Customer Reviews

Fire Pony

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Whether you love or completely despise horses you will love this book. It is very heartwarming, and will almost make you cry. It is also touching. It is so filled with drama and very suspenseful! Read this wonderful book and find out today!

The Fire Pony a round-up delight is about two boys Roy and Joe who end up at the Bar None after Joe breaks Roy out of Day Care. They were allowed to stay if Joe shoed the toughest horse. Joe did that! Later Mr. Jessup gave Roy a pony. Roy named the pony Lady Luck. A terrible storm sets in and a sabertooth cuts Lady Luck. When she is healed Roy was trained to ride, Mr. Jessup and Roy go to the fair. Roy wins the first race, but then in the second race there's a problem. Joe comes to Roy's defense after Mullens sabotages the race. This book has taught me never get back at others or a price will come. Read this book to find out what happens at the race and the price Joe will pay.

Rodman Philbrick has built a reputation as a children's author who writes Young Adult novels that both touch and amuse the reader. With the two novels, Freak the Mighty and the sequel, Max the Mighty, Philbrick introduced us to Max, the awkward, shy giant with an enormous heart. Now in The Fire Pony, the author brings in a new cast of characters, but retains the same themes - acceptance of an outsider, the love of family and friends, and the inner torment that comes with the loss of family members.
Roy and his older brother Joe Dilly are on the run. After their parents died, Roy was sent to live in an orphanage. But the relationship between the two brothers cannot be severed, and Joe helps Roy break out of the home and the two go on the lam. But Joe is not a saintly older brother, because he has a shady past that includes setting fires. "All I can think about is this: What does Joe see inside the fire? Can he hear that fire wind singing to him? Can he see the river inside the flames, or the fluttering wings? Can he feel the way it has to keep moving or die (p. 162)?"
The two finally end up at the Bar None ranch, which is owned by the kindly Nick Jessup who takes in the two outlaws in exchange for their work around the ranch. During the course of their stay, Roy sees just how destructive Joe's temper and penchant for arson can be. With the inclusion at the Bar None, Roy finds a father in Nick, something that despite his good intentions, Joe could never be.
But Roy really finds a home at the ranch when he falls in love with a wild horse named Lady Luck that Nick lets Roy have as his very own. Roy discovers an immediate connection with the horse and devotes all of his time to Lady Luck's care and to riding her around the ranch. She becomes his whole world and Joe feels the sting of being replaced. One time when the two of them take a drive to the edge of town, Roy notices something isn't quite right with Joe. "Joe has downed a couple of beers before you know it, and he's getting that look on his face that means he's changing inside. When he lights a cigarette and cups his hand around the match, the fire is in his eyes again, like it was when he watched me from the barn. It's a scary look. I'm not afraid of Joe - he'd never hurt me, ever - but I'm scared of what he might do (p. 49)." Roy knows that something dangerous is going to happen.
However, Joe would give his life for Roy's and Roy realizes that. Joe is the only family that Roy knows and he is reluctant to give that up, even though he know that Joe is dangerous. "I'm thinking they don't get any better than Joe Dilly, even if he does have the fire in his eyes sometimes (p. 133)."
Throughout the novel this theme of fire is used over and over again to signify danger as well as the fire of life. It is used to describe the two most important things in Roy's life - Joe Dilly and his horse, Lady Luck. The first time Roy sees Lady Luck he notices this spark. "She's also the most beautiful creature you ever saw, so pretty she sort of glows from inside (p.40)." And later, when she goes a bit crazy this glow is much more intense graduating to a fire. "I can smell how crazy she is. It smells like she's burning up inside (p.168)."
In the end, Roy is able to break in Lady Luck. It is not so easy for him to do the same to Joe Dilly.
There is the inevitable climax where Joe's past is not so easily shaken off and Roy knows that he might not be able to help Joe get beyond it. Looking back on the event that changes their lives forever, Roy reflects that "I'll never ever forget all the things that happened, the good and the bad and the in-between and how Joe Dilly tried so hard to fight the fire that burned inside him and kept making him do the wrong thing. And how he always came back to save me, for as long as he lived, and how he loved me like a brother and a father and a friend (p.175)."
While Philbrick has created a novel with sympathetic characters and dramatic scenes, it is a predictable plot and because it is told in the first person voice with Roy's point of view, the reader is limited in understanding of the psyche of other characters, especially of Joe. Overall, this is an enjoyable book, appropriate for middle school aged kids and teens.

A fiery story, with lots (! ) of action and... and... well, I like the grammar the narrator uses.
Roy (the narrator) and his bro Joe are picked up by a horse ranch (! ). Roy has a great time, since he and Joe love horses, and he'd love to stay for as long as possible, but his unpredictable brother might have plans for moving - and fire...

