4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Newfoundland Night, November 13, 2009
This review is from: Secret of the Night Ponies (Hardcover)
Living on the coast of Newfoundland in a remote area, thirteen-year-old Jessie is roused from a winter's sleep by the unusual howls of her Newfoundland dog, Blizzard. Checking on him, he leads her to the edge of a cliff that plunges three hundred feet to the sea. She then hears the cries of men shipwrecked below. Three men, a grandfather, father, and son, Ned, are rescued by Jessie, her father, and brother, Erik. They become part of the Wheller household while the sick grandfather recovers. Without a phone, they must take their boat through dangerous shoals to reach the nearest town, Gull Harbor, to send telegrams to Ned's mother assuring her of their safety.
While in Gull Harbor, Jessie enjoys visiting with her friends, but she run afoul of one of a nasty pair of villains when she plays an innocent role in the injury of his son. She also becomes deeply worried about seven-year-old Clara, the small foster child of the other villain. She suspects that Clara is abused. This is confirmed a few days later when she discovers Clara locked in the McCrumbs' barn. Rescuing
Clara and leading her through deep woods trying to reach home, she discover a new corral in the woods with a few Newfoundland ponies in it. Hearing that the villains are rounding up ponies to sell for horsemeat in Quebec, Jessie enlists her friends in a harebrained midnight raid to rescue the ponies and take them to a close-by island with a large old barn. She inadvertently embroils Ned and Erik as well. She soon involves everyone close to her, including her difficult grandmother and the shipwreck survivors, in her schemes against two frightening
men.
Set in a rugged climate and country beloved by her heroine, the author makes the setting so real that the reader almost feels the wind and sea spray. This is an excellent scary page-turner with a thoroughly believable protagonist.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It is no secret, This is an excellent book, April 28, 2010
This review is from: Secret of the Night Ponies (Hardcover)
I think every little girl has some form of Jessie inside of her, brave stubborn and kindhearted, you will just love her as a heroine. This book is about so much more than a young girl saving horses I thought it had a lot of great life lessons in it. The family helps another family in distress, you can see where Jessie gets her stubbornness to help from in the first few chapters. Which is highlighted in this story from the way she helps the horses to her need to help little Clara. A great story about life and Love and different relationships in a family and how family's prevail when they all work together. I read this story in one sitting I couldn't put it down. Thank you Joan for another great story, please keep them coming.....
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrific!, July 19, 2011
I read this book with my 8 year old daughter. We could not put it down. Each chapter seemed to be a cliff hanger! The story inspires the reader to be courageous, honest, kind, and loyal. This is a terrific book. The story takes place in Newfoundland and the author has incorporated some local phrases into the the text. It is sure to inspire and create an appetite for a life long love of reading.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
