A Pony for a Princess

by Andrea Posner-Sanchez, Francesc Mateu

In this original Disney Princess story, ever-curious Belle befriends a pony who has wandered onto the castle grounds.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Fiction, Princesses, Fantasy

32 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2002

Reviews

[Nathaniel Dykstra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Summary-
Belle notices some things as she passes by them on her way to a self made picnic. She comes back and they all are missing. She finds the culprit to be a pony. Belle befriends the pony.

Review-
I don't really know what to expect here since its way out of my reading capabilities, but from other books I read, I'm not impressed. It seems more like a series of events than a story. The plot is nonexistent, and what is there is dry. I would review this a one star had the artwork been terrible. I don't really recommend it to anyone.

[♥♣Mary♦♠ If She So Pleases · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very beautiful beginning reader's book. The illustrations are bright and lively, the story is clever and sweet.
✨✨✨✨✨

[Jeongjihye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very fun.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book #4 for my niece. I flipped through several of these media tie-in early reader books, and was unimpressed. The illustrations are good, familiar and will resonate with kids who like the corresponding movies. But the stories are rather simple and lackluster compared to books with original content. Some were rather blatant attempts to sell toys.

But this one seemed to have some promise. Belle finds and befriends a pony. This is supposed to be level 2, and I don't know the criteria, but the short sentences seemed a bit too simplistic compared to other level 2 books I looked at. But it doesn't hurt to have an easy book in the mix, and I thought my niece might like the story which actually has a plot (and a pony!), and is an original story. Some media tie-ins are just part of the movie in book form, and some of the other Disney Princess books I looked at seemed to be comprised of sentences that described the corresponding picture, designed around a theme but with no plot connecting them.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story, but I was sad the Beast never came up in the story and we never found out how he would have reacted to Belle having a new pony.

The book is a very short book as it is a level 2 reading book for beginner readers so it was a fast read for me. A great book to start off when learning to read. It has short sentences, might need some help with new words, but the book flows well. Illustrations are your typical Disney Princess Belle illustrations like from the cartoon movie.

[Amber Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about Princess Belle from Beauty and the Beast and she likes to read so she decides to read outside. When she goes inside for a snack and comes back outside she notices that hay and apples disappeared. Belle discovers that it is a pony and she gains the pony's trust. They become best friends which is a great story for children to realize that animals and even people need to gain your trust before becoming friends.

[Melissa Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read- Belle picks out a book to read. She walks past the barn and the apple tree. Belle sits down to read. She read for a long time. She was then hungry and walked back to the castle to get some lunch.She packed a picnic lunch, walked past the barn and they hay ws gone. Belle saw a pony and it was scard of her. She fed it sugar cubes and then it liked her. She made a new friend.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed that the book had the familiar character of Belle, but with a new and unique story. Large and easy to read font, with detailed pictures in the background that keep the book entertaining. The pictures provide good indicators about what is going on in the text, making it easier for young readers.

[Nikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok. It was very simple and didn't have a complicated plot or anything. I was hoping for something a little better but it was still a short and easy read.

[Arwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story about Belle making friends with a lost pony. This is not a movie tie-in, but a stand alone story. Great for ages 2-6.

[Melinda Christensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book for a beginning reader! The illustrations are delicious, typical Disney.

[Sarah Lindfors · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute. Text an easy read and illustrations great!

[Awjtf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely reader about Belle and a horse.

[Kelly Chester · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set before the events of the movie, Belle tames a wild horse.

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maddie read this.

[Robert Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very sweet story.

[Kathryn (Dragon Bite Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog, Nine Pages .

I was drawn to the book by the promise of a pony but was a little worried by the book being a Disney spinoff. I was more impressed with this book than I expected to be. The plot is well formed. A deductive thinker could reason the plot from details. Belle sees a barrel of apples, and later decides to return to the barrel to sate her hunger, only to find the barrel empty, then logically she seeks to discover what happened to the apples. I do think it unlikely that a wild pony could be so easily caught by a trail of sugar cubes, but this is a Disney story, and Belle qualifies as a Disney princess, so I will forgive the implausibility and call it more of an inevitability.

[Holly Letson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Belle lays her book down, and goes to the castle to make a picnic. When she returns, the things she needs are all gone, like apples and such. Just as she starts to worry, she find the culprit--a cute tan-colored pony. She instantly loves the horse, and uses the sugar cubes to have him some to her, so that she can return him to the stables.

[Robbi C · Rating 2 out of 5]

I get it. So many of these early reader books have little to no plot or are written in a very simplistic manner. Unfortunately, that still doesn't explain why Belle packed sugar cubes for her picnic. It's like she knew she'd run into a wild pony. These books could be better. However, my 3 year old did not notice the extremely convenient set-up and enjoyed the story anyway.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Belle's riding outfit in this book. A book all about princesses and horses (girls love princesses and horses), but sneaks in some nice messages about healthy nutrition and kindness to animals. Possible pro-vegetarianism slant?

[Sandybear76]

Belle takes a walk, looking for a good place to read her book. After reading for a bit, she decides she is hungry but the apples that was overflowing from a barrel before are now missing. What did they go?

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun for little girls who love princesses and ponies---what could be better than both in the same easy reader?

[Sara B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about a princess named Belle. Belle learns how to get a pony to trust her so they can become friends.

[Sarah A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best story out there but it's about a princess and a pony so my daughter loves it. Nice simple words for early readers. Nice simple story for them to follow.

[Constance · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this to my daughter. It's kinda strange that the stray pony looks an awful lot like Philippe...maybe one of his wild seeds perhaps?

[T Crockett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed by 4 & 6 yr olds. One loves princesses and the other loves ponies. Great repetition for early readers, without becoming boring.

[Shelly H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Girls like it.