What do you think?
Rate this book
The Thunderbolt Pony
A dramatic and emotional story about one girl’s determination to stand by her beloved animals – and her refusal to give up, even in the face of impossible odds.
When a devastating earthquake hits Evie’s hometown of Parnassus on New Zealand’s South Island, she and the rest of the town are forced to evacuate. Evie’s injured mum is one of the first to be rescued by helicopter and Evie will be next. But when realises that she will be forced to leave her beloved pony, Gus, her dog, Jock, and her cat Moxy behind, she is determined to find another way. Before the rescue helicopter returns, Evie flees with Gus, Jock and Moxy in a race against time across difficult terrain to reach the port of Kaikoura, where she has heard that people will be evacuated by ship in three days’ time. Surely there will be space for her, Gus, Jock and Moxy there?
But the journey is harder than Evie could ever have imagined, and with aftershocks constantly shaking, Evie will have to draw on all her bravery, strength, and resilience to bring her and her animals to safety . . . and hope that they reach the boat in time.
When a devastating earthquake hits Evie’s hometown of Parnassus on New Zealand’s South Island, she and the rest of the town are forced to evacuate. Evie’s injured mum is one of the first to be rescued by helicopter and Evie will be next. But when realises that she will be forced to leave her beloved pony, Gus, her dog, Jock, and her cat Moxy behind, she is determined to find another way. Before the rescue helicopter returns, Evie flees with Gus, Jock and Moxy in a race against time across difficult terrain to reach the port of Kaikoura, where she has heard that people will be evacuated by ship in three days’ time. Surely there will be space for her, Gus, Jock and Moxy there?
But the journey is harder than Evie could ever have imagined, and with aftershocks constantly shaking, Evie will have to draw on all her bravery, strength, and resilience to bring her and her animals to safety . . . and hope that they reach the boat in time.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2017
20 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
About the author
Stacy Gregg
80 books207 followersAs a young girl living in New Zealand Stacy Gregg wanted to be two things when she grew up – a horse rider and a writer. She now considers herself very, very lucky to be both at once!
Becoming a writer was the easy part – all she needed was an exercise book and a pen. Stacy wrote loads of poetry and short stories at school and then became a journalist, writing features for magazines and newspapers and working as a fashion writer (v. glamorous and lots of fun!) before her first book in the Pony Club Secrets series was published in 2007.
Extract from author's web page
Becoming a writer was the easy part – all she needed was an exercise book and a pen. Stacy wrote loads of poetry and short stories at school and then became a journalist, writing features for magazines and newspapers and working as a fashion writer (v. glamorous and lots of fun!) before her first book in the Pony Club Secrets series was published in 2007.
Extract from author's web page
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
December 28, 2017
I love Stacy Gregg's books! The author description for this one says, 'She has reinvigorated the pony genre' and that is definitely accurate. If you're looking for well written, fun and original pony books, she's a great go to, a modern equivalent of the Pullein-Thompson sisters with a mix of The Saddle Club without the ghostwriters.
The Thunderbolt Pony deals with a lot; earthquakes, grief, OCD, Greek mythology and of course horses. I was hooked from the first page and flew through it. Recommended to anyone who enjoys this genre. 🐴🐎
The Thunderbolt Pony deals with a lot; earthquakes, grief, OCD, Greek mythology and of course horses. I was hooked from the first page and flew through it. Recommended to anyone who enjoys this genre. 🐴🐎
November 30, 2020
Wow! I did not read the back of the book so I really had no idea what to expect. What a ride! My favorite character was Moxy, who scared me, broke my heart, and left me wanting to hug her. I also loved the captain.
October 3, 2017
This book is perfect for any animal loving young readers out there, particularly horse-adoring girls. Not only because of Evie’s amazing journey with her three animal friends, across the earthquake torn South Island of New Zealand, but because it also delves deeper.
There is plenty of excitement to be faced as Evie, her pony Gus, her dog Jock and her incredible cat Moxy travel alone, but there are other things to also face – such as Evie’s OCD. I thought this was handled incredibly well, from the causes through to her therapy and how it impacted her life. Evie’s been through a lot, even before the earthquake crushes her house, injures her mother and leaves her travelling for days all on her own, but this story tells it brilliantly in a mix of flashbacks and present adventure, with a lot of Greek mythology thrown in for good measure.
I really enjoyed this. Evie’s troubles are sensitively handled and all of her animal friends have distinct personalities. Gus is steady and Jock is friendly, but I loved Moxy the most. That cat definitely lives up to her name.
