The Pony and the Starling - by Jennifer McGrath (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A girl and her mother watch an unusual friendship develop between a solitary starling and a lonely pony. The gray pony lives in the green pasture beside the barn. One day, the girl and her mother see a flock of starlings wheel over the field. When the flock moves on, one bird remains behind -- perched on the fence, near the pony. As summer moves into autumn, the girl watches as the pony and the starling become constant companions, sharing grain, water and shade. When the days get colder, the girl begins to wonder -- what will happen when winter arrives? A blizzard blows in ... and the starling vanishes. Is this the end of a special friendship? And what will the spring bring? The Pony and the Starling is a gentle story of changing seasons and an unlikely but enduring friendship"--

Book Synopsis

A girl and her mother watch an unusual friendship develop between a solitary starling and a lonely pony.

The gray pony lives in the green pasture beside the barn. One day, the girl and her mother see a flock of starlings wheel over the field. When the flock moves on, one bird remains behind -- perched on the fence, near the pony.

As summer moves into autumn, the girl watches as the pony and the starling become constant companions, sharing grain, water and shade. When the days get colder, the girl begins to wonder -- what will happen when winter arrives? A blizzard blows in ... and the starling vanishes. Is this the end of a special friendship? And what will the spring bring?

The Pony and the Starling is a gentle story of changing seasons and an unlikely but enduring friendship.

Key Text Features

illustrations

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3

Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

Review Quotes

The Pony and the Starling is a great read-aloud picture book. ... It invites discussion with both the text and the illustrations and will leave the audience with warm fuzzies.

-- "Miramichi Reader"

The illustrations ... work beautifully with the spare yet lyrical narrative to tell a simple story that is more than the sum of its parts. A handsome picture book introducing rural life and an unusual animal friendship.

-- "Booklist"

Gracefully eloquent ... A lovely, lyrical depiction of friendship.

-- "Kirkus Reviews"