"The Fire Pony" is a story that is a little slow in the very beging but picks up quick! This story shows the relationship between: brothers, friends and horses. This is a very touching story and could only have been writen by Philbrick. He did a fabulous job and I couldn't put it down!

I really enjoyed this book. I read it in a few days. Roy and his brother, Joe Dilly, make their home on the Bar None Ranch and Roy gets very interested in horses and ponies, especially Lady Luck, his beloved pony. If you haven't read it, check it out from the library! Philbrick also wrote Freak the Mighty, an awesome book, too! I recommend these two books for anybody who loves adventure and unlikely friendships!

I am a pessimist to the death, If a book is good by most standards, it's okay by mine. I considered this book decent but the beginning was somewhat boring. The ending was cool though, Rather cool description of a horse race and horse fever. Other than that, this book is just AVERAGE.

I think this is one of those books that explores the tougher things in life for a child. Surely it isn't a heartwarming book and since it is geared at children, its surprising the amount of depth that it covers.

After living in foster care for awhile, Roy is sprung out of the place by his half brother Joe. Together they travel from place to place without ever staying long because of Joe's penchant for getting into trouble. But Roy doesn't mind, at least he's wanted by someone. They find themselves at the Bar None where for once they are accepted whole heartedly. Roy begins to think that maybe they'll be able to stay in one place for awhile, but that familiar fire sometimes sparks back into Joe's eyes and Roy can't get his hopes up too much. He knows that Joe is itching to do something, but he just isn't sure what it is yet. Meanwhile, Roy will just continue to love his horse and watch as his brother works his magic with the horses at Bar None Ranch.

Although this book is mostly about Roy, I think it is Joe who takes the center stage. As an adult I would probably classify Joe as being bipolar and a bit obsessive. As a child I just always thought he was one of those bad kids you read about that had a good heart but just couldn't stay out of trouble. He does certainly seem to have some demons chasing him. Roy is a standard kid, full of hopes and dreams yet wary of the future because of his brother. I liked the other characters in the story as well as they expressed the warmth and acceptance that was needed in such a dark novel.

There are a lot of hard themes in this book. Most of them are expressed through Joe's personality but there's also mention of death, drinking, and other hard topics. There's a lot going on in here for a kid to read but it all seems truthful and shows that just because someone does bad things, it doesn't make them a bad person at heart. Since the book is written from Roy's view it has a certain sound to it that is part child and part casual language. It is written like it would be spoken so there is a lot of slang and bad grammar, but that just makes it more real. And its something a kid could definitely relate to.

This book has been on my shelf for a long time and I still pull it out to read it every now and again. It explores the tough part of life, but still manages to give hope as well.

The Fire Pony
Copyright 1996
175 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2011

The Fire Pony by Rodman Philbrick is a great story! The part I liked the most was when it was raining and a tiger tried to kill the pony, it was so exciting and it had me on my toes. Another problem the main character faced was trying to tame the pony. The mood of the story was exciting, happy, and crazy meaning exciting and strange things happened at the same time. I also liked when the main characters big brother rode off and got drunk. I would recommend this book for 5th grade through 7th grade because it has cursing in it, and the action was a little mature.The setting is in a country side. The author always gives you something to think about when you read and if some one read this to you while your eyes were closed you could see it in your mind like a movie. I give the book 4 stars because of details, excitement, and because it makes you think. I loved this book!

This book is about a boy named Roy and his stepbrother Joe. Roy was living at a foster home, and Joe came and took him away because Roy hated it there. Joe and Roy are out in the country and discover a little ranch called Bar None. The manager of the ranch said that Joe could take the job as a fairer if he could shoe the horse 'Showdown'. Joe was able to do it, and Rick hired him as the new fairer. When Mr. Jessup came back he really started to like Roy. Mr. Jessup bought Roy a little Arabian pony for him to train. Roy fell instantly in love, and called his new mare Lady. Mr. Jessup would always tell Roy stories about the 'Wild West' and started training Lady with Roy. For example when Roy couldn't get Lady going he brought him out his old spurs, and told him how to use them. Joe, Roy's brother, always had a special gift with horses. It was like they could understand him, and he could understand them. Well, Joe thought Roy had the gift as well. Roy was a real natural at riding, just like Joe. When Roy first started training Lady, he got on her (when he wasn't supposed to) and she went crazy because she was never ridden. Nevertheless, Roy held on, and was fine after the experience. Joe is a rebel. He only stays a one place for a while (partly because since Joe stole Roy from his foster home). Will Joe and Roy stay at the place that they truly love, or will something get in the way? You'll have to read this book to find out. I enjoyed this book so much I would recommend it to anyone!