TRUE FRIENDSHIP CAN TAKE YOU ON
THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME
THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME
An extraordinary story of adventure, friendship, and the invisible bonds that connect us.
This unforgettable, instant New York Times bestseller from the author of Wonder is now in paperback.
Pony
R. J. Palacio
The bestselling author of Wonder returns with an unforgettable adventure about a boy on a quest to rescue his father, with only a ghost as his companion and a mysterious pony as his guide.
When Silas Bird wakes in the dead of night, he watches powerlessly as three strangers take his father away. Silas is left shaken, scared, and alone, except for the presence of his companion, Mittenwool . . . who happens to be a ghost.
But then a mysterious pony shows up at his door, and Silas knows what he has to do.
So begins a perilous journey to find his father—a journey that will connect him with his past, his future, and the unknowable world around him.
R. J. Palacio spins a powerful and heartwarming story, one of those rare books destined to become a classic, beloved for generations to come.
Pony on Audio
Pony
R. J. Palacio, Ian M. Hawkins
See What People are Saying About Pony
“Perfection.”
—The Wall Street Journal
“R. J. Palacio, author of a modern classic children’s book of our era, has somehow crafted what feels like an entirely different breed of classic: page-turning and heart expanding, elegiac and adventurous, reminiscent of Jack London, with mediations on love and faith that feel timeless and utterly necessary to our current moment.”
—Gayle Forman, author of If I Stay and Frankie & Bug
“A magical story—Pony is pure delight.”
—Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medal–winning author of When You Reach Me
“A mystery, a frontier adventure, a ghost story: Pony tells the tale of a child ‘with fire in his mind,’ and it will light a fire in yours. R. J. Palacio’s most ambitious book yet, it is as compelling as it is satisfying.”
—Adam Gidwitz, Newbery Honor–winning author of The Inquisitor’s Tale
“I feel like I just read a symphony, a melody I’d never heard before, but my heart somehow remembered. R. J. Palacio, you are a Wonder.”
—Erin O'Leary, Reading Specialist
“Beautifully crafted. . . .A timeless adventure of the heart.”
—Barb Langridge, M.Ed; Children's Instructor and Research Specialist; Howard County Central Library (retired); Founder of Abookandahug blog
“Once I started reading, I could NOT stop. This may have become my new favorite middle-grade story of all-time!”
—Patrick Andrus, Fourth Grade Teacher at Eden Prairie Schools/Prairie View Elementary
“A rip-roaring adventure. . . .Pony illustrates Palacio’s range as an author, with this tale being distinctly different from Wonder, yet sharing movingly captured central themes of heart, family, and overcoming challenges.”
—Booklist, starred review
“Readers in search of fast-paced historical fiction with speculative elements should look no further than Pony. The twists and turns of Silas’ odyssey are both stunning and satisfying.”
—BookPage, starred review
“The blend of rambling western, scientific, and paranormal elements mixed with lingering questions about Silas’s father’s past will appeal to many as the trio underscores how even unlikely friendships can make for strong bonds.”
—Publishers Weekly
“An elegantly written tale. . . .This is Palacio’s first novel that doesn’t involve characters from Wonder (2012), but it involves plenty of wonder, in rich and haunting ways”
—The Horn Book
Educator Resources
Download these guides prepared by our School & Library team for further discussion on R. J. Palacio's Pony.
Download:
Pony Educators' Guide
Pony Discussion Guide
Read an Excerpt
It was my bout with lightning that inspired Pa to become immersed in the photographic sciences, which is how this all began.
Pa had always had a natural curiosity about photography, having come from Scotland, where such arts flourish. He dabbled in daguerreotypes for a short while after settling in Ohio, a region naturally full of salt springs (from which comes the agent bromine, an essential component of the developing process). But daguerreotypes were an expensive enterprise that turned very little profit, and Pa did not have the means to pursue it. People haven’t the money for delicate souvenirs, he reasoned. Which is why he became a boot-maker. People always have a need for boots, he said. Pa’s specialty was the calf-high Wellington in grain leather, to which he added a secret compartment in the heel for the storing of tobacco or a pocketknife. This convenience was greatly desired by customers, so we got by pretty well on those boot orders. Pa worked in the shed next to the barn, and once a month traveled to Boneville with a cartful of boots pulled by Mule, our mule.
But after lightning imprinted my back with the image of the oak tree, Pa once...
Discover More from R. J. Palacio
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Celebrate the power of kindness with WONDER by R. J. Palacio—the worldwide bestseller that launched the Choose Kind movement.
White Bird: A Wonder Story
First a graphic novel, now read the novelized version of the celebrated New York Times bestselling story of kindness and unrelenting courage in a time of war—inspired by the blockbuster phenomenon Wonder.
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