Packed with adventure and danger, heartache and excitement, this book is about more than one incredible journey. It’s about friendship and loyalty, mental health and grief, and also the kind of determination that saves lives and changes worlds. I loved it, and if you know any animal-loving young (and not so young) readers, chances are they’ll enjoy it too.
(ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.)
There is plenty of excitement to be faced as Evie, her pony Gus, her dog Jock and her incredible cat Moxy travel alone, but there are other things to also face – such as Evie’s OCD. I thought this was handled incredibly well, from the causes through to her therapy and how it impacted her life. Evie’s been through a lot, even before the earthquake crushes her house, injures her mother and leaves her travelling for days all on her own, but this story tells it brilliantly in a mix of flashbacks and present adventure, with a lot of Greek mythology thrown in for good measure.
I really enjoyed this. Evie’s troubles are sensitively handled and all of her animal friends have distinct personalities. Gus is steady and Jock is friendly, but I loved Moxy the most. That cat definitely lives up to her name.
Packed with adventure and danger, heartache and excitement, this book is about more than one incredible journey. It’s about friendship and loyalty, mental health and grief, and also the kind of determination that saves lives and changes worlds. I loved it, and if you know any animal-loving young (and not so young) readers, chances are they’ll enjoy it too.
(ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.)
October 22, 2017
Definitely 4.5 stars!
Evie has had a lot on her plate. Her father has passed away, her OCD is taking over, and the Kaikoura earthquake has left her mum being helicoptered to Christchurch. They are being evacuated, but Evie doesn't want to leave. Her best friends are Moxy, Jock and Gus. Her cat, dog and Arabian horse - and there is no way she is leaving any of them behind. The only solution is to ride all the way to Kaikoura from her farm.
This story is their journey together, facing after shocks, an angry bull, raging rivers, wild weather and more. But their bond is absolute and also battling her OCD, Evie's thoughts flash back to her appointments with her doctor and the thing that triggered it in the first place. Will they get there in time to board the HMS Canterbury with the other evacuees? Will they all make it?
Any fan of Sheila Burnford's The Incredible Journey, will love this tale as much as I did. It made me cheer, cry, smile and laugh. The pace gallops along (sorry, but it's the best word for it), with one obstacle after another for the plucky friends to beat. The story flicked backwards to the 7.8 earthquake that struck two minutes after midnight in NZ on 13 Nov 2016, and further back to her doctor's visits about her OCD, then forward to the present, but it was clearly marked with different fonts and easy to follow. Fantastic!
Evie has had a lot on her plate. Her father has passed away, her OCD is taking over, and the Kaikoura earthquake has left her mum being helicoptered to Christchurch. They are being evacuated, but Evie doesn't want to leave. Her best friends are Moxy, Jock and Gus. Her cat, dog and Arabian horse - and there is no way she is leaving any of them behind. The only solution is to ride all the way to Kaikoura from her farm.
This story is their journey together, facing after shocks, an angry bull, raging rivers, wild weather and more. But their bond is absolute and also battling her OCD, Evie's thoughts flash back to her appointments with her doctor and the thing that triggered it in the first place. Will they get there in time to board the HMS Canterbury with the other evacuees? Will they all make it?
Any fan of Sheila Burnford's The Incredible Journey, will love this tale as much as I did. It made me cheer, cry, smile and laugh. The pace gallops along (sorry, but it's the best word for it), with one obstacle after another for the plucky friends to beat. The story flicked backwards to the 7.8 earthquake that struck two minutes after midnight in NZ on 13 Nov 2016, and further back to her doctor's visits about her OCD, then forward to the present, but it was clearly marked with different fonts and easy to follow. Fantastic!
September 22, 2017
Inhaled in a single sitting. Stacy does it again this time on home ground combining mythology and the Kaikoura earthquake in a story that will stay with me. She get's it exactly right with 12 year Evie especially when talking about Evie's OCD and how this impacts on her life. But in the aftermath of the earthquake and with her four legged friends for company (horse, dog, cat - who could ask for better?) Evie journey doesn't just cross the country to the coast but also on one of self discovery in her personal battle against her anxiety. It was a story well told and easily recognisable. The only thing missing from this contemporary story were the authors notes at the end to give some context to the story as she had in her other based on fact books in this series. Hardly needed for the New Zealand audience but perhaps handy for her international followers. Well done Stacy.
