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Piper Green and the Fairy Tree #3
The Sea Pony
In her third adventure, Piper finds a whistle in the Fairy Tree. But what she really wants is a pony! Could the unusual whistle be magical after all?
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2016
12 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Potter
60 books259 followersEllen Potter is the author of many children's books, including the Olivia Kidney series, Pish Posh, SLOB, and The Kneebone Boy. Her non-fiction book, Spilling Ink; a Young Writer’s Handbook, was co-authored by Anne Mazer
Olivia Kidney was awarded Child magazine’s “Best Children’s Book Award” and was selected as one of the “Books of the Year” by Parenting magazine.
SLOB is on more than 10 state book award lists and was selected for the Junior Library Guild.
Spilling Ink; A Young Writer’s Handbook was a New York Public Library Top 100 Children’s Book for 2010 and a Children’s Literature Assembly 2011 Notable Book.
Her newest series is Piper Green and the Fairy Tree.
Olivia Kidney was awarded Child magazine’s “Best Children’s Book Award” and was selected as one of the “Books of the Year” by Parenting magazine.
SLOB is on more than 10 state book award lists and was selected for the Junior Library Guild.
Spilling Ink; A Young Writer’s Handbook was a New York Public Library Top 100 Children’s Book for 2010 and a Children’s Literature Assembly 2011 Notable Book.
Her newest series is Piper Green and the Fairy Tree.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 8, 2016
Piper sets off on her third adventure living on her small island home. When she visits the Fairy Tree, she discovers a strange whistle inside. Unfortunately though, Piper doesn’t want a whistle. She wants a pony! And the first pony just arrived on the island that day. Piper was also hoping to spend time with her big brother who is home from school, but he isn’t feeling well so Piper decides to try to make him the treat that her mother makes her when she is sick. They don’t turn out quite the same way. When Piper’s dad needs help on his fishing boat, Piper leaps to help and discovers two things along the way, one that has her dreaming of riding something other than a pony and the other that will help her family even more than her loud whistle does.
Potter has just the right feel in the books in this series. Piper is wonderfully engaging as a protagonist. She is imaginative, funny and entirely herself. Even as Piper is making silly mistakes, the book does not make fun of her, rather it laughs along with her and looks at the errors we all make in our lives. It’s a book of empathy, humor and the importance of family and community.
Leng’s illustrations offer young readers a refreshing break from the text, giving them just the right amount of space. They are done in a framed style in either half-page or full-page format. The chapter breaks too are done with style, offering stripes to invite readers to turn more pages and follow the story further.
Another winner in this charmer of a series that is just right for children who enjoy Clementine. Appropriate for ages 6-8.
Potter has just the right feel in the books in this series. Piper is wonderfully engaging as a protagonist. She is imaginative, funny and entirely herself. Even as Piper is making silly mistakes, the book does not make fun of her, rather it laughs along with her and looks at the errors we all make in our lives. It’s a book of empathy, humor and the importance of family and community.
Leng’s illustrations offer young readers a refreshing break from the text, giving them just the right amount of space. They are done in a framed style in either half-page or full-page format. The chapter breaks too are done with style, offering stripes to invite readers to turn more pages and follow the story further.
Another winner in this charmer of a series that is just right for children who enjoy Clementine. Appropriate for ages 6-8.
December 19, 2016
In her third book, Piper Green decides she would like to have a horse, and she petitions the fairy tree in her yard to give her one. When the tree instead delivers a whistle, Piper figures she will have to figure out how to get a horse on her own. When she is out on the boat with her dad, however, her whistle attracts an unexpected friend whom Piper considers to be her sea pony. The latest installment to this delightful series is in perfect keeping with the style and format established by the previous titles. Piper's spunky personality really shines in this story, as she annoys everyone in town with her whistle, and her interactions with characters like her brother and the owner of the grocery store bring her to life very vividly. There are a lot of horse stories for kids, but this one brings a fresh new perspective to the topic, which introduces kids to more details of what it's like to live on an island. I keep seeing reviews comparing Piper to Junie B. Jones, but I actually think she is more like Judy Moody: interested in the world, excited about new things, and just impulsive enough to get into trouble now and then. This continues to be a great series that I highly recommend.
March 10, 2016
I really enjoy the Piper Green series. They are wonderful for 1-2 graders. Piper is a fun character and her adventures are always silly. Perfect for readers who enjoy Judy Moody, Clementine or Junie B.
