Parents' Guide to Pony

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.