February 23, 2025
When a devastating earthquake hits Evie's hometown of Parnassus on New Zealand's South Island, she and the rest of the town are forced to evacuate. Evie's injured mum is one of the first to be rescued by helicopter and Evie will be next. But when realises that she will be forced to leave her beloved pony, Gus, her dog, Jock, and her cat Moxy behind, she is determined to find another way. Before the rescue helicopter returns, Evie flees with Gus, Jock and Moxy in a race against time across difficult terrain to reach the port of Kaikoura, where she has heard that people will be evacuated by ship in three days' time.
There is plenty of excitement to be faced as Evie, her pony Gus, her dog Jock and her incredible cat Moxy travel alone, but there are other things to also face – such as Evie’s OCD. I thought this was handled incredibly well, from the causes through to her therapy and how it impacted her life. Evie’s been through a lot, even before the earthquake crushes her house, injures her mother and leaves her travelling for days all on her own, but this story tells it brilliantly in a mix of flashbacks and present adventure, with a lot of Greek mythology thrown in for good measure.
I really enjoyed this. Evie’s troubles are sensitively handled, and all of her animal friends have distinct personalities. Gus is steady and Jock is friendly.
Packed with adventure and danger, heartache and excitement. This book is about friendship and loyalty, mental health and grief, and also the kind of determination that saves lives and changes worlds. Evie’s bond with her animals is absolute and heartwarming. Whilst Evie deals with OCD, Evie's thoughts flash back to her appointments with her doctor and the thing that triggered it in the first place
Evie has had a lot on her plate. Her father has passed away, her OCD is taking over, and the Kaikoura earthquake has left her mum being helicoptered to Christchurch. However, I found the beginning of the story a bit hard to get in to, as I found it a bit doubtful that a 12-year-old girl could pinpoint the exact moment she developed her OCD.
I did enjoy that the author spent a lot of time showing how an illness like OCD can affect people, even in crisis and I think we need more books that empathize this.
In the end it was a very moving story, and it emphasized the fact of not leaving anyone behind and that pets are part of your responsibility even when a disaster hit.
I would give this book 5 stars because it kept readers on the edge of their seats. It was really good and raises awareness for conditions such as OCD. I would recommend this to anyone aged 9 or over and it’s great to read alone or as a family but there are some emotional parts.
There is plenty of excitement to be faced as Evie, her pony Gus, her dog Jock and her incredible cat Moxy travel alone, but there are other things to also face – such as Evie’s OCD. I thought this was handled incredibly well, from the causes through to her therapy and how it impacted her life. Evie’s been through a lot, even before the earthquake crushes her house, injures her mother and leaves her travelling for days all on her own, but this story tells it brilliantly in a mix of flashbacks and present adventure, with a lot of Greek mythology thrown in for good measure.
I really enjoyed this. Evie’s troubles are sensitively handled, and all of her animal friends have distinct personalities. Gus is steady and Jock is friendly.
Packed with adventure and danger, heartache and excitement. This book is about friendship and loyalty, mental health and grief, and also the kind of determination that saves lives and changes worlds. Evie’s bond with her animals is absolute and heartwarming. Whilst Evie deals with OCD, Evie's thoughts flash back to her appointments with her doctor and the thing that triggered it in the first place
Evie has had a lot on her plate. Her father has passed away, her OCD is taking over, and the Kaikoura earthquake has left her mum being helicoptered to Christchurch. However, I found the beginning of the story a bit hard to get in to, as I found it a bit doubtful that a 12-year-old girl could pinpoint the exact moment she developed her OCD.
I did enjoy that the author spent a lot of time showing how an illness like OCD can affect people, even in crisis and I think we need more books that empathize this.
In the end it was a very moving story, and it emphasized the fact of not leaving anyone behind and that pets are part of your responsibility even when a disaster hit.
I would give this book 5 stars because it kept readers on the edge of their seats. It was really good and raises awareness for conditions such as OCD. I would recommend this to anyone aged 9 or over and it’s great to read alone or as a family but there are some emotional parts.
December 26, 2018
Age - 7+
Evie has had a lot on her plate. Her father has passed away, her OCD is taking over, and the Kaikoura earthquake has left her mum being helicoptered to Christchurch. They are being evacuated, but Evie doesn't want to leave. Her best friends are Moxy, Jock and Gus. Her cat, dog and Arabian horse - and there is no way she is leaving any of them behind. The only solution is to ride all the way to Kaikoura from her farm.