February 3, 2026
Piper Green finds a whistle in the fairy tree. She really wants a pony, but then through a series of events, she finds a different kind of animal to befriend. This book is my favorite in the series thus far as Piper has to wrestle with her own wants and expectations when things go an unexpected way. The characters continue to add dimension and the story line here seems more connected than in the first book.
December 30, 2017
These books will take about an hour to read out loud straight through. The giggling my 5 year old daughter does at the silly things Piper Green says and does is just so joyful. In fact she was talking about "Piper Green" in her sleep the other night. Funny that she refers to her by her full name. These books are full of joy. Great books to read out loud to the little ones.
September 18, 2017
Ellen Potter’s writing makes me feel like I’m in Maine. I love it, and her main character, who is absolutely adorable. She has a delightful imagination and is incredibly resourceful - a great role model for young readers!
May 9, 2017
I love this series. Review to come!
April 13, 2018
An enjoyable series.
November 15, 2018
A real ghost came to piper greens house. A real horse!
May 16, 2019
Auto 5 stars just because of how much my 5 year old daughter laughed while we read this together.
Read
May 14, 2020AR 3.8
October 25, 2020
We enjoyed another adventure with Piper Green!
March 28, 2021
My daughter says, "Very good!"
Want to read
April 17, 2021Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
November 6, 2025
4.5 stars/ this series is delightful! The writer has a great, funny voice and the illustrations are so charming
Read
January 24, 2026Read with Ella 1/26
February 8, 2017
Never A Dull Moment
This is the third book in the Piper Green series, and it may be my favorite. I was very much taken by the first book, in which we met Piper, learned about her island life, had an adventure, and were introduced to a hollow tree that might have a touch of fairy magic about it. The second book perhaps suffered a bit from sophomore slump. We got more Piper, a mild plot, and a little uncertainty about what to do with the whole magic fairy tree angle.
This book, though, doubles down on all of the Piper Green series strengths. It has a perky high energy; it has a bit more mature and focused Piper; there are multiple plot threads that all tie up together very nicely at the end; and it has just the right amount and type of fairy magic.
Piper wants to have a horse, which is both too pricey an option, and impractical on a little island. The fairy tree gives her, (through the "magic" secret hollow), a bosun's whistle. Piper knows the tree gives her what she needs rather than what she wants, but the connection between a whistle and the dreamed of horse isn't evident. Through a very cleverly nested set of events the connection ultimately becomes clear in a cheerful, sensible and very satisfying way. In the meantime, Piper sometimes annoys people with the whistle, but also has a number of adventures with her Dad that highlight the good side of Piper's creativity and impulsiveness and also show us that Piper is growing up and becoming more aware of the world around her. (Potter isn't afraid to show Piper's Mom and Dad as occasionally frustrated, annoyed or cranky, and while this is pretty mild realism I think it gives the books the extra bit of weight it needs to balance Piper's sometimes irresponsible behavior.)
The upshot is that Piper becomes a bit more than just another spunky, independent girl hero, the magic angle doesn't overshadow the real action in the book, and the story hangs together well. Even the illustrations seemed to work better in this book, and that may be because the artist had more to work with.
This is what I guess you would call an advanced chapter book. It's more challenging and better written than lots of books I've seen described as chapter books, but it isn't beyond the ability or interest of an early elementary level reader. There's a lot about Piper, her island home, her adventures, and her generally enthusiastic approach to life, that should appeal to a littler reader. This is a happy find and in my mind it compares very well to Ramona, Judy, Junie, Clementine, and Ivy & Bean.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
This is the third book in the Piper Green series, and it may be my favorite. I was very much taken by the first book, in which we met Piper, learned about her island life, had an adventure, and were introduced to a hollow tree that might have a touch of fairy magic about it. The second book perhaps suffered a bit from sophomore slump. We got more Piper, a mild plot, and a little uncertainty about what to do with the whole magic fairy tree angle.
This book, though, doubles down on all of the Piper Green series strengths. It has a perky high energy; it has a bit more mature and focused Piper; there are multiple plot threads that all tie up together very nicely at the end; and it has just the right amount and type of fairy magic.
