The Snow Pony

Highly recommended for teenagers who enjoy realist fiction set in rural Australia, especially if you’re interested in reading about horses, families and friendships.

In saying that, don’t be deceived by the title ‘Snow Pony.’ If you’ve read Betancourt’s ‘Pony Pal’ series, it’s not exactly the same thing.

The start of the novel focuses on the brumby aka the Snow
Pony who’s first sighted in high country ‘The Plains’ during a cattle muster and brought home to the Riley’s farm. Lester explores the dynamic between Dusty, her father (on a more superficial level, the rest of her family) and the Snow Pony.

On a deeper level, the novel focuses on rural life and how different things such as weather and communities impact on those around them. As a teenager, I was both saddened and shocked by the mental health issues effecting families living in rural communities; revising the novel as an adult, I thought Lester did an EXCELLENT job in communicating these issues in a way that was realistic without being too theatrical or like something out of a soap opera. I especially liked the way she has crafted a perfectly imperfect family who’s there for each other throughout the good and the bad times. Show more Show less

This book is great for 10-13 year olds. Part 1 is about a girl who lives on a farm and a nd a drought hits sending her dad angry and makes him go out drinking a lot. Part 2 is about them going up to the high Plains and Dusty (one of the main characters) runs into a girl from high school! Show more Show less