From Booklist
A coastal Newfoundland community in 1965 is the setting for this first-person narrative, written from 13-year-old Jessie’s point of view, and three rescues form the basis of the plot. First, Jessie helps her father and older brother save three shipwrecked people. Next, she helps a younger friend escape from her abusive guardians. And finally, she rallies her friends to save a herd of wild Newfoundland ponies that seem destined for the slaughterhouse. The seemingly separate adventures are actually tightly linked by the characters and the unusual setting, which comes to life through description, intersection with plot elements, and the local characters’ distinctive dialect. An appended author’s note comments on Newfoundland’s geography, history, and ponies. Although some may see the story as a bit old-fashioned, others will find its evocation of this time and place convincing and involving. Headstrong Jessie is a winning heroine, and her story is well worth reading. Grades 4-6. --Carolyn Phelan
Product Description
Thirteen-year-old Jessie Wheller is a girl who knows her heart and will do everything that she can to follow it. With her Newfoundland pony, Raven, and Newfoundland dog, Blizzard, Jessie is never at a loss for faithful companions. Jessie's grandmother is always pushing her to be a "lady," but if being a lady means leading a life without adventure, Jessie will have none of it.
When Jessie realizes that a little girl named Clara is being neglected, Jessie knows that she has to help. And when Jessie discovers a herd of wild ponies captured in the woods, she knows that she and her friends must come to the rescue. But going head-to-head against the town's bully to save Clara and the ponies is no small feat, and Jessie will need more than just a little bit of luck.
The rugged shores of Newfoundland in 1965 set the scene for award-winning author Joan Hiatt Harlow's tale of a girl and her boundless affection for ponies.