This story is their journey together, facing after shocks, an angry bull, raging rivers, wild weather and more. But their bond is absolute and also battling her OCD, Evie's thoughts flash back to her appointments with her doctor and the thing that triggered it in the first place. Will they get there in time to board the HMS Canterbury with the other evacuees? Will they all make it?
Any fan of Sheila Burnford's The Incredible Journey, will love this tale as much as I did. It made me cheer, cry, smile and laugh. The pace gallops along (sorry, but it's the best word for it), with one obstacle after another for the plucky friends to beat. The story flicked backwards to the 7.8 earthquake that struck two minutes after midnight in New Zealand on 13 Nov 2016, and further back to her doctor's visits about her OCD, then forward to the present, but it was clearly marked with different fonts and easy to follow. Fantastic!
Evie has had a lot on her plate. Her father has passed away, her OCD is taking over, and the Kaikoura earthquake has left her mum being helicoptered to Christchurch. They are being evacuated, but Evie doesn't want to leave. Her best friends are Moxy, Jock and Gus. Her cat, dog and Arabian horse - and there is no way she is leaving any of them behind. The only solution is to ride all the way to Kaikoura from her farm.
This story is their journey together, facing after shocks, an angry bull, raging rivers, wild weather and more. But their bond is absolute and also battling her OCD, Evie's thoughts flash back to her appointments with her doctor and the thing that triggered it in the first place. Will they get there in time to board the HMS Canterbury with the other evacuees? Will they all make it?
Any fan of Sheila Burnford's The Incredible Journey, will love this tale as much as I did. It made me cheer, cry, smile and laugh. The pace gallops along (sorry, but it's the best word for it), with one obstacle after another for the plucky friends to beat. The story flicked backwards to the 7.8 earthquake that struck two minutes after midnight in New Zealand on 13 Nov 2016, and further back to her doctor's visits about her OCD, then forward to the present, but it was clearly marked with different fonts and easy to follow. Fantastic!
July 24, 2018
the thunderbolt pony
why did i chose to read this book?
I chose to read this bookl becacuse i had read other books by this auther and i had enjoyed them.
why i likeed/ didnt like this book?
i liked this book because it was about current real life issues set in a town near kaikura when the big earthquake struck, allowing me to relate to the story
something ive learnt
i have learnt that OCD is not just about being a neat freak
a charecter or setting in the book that was interesting to me and why?
a charecter that was interesting to me was the hairless cat moxy, because she helped to defend her freinds from attacks like the angry wild bull, and the sea lion, and because she narrowly escaped drowning in a river and being shot by an arow, and also because she was able to survive kn her own for a few days without human help
why did i chose to read this book?
I chose to read this bookl becacuse i had read other books by this auther and i had enjoyed them.
why i likeed/ didnt like this book?
i liked this book because it was about current real life issues set in a town near kaikura when the big earthquake struck, allowing me to relate to the story
something ive learnt
i have learnt that OCD is not just about being a neat freak
a charecter or setting in the book that was interesting to me and why?
a charecter that was interesting to me was the hairless cat moxy, because she helped to defend her freinds from attacks like the angry wild bull, and the sea lion, and because she narrowly escaped drowning in a river and being shot by an arow, and also because she was able to survive kn her own for a few days without human help
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2025
Idiot girl almost kills her horse (and cat, and dog, and herself) by being a stubborn idiot. And overcomes OCD with zero effort. I was honestly hoping the horse would die in the end, and she would realize her OCD was never really gone, and the end would be her grappling with her new trauma and continuing in therapy. At least that would be realistic. And any book that makes me wish for an innocent animal to die cannot get more than 1 star.
Also, the reason you cannot stay on the bottom deck of a ferry is because it is super dangerous in an emergency (e.g. the boat starts sinking). The mom is also a idiot for letting her idiot daughter stay below deck for no good reason.
Also, the reason you cannot stay on the bottom deck of a ferry is because it is super dangerous in an emergency (e.g. the boat starts sinking). The mom is also a idiot for letting her idiot daughter stay below deck for no good reason.
January 31, 2019
It's pretty amazing that there's a book about the 2016 Exam Earthquake.
Although it was a huge deal where I live, I was never scared and none of the buildings I live/go to school in were damaged. This meant that it was very sobering to be reminded of how immense the quake was for the people of Kaikoura. And it reminded me that this book's very necessary.
I also loved the Greek Myth connections!
