Pony-Sitters

Pony Pals #14

by Jeanne Betancourt

Do you love ponies? Be a Pony Pal!

Anna and her friends have a new job. When the Klines ask the Pony Pals to take care of Mimi and her new pony, Anna is so excited. Mimi is very cute and her pony is adorable!

But Mimi doesn't like doing pony chores and taking care of her pony. How can the Pony Pals teach her about riding and safety when she doesn't listen? Will Mimi be able to keep her new pony?

Genres: Horses, Animals, Childrens, Fiction, Contemporary, Young Readers, Realistic Fiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1997

About the author

When I was growing up I never thought of being an author. I was a terrible speller and didn't want to write any more than I had to. I wanted to be a tap dancer when I grew up. After a few years of teaching junior high and high school, I wrote my first novel. It was a surprise to discover that I liked making up stories and writing them down. I liked it so much that eventually I stopped teaching and became a fulltime writer.

Besides novels for children and young adults, I've also told stories by writing scripts for television and the movies.

I live on the top floor of a sixteen-story building near the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. From my apartment I have a view of Manhattan that includes the Empire State Building and the Plaza Hotel. In my free time I draw, paint, and read. I still love to dance.

Some people think that a writer's life is lonely. But when I'm writing a story I don't feel lonely because I am actively involved with lots of interesting people – the characters in my books. I love knowing that some day readers will get to know these characters, too. If you are one of my readers I hope you have as much enjoyment in reading my stories as I have writing them.

Reviews

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is where I have to start skipping over books because I don't own them all.


This is an interesting problem for the Pony Pals to face, of somebody who loves ponies but doesn't know how to act around them. However, the character of Mimi is VERY annoying, and she sounds like a spoiled brat. I really don't understand how her parents have any control over her, and she acts more like a toddler than her age.

I don't mean to complain so much, but I hated any scene Mimi was in, and she just sounds like an exhausting child.

I did enjoy everything else about the book, though.

[JoReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Childhood favourite series (haven't read in a long time) giving all four stars.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a nice storybook of friendship for three girls (all 5th graders) and the bond they form with each other and each of their ponies. In this story a little 5 year old child is given her very own pony, without her parents knowing how to care for the pony or know anything about it. (That is the reason behind my lower rating for this book) Adults should be responsible enough to know about animals before they purchase one for their underage child, especially one this young. They hire the Pony Pals to come for a few hours a day to help train the little girl and the pony. The little girl ends up running away at one point, and she lays under the horse etc doing many things that she could have seriously gotten hurt with. Just the message behind this book was a good one but the storyline was a very badly written one. Irresponsibly isn't a good thing to teach the children readers.

It is a chapter book of the "Pony Pals" series. My now grown daughter LOVED these books as a child (she begin to read them when she was about 8) and read most of all of the ones in the series. I found her copy of many of them and decided to try and read them to see what they were like. You can read these as stand alone books; but the reader would understand and relate to the girls better if you read them in order. If you have to miss one 'here and there' it's not big deal; you won't be lost but just get the full effect better in order.

As a mother reading these books I really appreciate the way Ms Betancourt has written about the girls putting their heads together and trying to work out problems together and coming up with solutions themselves. As the young adults they are becoming it gives the girls in the story the opportunity to think things through. Which helps readers know they could do the same thing to try and find solutions as the young adults they will be in a few years. Thus far in each of the books I've read of this series the girls have tried to come up with solutions to problems and that is such a good thing to teach children

[Melissa Namba · Rating 1 out of 5]

awful. the girls basically have a junior selfish brat in training here. they once again undermine adults and think they know better. a little girl, who doesn't mind anyone and who only dies what she wants to do, loses her pony and the pony pals fight to get it back for her. and in the end the little girl shows no sign of changing.

[Alisha Brook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pony Pals was one of my favourite "horsey" series growing up. Jeanne Betancourt has a writing skill that makes the books easy to read and interesting. I read many of the series and I was enthralled with each new story.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

read them all

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good story

[Juliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeanne Betancourt was my favorite author when I was in elementary school. I loved the Pony pal series! :)

[Katt Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does anyone else think expecting a 5 year old to learn how to take care of a pony is a bit much?

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good children's book, especially if you like ponies or horses.

[Alexandra Lindner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the series!!

[Corrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is about the pony sitters teaching mimi how to ride and take care of her pony.