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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
This was a very powerful story that I read in 2 days. I quickly connected with the main character, Silas, who is on a quest to find and save his father who was taken by bandits in this story that is set in the past. Silas can see and talk to ghosts which is an interesting twist to this tale. This is the story of Silas, on his adventurous journey through the scary Woods and of the people who help him along the way. It is the story of mother who loves him very much but is no long with him. It is a story of the power of love that never dies. Even when the physical body might pass, the power of love carries over into the next life. Being a Science teacher, I liked all of the Science references in this book too. Some people are trying to compare this book to Wonder. Pony and Wonder are 2 very different stories. I don't think you can compare them or choose one over the other. Both are very powerful with their own unique messages. RJ Palacio's books always pull at my heart strings and I hope my middle school students will feel the same way when they read this new story, which I will recommend to them. Special thanks to NetGalley for letting me read an advanced copy of this book. #Pony #NetGalley
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a must read! It is adventurous, sad, tense, emotional, and very interesting. The way the author wove together different storylines and connected all the dots really seamlessly created a book that was difficult to put down.
I don’t know how to express my reaction to this book. I feel nothing less than changed because of it.
Palacio’s endless hours of work on this novel has produced nothing short of stunning, extraterrestrial, existential storytelling.
I don’t know what else to say. Everyone should read it. Everyone 12 and up, that is.
Palacio’s endless hours of work on this novel has produced nothing short of stunning, extraterrestrial, existential storytelling.
I don’t know what else to say. Everyone should read it. Everyone 12 and up, that is.
I'm not sure about the story as a whole, so I'll share my broken thoughts... I loved Silas and his relationship with Mittenwool. I loved all his pa had done for him and his mother. I loved Pony. I loved the literary allusions and the description of the equipment. I loved the bittersweet surprises in the end. As for the story itself, I was missing something, but I don't know what. It was definitely a quest story - maybe coming on the heels of me reading FAIRY TALE by Stephen King, I see the quest lacking a teeny bit... I think the student of mine who will like this will have to like animals and the quest.
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
MY RATING BREAKDOWN
Initial Response: 3 ⭐️
Characters: 3.5 ⭐️
Relationship B/n Characters: 3.25 ⭐️
Setting: 3.5 ⭐️
Plot: 3.25 ⭐️
Writing: 3.75 ⭐️
Pacing: 4 ⭐️
Did this make sense? 3.25 ⭐️
Staying Power: 3.5 ⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 3.75 ⭐️
Total Rounded Average: 3.5 ⭐️
THE NOT-SO GOOD
A lot of it felt sort of underdeveloped to me. I didn't quite understand the world. I didn't quite understand why things happened the way they did. Random things were thrown in that added little value to the story. Also, there were times where the word choice made it feel like children were not actually the intended audience.
THE GOOD
I really loved how different this book felt from many of the other books that I have come across in children's literature. While it had some elements of fantasy, it also felt like a nice western adventure. I also really loved that the entire tale was inspired by random photos that the author had come across and I loved the inclusion of those photos before each chapter. (Reminds me of Miss Peregrine's only less creepy.)
OVERALL
The kids looked forward to reading every night, even my reluctant pre-teen, so that's a win. I think I would have liked to see it more fleshed out. I think this is a rare occasion when the book could have been and should have been significantly longer.
Initial Response: 3 ⭐️
Characters: 3.5 ⭐️
Relationship B/n Characters: 3.25 ⭐️
Setting: 3.5 ⭐️
Plot: 3.25 ⭐️
Writing: 3.75 ⭐️
Pacing: 4 ⭐️
Did this make sense? 3.25 ⭐️
Staying Power: 3.5 ⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 3.75 ⭐️
Total Rounded Average: 3.5 ⭐️
THE NOT-SO GOOD
A lot of it felt sort of underdeveloped to me. I didn't quite understand the world. I didn't quite understand why things happened the way they did. Random things were thrown in that added little value to the story. Also, there were times where the word choice made it feel like children were not actually the intended audience.
THE GOOD
I really loved how different this book felt from many of the other books that I have come across in children's literature. While it had some elements of fantasy, it also felt like a nice western adventure. I also really loved that the entire tale was inspired by random photos that the author had come across and I loved the inclusion of those photos before each chapter. (Reminds me of Miss Peregrine's only less creepy.)
