm.

At the start of the series, Ari knows herself only as Ari Langley, a thirteen-year-old recovering from a terrible riding accident. She has lost most of her memories and now lives with foster parents on Glacier River Farm. Her only clear bond is with Chase, a bronze-colored horse who seems to understand her thoughts. When money troubles force her foster parents to lease Chase to a spoiled neighbor girl, Ari runs away with him and her collie, Lincoln. A strange fall through the Gap between worlds delivers them, and their unwanted tagalong, into Balinor.

There Ari learns that she is actually Princess Arianna, heir to the throne, and that Chase is Sunchaser, Lord of the Animals. His horn was shattered in a past battle with Entia, also known as the Shifter, a shapeshifting force that has plunged Balinor into chaos. The early books send Ari and Sunchaser on a quest to restore his horn and retrieve the Royal Scepter, traveling through places like the Valley of Fear and the Fiery Field while meeting allies and enemies among unicorns, dragons and humans.

Later volumes broaden the conflict. Ari and Sunchaser must accept political responsibilities as well as magical ones, forging alliances with powerful houses and learning how to wield the scepter without losing themselves. The climactic Night of the Shifter's Moon pits them directly against Entia in a final, desperate struggle for Balinor's future.

The last book, Shadows Over Balinor, shifts into the aftermath. With the main villain defeated, Ari turns to the harder, more personal task of finding her missing parents and healing a kingdom still marked by war. New threats emerge, and not every question is fully answered, leaving the door open for readers to imagine what might come next.

Throughout the series, themes of identity, courage and loyalty run alongside more straightforward adventure. Ari's struggles with memory, duty and friendship make her feel human even when the landscape is full of magic. Sunchaser's bond with her, and the way other animals rely on that connection, will appeal to anyone who has ever loved a horse or a dog.

Because the books follow one continuous storyline, they are best read in order, beginning with The Road to Balinor and moving through to Shadows Over Balinor or the omnibus edition Unicorns of Balinor, which collects the whole saga.