I had a pony as a kid & lived on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, not too far from Chincoteague. We went there & I got to put a real place to the book. The 'Paul' in the book was in his early 30's then, as I recall & I supposedly got to meet him. I was pretty young, about 7 or 8 I guess. I was told he was Paul, anyway. I don't think we got to see Misty, but one of her foals - Stormy? Anyway, it was a memorable book, all my kids read them & my wife too. ( )

I think this book, along with My Friend Flicka, first ignited my love for horses and reading about them. This seems to be part of the fabric of my memory of early childhood. ( )

Chincoteague is a small island off the coast of Virginia. It is protected from the ocean by a larger island, Asateague, which is a wildlife refuge for wild fowl and wild ponies. Each year there is a round up of ponies from Asateague so that they don’t overrun the island and over populate. Boats line up from island coast to island coast, creating a lane for the horses to go from Asateague to Chincoteague. Misty of Chincoteague is the story of Paul and Maureen whose goal is to capture the elusive horse, Phantom, and claim her as their own.

Paul and Maureen dream of Phantom and begin saving money in order to buy him after the roundup. It is Paul’s first round up and, surprisingly, he sees Phantom and herds her into the watery lane leading to the Pony Pens on Chincoteague. The surprising thing is that Phantom had a colt since the prior year, which Paul immediately names Misty. Now brother and sister want to buy both horses.

Originally written in 1947, the dialogue in Misty of Chincoteague may be a little dated. But don’t let that deter you from a delightful story of a brother and sister who yearn for a horse of their own. They live with their grandparents who are horse trainers, so they see horses come and go. They need their own horse. Henry does an excellent job of situating the reader amidst the action. Readers feel like they are part of the island round up. They see the wild horses struggling against the tide to get from island to the next. They feel Maureen’s pain when she learns that someone had already purchased Misty.

Misty of Chincoteague is a great read-aloud book as well as a great story book. Animal lovers will not be able to put the book down. ( )

OK. ( )

I read this when I was a small child. All of the series of books by this author were beautiful. ( )

Two youngsters' determination to own a Chincoteague pony is greatly increased when the Phantom and her colt are among those rounded up for the yearly auction.

The wonderful story of Paul and Maureen Beebe's relationship with the wild pony, Phantom, and her foal, Misty. The book that introduced the world to life on Chincoteague Island, VA and the wild ponies of Assateague Island. A must read for horse lovers. ( )

read but don't own, children's ( )

Lexile: 750
Reading Recovery: 24
DRA: 40
Fountas Pinnel Guided Reading: R
blue star

Amazon.com
On an island off the coasts of Virginia and Maryland lives a centuries-old band of wild ponies. Among them is the most mysterious of all, Phantom, a rarely seen mare that eludes all efforts to capture her--that is, until a young boy and girl lay eyes on her and determine that they can't live without her. The frenzied roundup that follows on the next "Pony Penning Day" does indeed bring Phantom into their lives, in a way they never would have suspected. Phantom would forever be a creature of the wild. But her gentle, loyal colt Misty is another story altogether.

Marguerite Henry's Newbery Honor Book has captivated generations of boys and girls both with its thrilling descriptions of true incidents from the tiny island of Chincoteague, and its realistic yet wonderfully magical atmosphere. This story of an animal brought into captivity poignantly reveals the powerful opposing forces of humans and nature. Wesley Dennis's pen-and-ink ponies are masterfully depicted with rippling muscles, shaggy coats, and free spirits. --Emilie Coulter

Well, I'm not really a horse lover, but I read this book since it is often listed as a favorite. What I found...it is a nice enough story, mildly exciting... sure to appeal to those elementary kids who adore horses. ( )

This is a non-fiction book. This is also a very funny book. When I first read this book I couldn't much funniness in it. After a few years I started to see a lot of silliness it and, as a result, I reccomend you read it. ( )

This is an old favorite. ( )