Ed. note: Island Bound Bookstore is inviting young readers to come in to the store to read a book and write a review, which The Block Island Times will publish on occasion.
“Misty of Chincoteague”
by Marguerite Henry
“Misty of Chincoteague” is a story about a pony named Misty and her mother, named the Phantom. Phantom is a wild pony who lives on a neighboring island, called Assateague. The story says that this is where a ship crashed over one hundred years ago. The cargo, which was ponies, swam to Assateague and became wild. That is why ponies live there now.
It is also a story about Paul and Maureen Beebe. Paul and Maureen live on Chincoteague on the Beebe Pony Ranch with Grandpa Beebe and Grandma Beebe. Paul and Maureen work very hard to save up money to buy the Phantom. What you don’t know is that there is an event called Pony Penning Day that they do every year. People gather up ponies from Assateague and swim them to Chincoteague; then they pen the ponies and sell some of them. This is how Paul and Maureen bought Misty and her mom. The rest of the ponies that they don’t sell, they send back to Assateague.
The book is based on real events. Pony Penning is an event that really happens! When my mom was a kid she went to Chincoteague and she met Misty’s foal Stormy! Paul Beebe still owns Pony Ranch. We Googled it.
It’s so interesting. There is so much that happens: she tells us how people on Chincoteague lived, what they ate, and what they did. The book also tells us how to take care of a pony: Paul and Maureen have to get up early, then have to get them food, they “curry” them, they shelter them from storms. If many people read “Misty of Chincoteague” they might buy more horses. And then Block Island would become a little bit more like Chincoteague.
Marguerite Henry has written other books that you can read too. They’re all very good! — Beckett H. Kirschner, age eight
“Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties”
by Dav Pilkey
I think somebody should read this book:
1. Because it is easy to read.
2. Because it is funny.
3. Because they make more books about it.
4. Because they show you on the back of the book how to draw the characters. — Maizey Burbank-Tyrrell, age seven
“I Am Malala”
by Malala Yousafzai
“I Am Malala” is a very good book. It is about a girl who stands up to the Taliban for girls’ rights to education. She has a very hard experience but pushes through. I love it because it is inspiring and well-written. — Indira Bush, age 10
“Dork Diaries: Tales From A
Not-So-Happily Ever After”
by Rachel Renée Russell
I love the “Dork Diaries” series because they are very funny, though I love this one the most because it has all my favorite fairy tales in it. Nikki, the main character is playing dodge ball with her class and gets it in the face with a dodge ball by Mackenzie (the mean girl), and Nikki has a crazy dream that she is all the characters. — Ella Zonfrillo, age eight