FOUR GIRLS. FOUR DIRECTIONS. ONE PURPOSE

Powered by the elements earth, air, fire, and water, and secret messages from mystical dreamcatchers, four girls join forces on a quest to recover the stolen piece of the coveted Crystal Horseshoe. Snatched by a giant raven during a raging storm, this sacred talisman holds the Codes of Nature and is the very key to its survival. Maia from the North has been called by Sophia, Guardian of Mother Earth, to find and lead the Crystal Warriors on this daring path into the unknown. Falcon, Ava, and Yue complete the circle of four, and together, bravely face what lies ahead. But time is running out. The bees are dying. The oceans are filled with plastic. Humanity has lost its way. And the girls’ search is threatened by shapeshifters in the sky who want the crystal destroyed. Will this fierce cowgirl sisterhood, mythical horses by their side, overcome the destructive forces of greed and heal Mother Earth? Guided by the ancestors, wisdom from river and rock, symbols and stones, and the plant and animal kingdoms, each girl must rely on her own courageous spirit in order to protect the future of the planet she loves.

The Dreamcatcher Codes builds cultural bridges, unity, and hope, and illuminates two important issues of our time: climate change and girls claiming their voices and vital place in the world.

Praise for The Dreamcatcher Codes

“Imagination, adventure and hope rests within these pages”  —Great-grandmother Mary Lyons, Ojibwe Elder and Author

“The essence of the divine feminine is captured in the stories within The Dreamcatcher Codes. This compassionate and creative force touches the heart with visions of the natural world and of unity amongst earth’s diverse plant, animal and human nations. It is a call to action to heal humanity’s relationship with the planet.”
—Alexis Estes, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe

“This book is a work of art. It is also timely and necessary for it calls the inheritors of today’s world, home to the sacred connection with nature that is their birthright and their teacher if they can remember how to listen, or keep the connection alive. This book is a homecoming, it is medicine for the soul and it is frankly glorious. Savor it, share it, be touched deeply by it.”
—Clare Dubois, Founder TreeSisters.org

“The Dreamcatcher Codes is compassionate, wise, and galvanizing, both a breathtaking adventure and an urgent call-to-action. Not only will Barbara Newman’s terrific debut make you wish you had a magical flying horse, it will also inspire you to do everything you can to save this gorgeous planet we call home.”
—Lance Rubin, author of Crying Laughing and Denton Little’s Deathdate 

“Informed by ancient Earth wisdom, this magical story contains potent medicine that’s so needed in this time. Braiding together a riveting journey for girls of all ages, The Dreamcatcher Codes has all the ingredients to enchant and embolden tomorrow’s leaders. Filled with strong role models and mythic trials, this beautiful book will help bring hope, vision and healing to all who read it.”
—Nina Simons, Co-Founder, Bioneers author, Nature, Culture & The Sacred: A Woman Listens for Leadership

“An empowering read, beautifully written, and a page-turner to boot.”
—Holly George Warren, author of Janis: Her Life and Music and The Cowgirl Way 

“Community, camaraderie, and connection are all components of cowgirl spirit. Author Barbara Newman weaves together these themes in an empowering tale of adventure, imagination, and innovation relevant to the times in which we live. Readers will be swept away on their own magical horses with four young sisterly stewards on a cultural quest to protect our planet. They’ll complete the journey with renewed faith, purpose, and awareness for the future. Together, we can make a difference.”
—Jennifer Denison, senior editor, Western Horseman 

“Barbara Newman is a visionary. Using her pen like an artist uses a brush, she creates landscapes that take us out of ourselves and into worlds of wonder. I flew with the cowgirls through lush pink skies and over the stunning beauty of the open desert. And I didn’t want to stop.”
—Jana Laiz, award-winning author of The Twelfth Stone

“Barbara Newman’s luscious words invite us, implore us, to look upon our beloved Mama Earth as astronaut Alan Shepard did from his first steps on the Moon—with awe and majesty. The Dreamcatcher Codes is sure to imprint readers young and old with renewed wonder and respect for our sacred, natural world. Like a tuning fork, Newman’s fantasy novel will resonate and activate your own inner guardian of Gaia. What a gift of inspiration to give our younger generations as they prepare to step forth into the world. “
—Deb Chamberlin, Singer-Songwriter, Creator of The Awakened Artist

“Now, more than ever, teenage girls need to step into the possibilities of who they are and have the potential to become. The Dreamcatcher Codes invites them to cultivate their imaginative power and explore how Mother Nature, along with the deep and nurturing bonds of sisterhood, can guide them to know themselves, and connect to their own strengths. At an age when girls are seeking to belong, this mythic and empowering story helps them discover how nature is a part of all of us. The author ingeniously interweaves messages of wisdom and insights from a culturally diverse array of ancient traditions that honor our common humanity as caretakers of our planet, and of each other.”
—Ellen Feig Gray, M.A. Parent Coach, Developmental Psychologist, Author, TEDx Speaker

“Weaving magic and womanhood with love of our beautiful planet, the writer has brought a story to life I wish I’d been able to read as a young girl. The Dreamcatcher Codes will inspire you to speak up for what is right, to have hope and above all . . . be brave . . . just like a cowgirl.”
—Adrian Brannan, singer/songwriter, author Dear Cowgirl 

“A rich, inspiring tale that reveals the power inherent in young women when they listen to their wild souls, their connection to the natural world and its inhabitants, and to each other. A hopeful vision of cooperation, determination, and what we can become.”
—Kat Livengood, renowned wild horse photographer

“The Dreamcatcher Codes builds cultural bridges, unity, and hope, and illuminates two critical issues of our time: climate change, and girls finding their voices and vital place in the world. This magical story carries much meaning. It will bring love and awakening to many.”
—Carmen Baraka, Spirit Warrior Raven Woman 

“In this fantastical story, girls from all walks of life come together for the common good. By embracing diversity, equality, and inclusion, they become a stronger whole. It is my hope that every girl reads this book, and step into her power to become a changemaker.”
—Ross Ellis, Founder, and CEO, STOMP Out Bullying

“Barbara Newman has woven a tapestry of mythology and magic from cover to cover. Across time and space, the reader is carried on a journey of love for the natural world, while hoping that the four mighty heroines, who risk everything, will succeed in saving the planet. At this critical time in our endangered reality, this book is an urgent call for us to do the same.” —Hope Fitzgerald

Media & Reviews

Eco-Fantasy “The Dreamcatcher Codes” Is a Positive and Empowering Must-Read
“Barbara Newman combines her advocacies of girls’ leadership and care of the earth into a rich and beautifully written story that adds a crucial element to the conversation regarding climate change. This book is not preachy or strident, nor is it dystopian — a refreshing change of tone in discussing environmental issues. It is a story based on hope for the renewal of Mother Earth through the cooperation of humanity.”
—Susan Bailey, Booktrib (link to full review)

“This week, we enter the realm of the mystical, the brave, and the female — and learn how to write a story that’s epic, timeless, magisterial, and intimate from its very first words. And what’s more . .  .  

In the young adult fantasy novel The Dreamcatcher Codes by Barbara Newman, we get to hear a story written with life as its enduring value and magic as its flair.”
—Becky Karush, Read to Me Podcast (link to interview with the author)