Katherine Schwarzenegger to Debut Children’s Book Inspired by Childhood Pony

‘Kat and Brandy’ hits bookshelves on Nov. 4.

Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt and Chris Pratt attend a film premier at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood in Los Angeles on Feb. 24, 2025. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt is sharing a heartwarming message of courage, friendship, and the powerful connection between humans and animals in her latest children’s book, “Kat and Brandy.”

In the uplifting tale, out Nov. 4, the New York Times bestselling author and wife of actor Chris Pratt revisits childhood memories she once shared with her rescue horse, Brandy.

“Kat has loved horses for as long as she can remember. She’s grown up going to the barn, watching her mom ride, and riding herself. But while out on a ride one day, her pony gets scared, and she falls off. Ever since then, Kat has been afraid to get back in the saddle—until she meets Brandy,” an official synopsis reads.

“Brandy is a rescue horse with a past that makes it hard for her to trust others. ... Kat sees herself in Brandy and is intrigued, eager to get to know her better. Through patience and curiosity, Kat works through her worries and builds up the courage to get back in the saddle and ride again.”

“Kat and Brandy” is Schwarzenegger Pratt’s third children’s book, following 2017’s “Maverick and Me” and 2023’s “Good Night, Sister.”

She also penned the non-fiction books “Rock What You’ve Got” (2010), “I Just Graduated ... Now What?” (2014), and “The Gift of Forgiveness” (2020).

Schwarzenegger Pratt is set to embark on a cross-country tour to promote her new book, with stops scheduled in Pasadena and Santa Monica, California, and New York City and Brooklyn, New York, among other cities.

“This book is so close to my heart—it’s about overcoming your fears, courage, bravery, and the healing power of animals in our lives,” she shared in a Sept. 25 Instagram post.

“My hope is that every child who reads ‘Kat and Brandy’ sees themselves in the story and feels inspired to confront their fears, tap into their inner bravery,” she said.

Schwarzenegger Pratt, who is the daughter of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and journalist Maria Shriver, was close with Brandy up until her death. At the time, the now 35-year-old was in high school.

“It was the most traumatic experience for me when she passed away,” the author told People in an Oct. 29 interview.

“I spent so much time doing homework in her stall and just being in her presence. I didn’t feel that I fit in at school and in social groups, and I felt that being at a barn with Brandy was really where I could be my true, authentic self.”

Schwarzenegger Pratt recently took to Instagram to share a moving tribute to her other horse, Cinco, who died earlier this month. In the post, dated Oct. 21, the avid animal lover noted that the horse had been there for her throughout nearly every chapter of her life.

“Cinco came into my world when I was 11 years old. He and Brandy were my safe place. ... Throughout my teenage years, I’d find myself going to their stalls whenever I needed to process life: to work through fears, worries, anxiety, joys, triumphs, first loves, first heartbreaks, and so much more—finding calm and comfort in their presence,” she wrote.

“Anyone who has had a bond with an animal knows what I’m talking about. Animals, big and small, have the power and ability to see us for who we are, allow us to feel loved unconditionally, and bring us a sense of peace we can’t get anywhere else.”