Piper wants to have a horse, which is both too pricey an option, and impractical on a little island. The fairy tree gives her, (through the "magic" secret hollow), a bosun's whistle. Piper knows the tree gives her what she needs rather than what she wants, but the connection between a whistle and the dreamed of horse isn't evident. Through a very cleverly nested set of events the connection ultimately becomes clear in a cheerful, sensible and very satisfying way. In the meantime, Piper sometimes annoys people with the whistle, but also has a number of adventures with her Dad that highlight the good side of Piper's creativity and impulsiveness and also show us that Piper is growing up and becoming more aware of the world around her. (Potter isn't afraid to show Piper's Mom and Dad as occasionally frustrated, annoyed or cranky, and while this is pretty mild realism I think it gives the books the extra bit of weight it needs to balance Piper's sometimes irresponsible behavior.)
The upshot is that Piper becomes a bit more than just another spunky, independent girl hero, the magic angle doesn't overshadow the real action in the book, and the story hangs together well. Even the illustrations seemed to work better in this book, and that may be because the artist had more to work with.
This is what I guess you would call an advanced chapter book. It's more challenging and better written than lots of books I've seen described as chapter books, but it isn't beyond the ability or interest of an early elementary level reader. There's a lot about Piper, her island home, her adventures, and her generally enthusiastic approach to life, that should appeal to a littler reader. This is a happy find and in my mind it compares very well to Ramona, Judy, Junie, Clementine, and Ivy & Bean.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
January 3, 2017
Potter, Ellen The Sea Pony (Piper Green and the Fairy Tree #3), illustrated by Qin Leng. Alfred A. Knopf (Random House), 2016. $14.99.
When a horse is shipped to Piper Green's remote island off the coast of Maine, Piper hopes they'll be friends. She'd like nothing more than to have a horse of her very own. Maybe the whistle she'd found in the fairy tree would help lure the horse to her. Unfortunately, it has the opposite effect. Piper is confused. The fairies wouldn't give her a gift that couldn't be used, so what is the whistle for? And will she ever be able to get a close look at the island's newest pet?
This third installment works well with the previous two books in the series. The unusual setting -- a tiny island off the coast of Maine -- is, as always, fascinating. Piper has personality and ingenuity, and while she does get into trouble on occasion she generally wants to do the right thing. The pictures are adorable and provide a nice accompaniment for the text, and the book works very well as a read-aloud.
EL -- ADVISABLE. Reviewed by: Sydney G., K-6 Library Media Specialist
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2016/...
When a horse is shipped to Piper Green's remote island off the coast of Maine, Piper hopes they'll be friends. She'd like nothing more than to have a horse of her very own. Maybe the whistle she'd found in the fairy tree would help lure the horse to her. Unfortunately, it has the opposite effect. Piper is confused. The fairies wouldn't give her a gift that couldn't be used, so what is the whistle for? And will she ever be able to get a close look at the island's newest pet?
This third installment works well with the previous two books in the series. The unusual setting -- a tiny island off the coast of Maine -- is, as always, fascinating. Piper has personality and ingenuity, and while she does get into trouble on occasion she generally wants to do the right thing. The pictures are adorable and provide a nice accompaniment for the text, and the book works very well as a read-aloud.
EL -- ADVISABLE. Reviewed by: Sydney G., K-6 Library Media Specialist
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2016/...
October 24, 2016
Piper Green lives on Peek-a-Boo Island with her family. Piper also has a fairy tree in her front yard. Everyday the fairies leave something for Piper. One day a whistle is delivered to Piper from the fairies. Piper likes the whistle but what she really wishes for is a pony. One of the fellow islanders has just gotten a pony and Piper wants one too. But maybe the fairies knew what they were doing when they gave her the whistle after all...
* Is there anything you have wished for that you wanted but knew you could never have?
* How would you feel if you lived on an island with only a limited number of stores?
* Have you ever tried to make a recipe like your Mom or Dad's but it never turns out the way you remember them, like Pipers cinnamon snakes?
* Do you think Piper's Dad's lobster business is a constant job to have (is he always guaranteed to catch lobsters)?
* Do you think the fairies sent the seal to find Piper's Dad's boat?
Potter, E., & Leng, Q. (2016). The sea pony. New York, NY: Random House Children's Book.
* Is there anything you have wished for that you wanted but knew you could never have?
* How would you feel if you lived on an island with only a limited number of stores?
