The Stone Pony

by Patricia Calvert

JoBeth spends time with her late sister’s horse, Riono, and learns she and her sister weren’t as different as she thought.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction

Mass Market Paperback

Published December 6, 1983

About the author

"We are all emigrants from the same country — the land of childhood. What I want to do is write about the journey all of us have taken — or are in the process of taking — from that special place."

Patricia Calvert celebrates her birthday on July 22nd. She grew up in the mountains of Montana, in what was "a magic world for any child, one in which lodgepole pines grew like arrows toward a sky that seemed always blue." Even though Ms. Calvert knew she wanted to be a writer when she was ten, it wasn't until her daughters were grown and had moved away from home and she and her husband moved to Minnesota that she concentrated on her writing.

Among her books, The Snowbird and Yesterday's Daughter have both been named to ALA's Best Books for Young Adults list. Glennis, Before and After received a Christopher Award. Betrayed! (Atheneum) appeared in 2002 and Robert E. Peary: To the Top of the World (Benchmark) in 2001. Most recently, Ms. Calvert has been focusing on nonfiction writing, bringing us biographies of Zebulon Pike and Kit Carson, as well as The Ancient Celts.

Reviews

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't remember too many books I read in Junior High, but I will never forget this one, not really sure why, but I loved it.

[Catherine Hawthorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This definitely wasn't my favorite book, but it was well-written. The character arcs were pretty well done. The only things that I didn't really like about it were the romance and the counseling bits (I really think she should have gone to the minister first).

RW Ratings:

Language: 5 stars.
Abuse: 5 stars. There is no abuse, but there is some trauma and some unresolved family/personal issues.
Lust: 4 stars. There is a teenage romance, and some desires for kisses. There are also sometimes when they meet alone.

[Kyle Daoust]

The Stone Pony written by Patricia Calvert is a very interesting book. The main character in the book JoBeth. JoBeth had a very multi-talented sister who died. The only way that JoBeth could forget about her sister is when she goes to the local museum and study the ancient creature, the stone pony. I did not like the details in the book. I could not make a mental picture in my head. I liked the idea of the book. I would recommenced this book to someone who likes to read about mystery.

[Jessica Weinberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading a character that actually felt real, like her thoughts and emotions.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this when I was a teen. Just right, with a balance of sadness and light.