Fire Pony
Published on 25. July 2008
Book
Paperback/Softback
192 pages
978-0-7460-9083-1 (ISBN)
Description
Roy and his big brother, Joe, are on the run from their past. When they fetch up at the Bar None ranch their shared passion for horses soon wins them great respect, and Roy is offered the chance of a lifetime - to break in a wild pony that runs like the desert wind. He is even promised that if he can ride Lady Luck, he can keep her - a dream come true.
But Roy knows that Joe has a dangerous secret... a dark obsession that could explode at any time and send Roy's dream, and their whole world, up in smoke.
Full of rich detail of life in the American west, Fire Pony is an emotionally charged thriller by the internationally acclaimed author, Rodman Philbrick.
But Roy knows that Joe has a dangerous secret... a dark obsession that could explode at any time and send Roy's dream, and their whole world, up in smoke.
Full of rich detail of life in the American west, Fire Pony is an emotionally charged thriller by the internationally acclaimed author, Rodman Philbrick.
Reviews / Votes
Rodman Philbrick's gripping story reads like John Steinbeck. * Sunday Times * A must-read for anyone 10 or over...Philbrick is one of the most brilliant and compelling living American children's writers. Enjoy! * Anne Gannon, INIS: The CHildren's Books Ireland Magazine * As a result of an awful childhood with drunken parents, Roy (aged under 15) was put in a disagreeable "home" and his older brother Jo disappeared. When the story starts, Jo has returned, carried him off in an old pick-up truck, has caused a serious fire as a result of an instability in his character, and they are on the run.Against a background of Jo's wariness and potential for rage there is delight and excitement. A cougar attacks Roy's horse but he saves it from death; he races the horse at the local rodeo and wins. However, there is a minor villain in the story, who attempts to prevent the boy from winning. The older brother cannot resist attacking him, which will lead to his connection with the earlier fire being discovered. Fire, tragedy and heroism follow.
Written with finely controlled skill in the present tense and in the vernacular - giving it a very moderate reading level - full of warmth, humanity and interesting detail, this is a good book. Teenagers should love it and find it memorable. * David Churchill - School Librarian Journal * Full of warmth, humanity and interesting detail. * David Churchill, School Librarian Journal *
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 10 to 12 years
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 130 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-7460-9083-1 (9780746090831)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Newbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick has written more than a dozen award-winning novels for young readers, but before he began writing children's books, he was a prize-winning author of mysteries for adults. Rodman Philbrick's first novel for young readers, Freak the Mighty, has nearly four million copies in print and won the California Young Reader Medal before its release as a feature film, The Mighty, starring Sharon Stone. Rodman Philbrick grew up in a small town in New England, and he currently divides his time between Maine and the Florida Keys.