Pony

Old-school Western meets ghost story in heart-filled quest.
Parents say
Based on 2 reviews
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Pony is a hero's journey/coming-of-age tale, set in the Old West on the eve of the Civil War, by R.J. Palacio (Wonder, White Bird). Part old-school Western, part ghost story, it follows 12-year-old protagonist Silas Bird, who's been considered a little odd most of his life because, unlike most of the people around him, he sees ghosts, whether he wants to or not -- and one of them, who looks like a teenage boy, has been his constant companion since he was little. When outlaws abduct Silas' father, who, unbeknownst to Silas, has a long-buried dark past, the boy sets out to save him, accompanied by his ghost BFF, his long-dead mom's violin, and a mysterious white-faced, blue-eyed horse. They encounter many people, living and dead, in a narrative that frequently cites The Odyssey. History, literature, and science of the day are essential to the story, and author Palacio provides extensive references for further reading in the afterword. Violence and gore are plentiful, with gunplay, hand-to-hand-combat, grievous wounds, lost limbs, and more. Multiple characters die. A character has his hands blown off. A horse misses a jump and breaks her leg. Ghosts tend to appear with missing body parts, bleeding wounds, or other evidence of their cause of death. Harrowing forest scenes involve the mangled ghosts of Native Americans massacred by settlers. Adult characters drink alcohol. There are also strong messages of family, friendship, kindness, resourcefulness, and having the courage to do the right thing.
Community Reviews
Thought provoking, tear jerking, challenging...
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Great adventure story!
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What's the Story?
PONY is a mysterious horse with a white face and blue eyes, who turns up the night 12-year-old Silas' father is abducted by outlaws, and soon proves a life-changing companion. It's 1860 in the Old West, and the man who's been a loving parent to the boy and filled his head with science and the classics seems to have an unknown but dark past catching up with him. The outlaws and their captive have vanished into forbidding, haunted woods, and his father has ordered him to stay home, but Silas is determined to overcome his own terrors and save his dad. He's never ridden a horse before, but he and Pony are soon headed down a terrifying path, accompanied by Mittenwool, Silas' lifelong companion, who's a ghost. Some characters, living and dead, will come to his assistance. Others will try to kill him.
Is It Any Good?
R.J. Palacio crafts a timeless hero's-journey tale of the Wild West with a tween boy, his best friend (a ghost), and the mysterious horse who carries him on a perilous quest for his abducted dad. With frequent references and parallels to The Odyssey, Pony's young hero often thinks of Odysseus' son Telemachus and that boy's quest to find his own father, and reflects on science and the classics while encountering deadly perils from wild rivers, steep cliffs, and murderous outlaws. There's gunplay, gore, and ghosts, and lots of heart and kindness from characters living and dead in this fresh take on a classic theme, enriched by the antique photographs that inspired the story and characters.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the Old West setting of Pony. Why do you think people continue to find that time and place so interesting and keep revisiting it? Do you think Pony would work as a story if it were in another time and place?
In the past, two American characters in Pony fought on the side of Mexico against the United States because they hoped Mexico would follow French law, which decriminalized homosexuality. Is there any cause or issue that's so important for you that you would, if necessary, fight your own country for it?
Some characters in Pony don't think counterfeit money is an ethical problem -- it just means more money for everyone. What do you think about that argument?
Book Details
- Author: R.J. Palacio
- Genre: Coming of Age
- Topics: Adventures, Great Boy Role Models, History, Horses and Farm Animals
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Knopf
- Publication date: September 28, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 10 - 18
- Number of pages: 304
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: October 1, 2021
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love ghosts and Westerns
Themes & Topics
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