Not sure what I think about the portrayal of OCD
Although it was a huge deal where I live, I was never scared and none of the buildings I live/go to school in were damaged. This meant that it was very sobering to be reminded of how immense the quake was for the people of Kaikoura. And it reminded me that this book's very necessary.
I also loved the Greek Myth connections!
Not sure what I think about the portrayal of OCD
May 10, 2025
As a children's? book, I found the beginning events unsettling and therfore hard to read. I wonder if it was written for an older audience, as I'm not sure that I could recommend it for children to read. However the characters were likeable & the story was interesting.
January 14, 2018
Lovely Book!
June 28, 2018
I like the book
October 7, 2018
I LOVE THAT THE BOOK MAKES YOU WANT TO READ MORE I ALSO LOVE IT WHEN EVIE CHOSES TO STICK WITH HER PONY AND FIND A WAY TO THE OTHERS
BY RUTH FREEMAN
BY RUTH FREEMAN
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2019
It is a good story about a young girl strength and love for a horse
May 20, 2020
This is a really good book
July 4, 2020
i wont to read the book horse are my favourite animal
Read
November 12, 2020A library book I read some of, loved, and ran out of time to finish! So I'll get it again soon!
December 7, 2020
I found this book very thrilling and a book that made me kinda want to go on an adventure to!
April 21, 2021
Great book I love this author
August 18, 2021
Amazing book for pony and horse lovers
February 4, 2022
Am I a furry? No.
May 22, 2022
I LOVED this book!
April 12, 2023
This book is definitely my fave
September 3, 2023
I read this in primary school, so I don't remember much other than that I loved it. I remember it to be an easy read with some heartwarming characters.
February 10, 2024
One of my favourite books, such a page turner!
October 4, 2017
The Thunderbolt Pony is a good story for any animal lover. It is a cute little story about Evie’s journey across the earthquake torn South Island of New Zealand, accompanies by her three animal friends. Her pony Gus, her dog Jock and her cat Moxy
I did enjoy to read the story through the girls eyes, and her troubles and challenges seemed real. However I found the beginning of the story a bit hard to get in to, as I found it a bit implausible that a 12-year-old girl could pin point the exact moment she developed her OCD. Don't get me wrong, the story was very touching and seemed logical of how her father's declining health to cancer cased her to develop OCD, but I found that part implausible.
That did not stop me from continuing reading the story, and I did enjoy that the author spent a lot of time showing how an illness like OCD can affect people, even in crisis and I think we need more books that empathize this.
In the end it was a very moving story and I enjoyed to spend time with Evie, Moxy, Gus and Jock, and it emphasized the fact of not leaving anyone behind and that pets are part of your responsibility even when a disaster hit.
I did enjoy to read the story through the girls eyes, and her troubles and challenges seemed real. However I found the beginning of the story a bit hard to get in to, as I found it a bit implausible that a 12-year-old girl could pin point the exact moment she developed her OCD. Don't get me wrong, the story was very touching and seemed logical of how her father's declining health to cancer cased her to develop OCD, but I found that part implausible.
That did not stop me from continuing reading the story, and I did enjoy that the author spent a lot of time showing how an illness like OCD can affect people, even in crisis and I think we need more books that empathize this.
In the end it was a very moving story and I enjoyed to spend time with Evie, Moxy, Gus and Jock, and it emphasized the fact of not leaving anyone behind and that pets are part of your responsibility even when a disaster hit.
February 2, 2018
As always I am overwhelmed with love and happiness after reading a Stacy Gregg novel. Not only did this book succeed in retelling such a devastating tragedy that befell the residents of Kaikoura, but it follows a twelve-year-old girl called Evie who takes a courageous and heart-warming journey with her dapple-grey pony, Gus, her dog, Jock, and her cat, Moxy. As well as choosing to traverse across the cracked terrain that the earthquake has created, Evie has to make some tough decisions when it comes to managing her OCD and none of it will be easy - mentally or physically.
Read my full review on my blog here: https://wordsofeuphoricnostalgia.blog...
Read my full review on my blog here: https://wordsofeuphoricnostalgia.blog...
May 17, 2018
This is one of the best books I’ve read in ages! It gave me a new insight into what the people ( and especially he teenagers) are going through after the earthquakes. I could totally relate to the main character and would NOT want to leave my beloved animals behind in such a sect either. This is certainly not just a children’s book, it is a book for all ages.
July 22, 2025
Made me cry like 5 times. So worth it though. Love this.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews