The famous Chincoteague Ponies have been the stars of both page and screen, and most famous is the palomino pinto mare known as Misty. Here are five books (and one great movie) starring the beloved island ponies.
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1# Misty of Chincoteague
You’ve probably already heard of this book, but it’s a classic!
A young brother and sister, Paul and Maureen Beebe, desire a pony of their own– one that will never leave the ranch or be sold. And they know exactly who that pony is: the Phantom, the elusive wild mare who’s never been caught, with a white map of the United States on her shoulders as a symbol of her freedom.
But this year, the siblings say, will be different. This year they will catch the Phantom and buy her for their own.
Pony Penning Day comes and the sibling have a surprise: the Phantom has a foal, a little palomino pinto. And now they must strive to buy both the Phantom and her new filly, Misty.
This book is probably the crown gem of Marguerite Henry’s work. Her vivid descriptions and dialogue make it come to life and show how a book can truly outlive the author by generations.
2# Sea Star, Orphan of Chincoteague
While I would normally group series together, the Misty books are so unique in that each book could be separated from the last.
In Sea Star, Paul and Maureen are enjoying Misty and spend countless hours with their favorite pony. But then some filmmakers come to the island and tell them that a book has been written about Misty, and she is now very famous. What’s more, they are making a movie about her, and they would like to buy Misty so that she could be shared with all the horse-loving kids who couldn’t have access to horses.
I personally disliked this the most of the books, and you’ll see why when you read it. However when it comes to the writing itself, Marguerite Henry produces yet another jewel.
3# Stormy, Misty’s Foal
The third book in the Misty quartet takes place on a true-story event, the Ash Wenesday storm that almost destroyed the island of Chincoteague.
Paul and Maureen are keeping a close eye on Misty, who’s due to foal any day. But when hurricane winds batter their house, they are forced to evacuate to avoid the flooding.
Then the storm comes, and the flooding kills many of the wild ponies and almost destroys the island. Misty might be the answer into raising the funding needed for the town to rebuild.
This is definitely one of the longer Misty books, but it is just as good as the other two.
4# Misty’s Twilight
Misty’s Twilight takes place a few years after Misty of Chincoteague. A direct descendant of Misty, talented Twilight is part Chincoteague Pony and part Thoroughbred. The little mare is extremely talented and her rider dreams of competing in the top competitions. But can a descendant of untamed ponies win against the top horses in the world?
Some people hate this book because the real Misty isn’t in it. Others love it. Try it and see which you are.
5# Ponies of Chincoteague Series by Catherine Hapka
This book series by Catherine Hapka features four friends: Maddy, Brooke, Haley and Nina, who all share a love of Chincoteague Ponies and each own, ride, or lease one. The story follows the four girls as they face challenges with their ponies, from being sold to another barn to losing shows in the most embarrassing way. Catherine Hapka is a brilliant writer and these books are fun to read.
6# The Movie: Misty
This 1961 movie isn’t nearly as good as the book, and they get several things wrong. However as a movie in itself it’s decent.
The theatrical retelling of Misty of Chincoteague gets a few scenes wrong. For instance, the Phantom wasn’t chestnut– she was a smoky black pinto. Also, the race scene takes place as a match race that ends with the Phantom running away, instead of Paul later releasing the Phantom after she wins the Pony Penning Day race.
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There are many more books on the famous island ponies, but these are the most notable and definitely the ones worth checking out first. Have you read any of them? Let me know in the comments!