THREE-IN-ONE PINTO TALENTThis charming story takes place long after Misty's death, but the spirit of this famous Chincoteague pony lives on--inspiring another generation of horse-loving children and adults. Down in Florida on Stolen Hours Farm Dr. Sandy cherishes a dream: to travel to the coast of Virginia to purchase some Chincoteage ponies of her own. Captivated by the MISTY book and nationally-beloved story about the little filly of Pony Ranch, she drags her unenthusiastic kids along--returning home with four ponies in her trailer.But sSandy pins great hopes on Sunshine, a direct descendant of Misty. Working with a wise and generous horse breeder she envisions a special blend of Chincoteague and Thoroughbred. The result is a pinto spitfire filly whom she names Twilight. But which equine path will be best forMisty's lively great-granddaughter? Should Sandy train her to be a Cutting horse--facing cows and bulls-or to be a Jumper in the show ring, or to learn the noble art of Dressage? This spunky blend of both equestrian worlds is eager and willing to try all three paths to fame. But many years later Sandy realizes that Twilight has an even greater challenge; to help people realize the value of preserving a place for the wild things. This talented pinto will serve as a "symbol of what Nature has to offer us." A pleasant read for horse-lovers of all ages, this book reminds us of what we stand to lose if we fail to honor the legacy of Misty. (July 29, 2012. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)
A childhood favorite re-visited.Is the story as good as I remember? – YesWhat ages would I recommend it too? – All ages. Children will enjoy the single storyline; while adults enjoy an easy afternoon read (especially while waiting on a bus, show, doctor, or other appointments).Length? – Reasonable for an afternoon.Characters? – Memorable, several characters, though a bit confusing in the beginning.Setting? – Real world, Recent times (1970′s and 1980′s).Written approximately? – 1992.Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? – Yes! At the beginning, it moves extremely slowly as it retells the original “Misty of Chincoteague” story. The “As you know, Bob” style of writing. The fist third of the book could have been made into a one page prologue for those who either had not read, or not recently read “Misty of Chincoteague.” Seemed dull at first. Finally, once it got to the story, it jumped around a bit, and leaves the reader wondering where the twelve years disappeared to. Also, what happened to Chris?Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? – Not at present.
What do You think about Misty's Twilight (2007)?
I remember this book being about Misty. Spoiler alert: it isn't. It's about a family that hopes to keep the Misty of Chincoteague legacy alive, but instead they just try to recreate the fame of Twilight's ancestor by forcing the horse to compete in tons of absurd contests, hoping she'll be famous and have a legacy.I didn't care for the characters or the horse; they all seemed shallow and uninteresting. I also wished the book had kept with the Chincoteague trend and setting, and maybe kept us with the Beebes. Sandy Price and her kids make such a big deal about Misty, but they don't follow up on trying to preserve her memory. It's as if the book was a reminder of Misty of Chincoteague, trying to poke people and say, "Hey, hey, do you remember that famous book? Remember? Please don't forget it." It seemed a little desperate of a book, as if Marguerite Henry's publisher forced her to write a book and she had no good ideas left.
—Rachel Jackson
This is one of Henry's worst books. It begins promisingly and then soon dives into a mess. There are continuity errors (for example: what happened to the other 5 ponies bought with Misty's Twilight's dam?) The owner seems clueless as to what to do with her long-suffering and talented half-thoroughbred, half-Chincoteague pony.The ending is confusing, convoluted and head-scratching. Misty's Twilight is to represent wild creatures (How?) even though she'd never spent one day as a wild equine.The illustrations are incredible, if you can get a hardback. I used to have a first edition, which I sold years ago.
—Rena Sherwood
Sandy’s dream has always been to have a Chincoteague pony, ever since she read the Misty books as a child. So she packs up the car, complete with her two kids, and they’re off! But they don’t come home with one Chincoteague pony.They come home with four. Including one of Misty’s true descendants, a lovely mare who has a foal named Twilight.I enjoyed the story. Like Sandy, I read all three original Misty books when I was a child. This fourth episode was written many years later, which meant, of course, I had to read it.
—Anne Osterlund