* Have you ever tried to make a recipe like your Mom or Dad's but it never turns out the way you remember them, like Pipers cinnamon snakes?
* Do you think Piper's Dad's lobster business is a constant job to have (is he always guaranteed to catch lobsters)?
* Do you think the fairies sent the seal to find Piper's Dad's boat?
Potter, E., & Leng, Q. (2016). The sea pony. New York, NY: Random House Children's Book.
June 27, 2016
The third installment in the Piper Green and the Fairy Tree franchise is, if possible, even more entertaining than the first two. Piper lives with her family on tiny Peek-a-Boo Island, where the harbor ferry always brings excitement and her fairy tree provides unexpected treasures. Piper finds a bosun's whistle in the fairy tree and uses it to "train" a seal in the cove, which she calls her sea pony. This easy chapter book has quirky characters in laugh-out-loud situations, in a sweet Maine island setting. The ink and digital illustrations are charming and perfectly capture the impish qualities of the main character. It is not necessary to read the previous books to understand what's going on.
February 7, 2017
I really enjoyed the newest edition in this series. Piper has spunk and charm. She makes me want to go lobster catching.
December 3, 2016
Once again spunky 2nd grader Piper Green has a mission, the little girl who lives on an isolated island home in Maine where her father works hard as a lobsterman, decides she needs a pony. When she checks the hole in her Fairy Tree where she sometimes finds surprises, she retrieves a loud bosun's whistle instead. Disappointed at first, she discovers the whistle attracts a seal that follows the boat she's riding on. Is this her sea pony? Once more beautiful illustrations, a well told story with lots of details about life for a waterman's family on an isolated island, and Piper Green's over the top imagination, serve up a delightfully distinctive tale readers will want to gobble up.
May 18, 2016
This is a fun little chapter book that is great for young readers. My first grader read it by herself and she loved it. She asked me if there were more books with Piper in them. My daughter enjoys reading books like this, including Junie B. Jones, Judy Moody, Ivy and Bean, Amber Brown, and Kelsey Green. Piper Green has found he way into my daughter's heart and we look forward to reading more of her adventures. I received this as a free ARC from Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2016
Piper is a fun little character. Can't wait to introduce her to my students (we FINALLY got a copy of one in our last order ... sometime library vendors and the way they don't send you everything you ordered drives me nuts!). Best for beginning chapter book readers.
Not sure if I would enjoy living on an island our not. Might feel sort of claustrophobic. But then again Piper seems to like it OK.
Not sure if I would enjoy living on an island our not. Might feel sort of claustrophobic. But then again Piper seems to like it OK.
June 9, 2016
Piper Green and the Fairy Tree: The Sea Pony is a great read for early chapter book and independent readers who are fans of Junie B. and Judy Moody.. The story line in this chapter book flows smoothly and includes within the text some interesting details about lobsters, seals and island life. Thanks for the preview, @Netgalley!
January 3, 2017
Here's the thing. Piper Green is probably my favourite fictional character. (At least for now.) She has adventures and gets in and out of trouble, but essentially she is a character with heart and authenticity. I dare you to read any of these books and not fall in love with her. Thank you so much Ellen Potter for creating her.
October 25, 2016
*I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher through my district library services*
This book reminds me of Junie B. Jones. Piper is spunky, but not too over the top. The members of her family are normal and for the most part this is a cute story of a regular little girl and her adventures.
This book reminds me of Junie B. Jones. Piper is spunky, but not too over the top. The members of her family are normal and for the most part this is a cute story of a regular little girl and her adventures.
April 27, 2016
This is another story of Piper Green and her mischevious and quirky ways. Middle Grade readers will fall in love with her if they haven't already. Fun and enjoyable. The illustrations are very good as well.
Reviewed through NetGalley for an independant, honest review.
Reviewed through NetGalley for an independant, honest review.
August 2, 2016
I love these books. They are very sweet and realistic, the exact kind of story I want in a beginning reader. The illustrations are gentle and charming, too. Piper is a delightful character.
Thanks to the publisher for a digital advance reader's copy, provided via Edelweiss.
Thanks to the publisher for a digital advance reader's copy, provided via Edelweiss.
November 7, 2016
The third of the Piper Green books. Still cute! Piper finds a funny whistle in the fairy tree, decides she wants a pony, and feeds all of the crab bait to a curious seal. Love this funny and sweet series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews