The Snow Pony [Hardcover]

Anne Eliot Crompton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1991 | Age Level: 10 and up

Moving to a small Massachusetts town and finding it hard to make friends, thirteen-year-old Jannie takes a job with Mr. Flower, "the mad hermit of Winterfield," helping him tame and groom a pony.

Editorial Reviews

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.

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.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 117 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holth & Co (J); 1st edition (May 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805015736
• ISBN-13: 978-0805015737
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,565,106 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Average Pony Book, December 17, 2004

By 

Flame_926 "flame_926" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Snow Pony (Hardcover)

This little horse book is a nice story but not very distinguished. Contrary to its appearance, it is more of a "growing up" story than one about Christmas.

The main character, Janet, is the new girl in town and is having a very hard time getting adjusted to living in the country with her caretaker. Janet is not popular because her house is old and her "mother" is an unkempt car care instructor.

By a stroke of luck Janet gets to know old Mr. Flower and his pony Pearl. Mr. Flower teaches Janet how to train the auction-rescued Pearl for his grandson and over the course of the book Janet learns a lot about friendship and about how important friendship is.

5.0 out of 5 stars My most favorite book!, May 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The SNOW PONY (Paperback)

I loved this book because it showed how the love for a horse built a bridge between two people whose ages and attitudes kept them on seperate paths in life. Only love can bring estranged lives to compatibility and everlasting friendship.