OVERALL
The kids looked forward to reading every night, even my reluctant pre-teen, so that's a win. I think I would have liked to see it more fleshed out. I think this is a rare occasion when the book could have been and should have been significantly longer.
A magical western about a little boy and his ghost companion trying to save his father from a group of counterfeiters.
This was one of the sweetest novels I have read in a long time. Lovable characters, fun setting, and a tender storyline.
This was one of the sweetest novels I have read in a long time. Lovable characters, fun setting, and a tender storyline.
Pony by R. J. Palacio was a gloriously good read, way beyond my expectations of a book that was marketed as part Western, part ghost story. I'm a fan of neither of those, but I'm a HUGE fan of Pony. Part magical realism, part historical fiction, part mystery, and ALL adventure story, Pony is fresh and engaging and unlike any other historical adventure for kids that I've read. This is suited for readers older than the readers of Wonder, and the narration of the audiobook by Ian M. Hawkins is excellent. Highly recommended for classroom libraries and elementary and middle school library collections.
1a lectura
Pot un llibre tenir 5 estrelles sense ser una obra mestre? Això és el que em fa reflexionar aquest llibre. Ja que si bé estem davant d’un llibre que no canviarà la història de la literatura, també estem davant d’un títol que tècnicament és perfecte. No té cap errada, entreté i emociona. Per tant aquí van 5 estrelles.
Poder amb el temps e convertirà en un nou clàssic. Té molts elements per fer-ho.
2a lectura
Amb una segona lectura i un club de lectura organitzat al voltant d'aquest títol, no queda cap dubte de que aquest llibre és una obra mestra i de que estem parlant d'un nou clàssic.
Les referències constants a La Iliada, la barreja de gèneres, el tema que tracta, els girs argumentals, la solidesa dels personatges, l'edició ... tot és d'una altíssima qualitat en aquest títol i és un llibre que s'apropa a la perfecció.
Un títol indispensable en qualsevol biblioteca escolar de secundària.
Pot un llibre tenir 5 estrelles sense ser una obra mestre? Això és el que em fa reflexionar aquest llibre. Ja que si bé estem davant d’un llibre que no canviarà la història de la literatura, també estem davant d’un títol que tècnicament és perfecte. No té cap errada, entreté i emociona. Per tant aquí van 5 estrelles.
Poder amb el temps e convertirà en un nou clàssic. Té molts elements per fer-ho.
2a lectura
Amb una segona lectura i un club de lectura organitzat al voltant d'aquest títol, no queda cap dubte de que aquest llibre és una obra mestra i de que estem parlant d'un nou clàssic.
Les referències constants a La Iliada, la barreja de gèneres, el tema que tracta, els girs argumentals, la solidesa dels personatges, l'edició ... tot és d'una altíssima qualitat en aquest títol i és un llibre que s'apropa a la perfecció.
Un títol indispensable en qualsevol biblioteca escolar de secundària.
Exciting, poignant and skilfully woven coming-of-age historical adventure and ghost story, set in the American Wild West in the 1800s.
Silas has an unusual and solitary childhood. After his mother died giving birth to him, he grows up alone, except for his father and his best friend, Mittenwool, who happens to be a ghost. Not fitting in with other children and being singled out by the narrow minded teacher, he instead receives an unorthodox but enriching education from his father.
But one day their wotld is shattered when three strangers approach on horseback and take his father away. When the pony later returns to Silas by itself, he decides he has to follow and help his father.
Although the people, places and events are fictional, they could all have happened based on the author's extensive research of events around the time, imaginatively intertwining the pioneers of photography with the rise of counterfeiting, using photographs from the era as inspiration for her characters.
Silas has an unusual and solitary childhood. After his mother died giving birth to him, he grows up alone, except for his father and his best friend, Mittenwool, who happens to be a ghost. Not fitting in with other children and being singled out by the narrow minded teacher, he instead receives an unorthodox but enriching education from his father.
But one day their wotld is shattered when three strangers approach on horseback and take his father away. When the pony later returns to Silas by itself, he decides he has to follow and help his father.
Although the people, places and events are fictional, they could all have happened based on the author's extensive research of events around the time, imaginatively intertwining the pioneers of photography with the rise of counterfeiting, using photographs from the era as inspiration for her characters.