From Publishers Weekly
At 13, Janet has no friends at her new school. Her mother seems too busy to understand how lonely she is, and Janet misses her best friend, Maria. Then strange old Mr. Flower hires her to help retrain Pearl, the pony he bought for his nephew--even though Janet doesn't know anything about horses. Almost against her will, the girl gains self-confidence and a better understanding of other people's feelings through her after-school sessions with Mr. Flower and Pearl. Unlike most horse stories, the novel does not celebrate the glory of all things equine, but focuses rather on Janet's maturation and the minor tragedies at school and home. A quiet and thoughtful story, it will likely comfort readers like shy Janet herself. Ages 9-12.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8-- New home, new neighbors, new school acquaintances--Janet Stone must adjust to all these in this first-person "fitting-in" story. Two catalysts, the elderly Mr. Flowers and the feisty Pearl, set the plot in motion. Pearl is the pony of the title, first seen rolling in the snow. Right away, his owner, Mr. Flowers, hires Janet to tame the cranky pony, and readers anticipate the friendship between the horse and the girl. She encounters complications with the snooty Marigold, leader of the seventh-grade clique. Marigold generates the most interest, as she's the story's least predictable character. Her leadership relies on her older boyfriend--whom Janet exposes as the family's hired hand. The minor obstacles of taming Pearl and winning Marigold's friendship are easily resolved. A terse style of short sentences and plentiful dialogue might attract readers to this slight story. Horse lovers will prefer the similar yet horsier I'm Boo, That's Who (Addison-Wesley, 1979; o.p.) by Diana Gregory. --Charlene Strickland, formerly at Albuquerque Public Library , NM
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
