Parents' Guide to

Misty of Chincoteague

By Frances ORoark Dowell, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

A must for every horse lover's library.

Book Marguerite Henry Animals 1947
Misty of Chincoteague Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 8+

Based on 3 parent reviews

christyzachman@yahoo.com
[email protected] Adult
November 23, 2018
age 9+

Great book to read

Loved it as a child and recommend to all to read it.

This title has:

Great role models
Christy4
Christy4 Parent of 3, 5 and 7-year-old
August 22, 2012
age 7+

Well-written prose, great characters, pony mystique

I read this out-loud to my seven year old. She loved it and found the story engrossing and the characters relatable. She wants to read more Marguerite Henri books now. I liked the portrayal of the positive sibling relationship between the brother and sister and how industriously they worked toward their goal of buying the horse. They also handled disappointment with a lot of grace. Their are some good discussion points as to when "interfering" with nature is a good thing and when wild things should be left to the wild.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Two children capture and tame a legendary wild pony in this classic tale. From the moment that Phantom and her foal, Misty, are brought to Chincoteague, Paul and Maureen overcome one obstacle after another to make these wild creatures their own.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (7 ):

Horse lovers for generations have thrilled to this tale of wild ponies who resist capture at every turn. 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 will quickly find themselves involved in the drama of this captivating tale, but those used to today's fast pace and relentless action may find the book slow. Readers of all ages will enjoy Wesley Dennis' 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.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the wild horses in Misty of Chincoteague. Why do the kids want so desperately to capture Phantom? Should wild animals be allowed to run free?

  • What's so appealing about Phantom? How does captivity change her?

  • What do you think of the pace and language of the story? Does it seem too slow to you compared with other books you're used to reading? Does the way people talk seem old-fashioned?

Book Details

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