Common Sense Note
A classic for horse lovers. Others may be put off by slow pace and lengthy descriptions. Pencil drawings, while visually pleasing, may confuse readers about the characters' ages.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Frances O'Roark Dowell
For over fifty years, horse lovers have thrilled to this tale of wild ponies who resist capture at every turn. Even children who aren't horse-crazy find the setup enthralling: two children who want something just on the verge of unattainable--in this case, a legendary pony called the Phantom--set about attaining it against all odds.
The setting and Marguerite Henry's vivid writing style work to make it rise above your average child-and-horse story. Set in the Tidewater area of Virginia, the book is filled with that region's colorful dialect ("Seems as if the devil is allus sittin' cross-legged of me").
Younger readers quickly find themselves involved with the drama--will Paul capture the elusive Phantom on Pony-Penning Day? Can the Phantom be gentled? They also are less likely to be jarred by the old-fashioned dialogue--"I hanker to see the things you see. Tell me what the ship's like. Make it a whopper"--than older readers. But those used to today's fast pace and relentless action may find the book slow.
Readers of all ages will enjoy Wesley Dennis's illustrations of the wild ponies, but they may find that his depictions of the children don't help pinpoint the children's ages, which are not given in the text either.
Children who like this book will want to read one of the many sequels and Henry's numerous other horse titles, such as King of the Wind or Justin Morgan Had a Horse. Walter Farley's The Black Stallion is the first book in another horse series from the same period.
From The Book
But the Phantom was not running a race. She was enjoying herself. She was a piece of thistledown borne by the wind, moving through space in wild abandonment. She was coming up, not to pass Firefly and Black Comet, but for the joy of flying. Her legs went like music.
Plot Summary:
Two children capture and tame a legendary wild pony in this classic tale. From the moment the Phantom and her foal, Misty, are brought to Chincoteague, Paul and Maureen overcome one obstacle after another to make these wild creatures their own. A must for every equestrian's library.
Rate It!
| Content | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS | adults | kids | ||
Sexual Content |
 |
|
|
|
Violence |
|
|
|
|
Language |
|
|
|
|
Message |
|
|
|
|
Social BehaviorThe younger sister is relegated to a secondary role in the more dramatic moments of the story. |
 |
 |
|
|
Commercialism |
|
|
|
|
Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco |
|
|
|
|
