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Secret of the Night Ponies
Thirteen-year-old Jessie Wheller is a girl who knows her heart and will do everything that she can to follow it. With her Newfoundland pony, Raven, and Newfoundland dog, Blizzard, Jessie is never at a loss for faithful companions. Jessie's grandmother is always pushing her to be a "lady," but if being a lady means leading a life without adventure, Jessie will have none of it.
When Jessie realizes that a little girl named Clara is being neglected, Jessie knows that she has to help. And when Jessie discovers a herd of wild ponies captured in the woods, she knows that she and her friends must come to the rescue. But going head-to-head against the town's bully to save Clara and the ponies is no small feat, and Jessie will need more than just a little bit of luck.
The rugged shores of Newfoundland in 1965 set the scene for award-winning author Joan Hiatt Harlow's tale of a girl and her boundless affection for ponies.
When Jessie realizes that a little girl named Clara is being neglected, Jessie knows that she has to help. And when Jessie discovers a herd of wild ponies captured in the woods, she knows that she and her friends must come to the rescue. But going head-to-head against the town's bully to save Clara and the ponies is no small feat, and Jessie will need more than just a little bit of luck.
The rugged shores of Newfoundland in 1965 set the scene for award-winning author Joan Hiatt Harlow's tale of a girl and her boundless affection for ponies.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
October 26, 2019
While in Jean Hiatt Harlow’ set in 1960s Newfoundland’s Secret of the Night Ponies thirteen year old main protagonist Jessie Wheller is presented as both a likeable and brave character and should also be considered heroic for rescuing shipwrecked sailors, an abused orphan and a herd of ponies destined for the slaughterhouse, the story itself, the presented narrative of Secret of the Night Ponies is in my humble opinion neither all that convincing nor satisfying with regard to both Harlow’s writing and the way she thematically portrays Jessie’s actions.
For one (and considering that Secret of the Night Ponies is from its themes and setting supposed to represent realistic historical fiction) Jessie Wheller to and for me often feels too much like some larger than life and almost fantastical heroine rescuing an almost mystical threesome from possible or even likely doom. And for two (and indeed even though I am of course and naturally in agreement with Jessie and her friends “rescuing” those ponies from Jack Hawley and Melloy McCrumb and thereby preventing them being sent to slaughter) it is also sadly true that throughout Secret of the Night Ponies, Joan Hiatt Harlow really never in a satisfactory manner endeavours to explain just how and why Jessie should have more of a claim to those ponies than Hawley and McCrumb. For while of course Jessie and her friends liberating, taking the ponies from the latter makes for a much happier ending for Secret of the Night Ponies I really do find it a bit troubling (even if I would emotionally tend to agree) that Jessie just takes matters into her own hands so to speak, as from the author’s printed words, it does seem as though these ponies are indeed Jack Hawley and Melloy McCrumb’s personal property (and without Joan Hiatt Harlow providing to and for me factually solid information and legitimate reasons for Jessie’s behaviour, I for one am left feeling that while emotionally, I do commend Jessie, I also cannot really consider her actions regarding those ponies all that morally, legally laudable).
For one (and considering that Secret of the Night Ponies is from its themes and setting supposed to represent realistic historical fiction) Jessie Wheller to and for me often feels too much like some larger than life and almost fantastical heroine rescuing an almost mystical threesome from possible or even likely doom. And for two (and indeed even though I am of course and naturally in agreement with Jessie and her friends “rescuing” those ponies from Jack Hawley and Melloy McCrumb and thereby preventing them being sent to slaughter) it is also sadly true that throughout Secret of the Night Ponies, Joan Hiatt Harlow really never in a satisfactory manner endeavours to explain just how and why Jessie should have more of a claim to those ponies than Hawley and McCrumb. For while of course Jessie and her friends liberating, taking the ponies from the latter makes for a much happier ending for Secret of the Night Ponies I really do find it a bit troubling (even if I would emotionally tend to agree) that Jessie just takes matters into her own hands so to speak, as from the author’s printed words, it does seem as though these ponies are indeed Jack Hawley and Melloy McCrumb’s personal property (and without Joan Hiatt Harlow providing to and for me factually solid information and legitimate reasons for Jessie’s behaviour, I for one am left feeling that while emotionally, I do commend Jessie, I also cannot really consider her actions regarding those ponies all that morally, legally laudable).
April 1, 2015
Actually I would give this more of a 3.5 rating, but since you can't do that I'll just mention it.
My non-reader recommended this book to me, so of course I have to read it! I loved the story even though I'm really not a pony/horse person. I loved Jessie and Clara. Strong female characters, great for young girls to imagine. I hope my daughter daydreamed about being as strong as Jessie is. The flow of the writing is very smooth which I think helped said daughter enjoy the book instead of focusing on the words. It did have fun and unique language, which is later explained in the Afterward.
The one thing that I think made it a little hard to swallow was how in less than a month Jessie and her dog. Blizzard had managed to rescue three shipwrecked people, a young boy that almost drown, an abused girl, and a small herd of ponies. Busy girl. I also have to say that the villains were built weakly. They were truly evil in their treatment of Clara, and blaming Jessie for Mike's accident. I just don't think you got a good feel for exactly how mean they were to warrant an entire town being scared enough not to stand up to them when they knew wrong was being done.
I would still recommend this to young readers. It's very adventurous, imaginative, and entertaining.
My non-reader recommended this book to me, so of course I have to read it! I loved the story even though I'm really not a pony/horse person. I loved Jessie and Clara. Strong female characters, great for young girls to imagine. I hope my daughter daydreamed about being as strong as Jessie is. The flow of the writing is very smooth which I think helped said daughter enjoy the book instead of focusing on the words. It did have fun and unique language, which is later explained in the Afterward.
The one thing that I think made it a little hard to swallow was how in less than a month Jessie and her dog. Blizzard had managed to rescue three shipwrecked people, a young boy that almost drown, an abused girl, and a small herd of ponies. Busy girl. I also have to say that the villains were built weakly. They were truly evil in their treatment of Clara, and blaming Jessie for Mike's accident. I just don't think you got a good feel for exactly how mean they were to warrant an entire town being scared enough not to stand up to them when they knew wrong was being done.
I would still recommend this to young readers. It's very adventurous, imaginative, and entertaining.
October 2, 2025
A historical novel set in Newfoundland, Canada in 1965, when people were being encouraged to move off smaller islands and live on the main island, where it was easier for the government to provide infrastructure and services like schools, hospitals, etc. Many ponies were left abandoned on the small islands, where they sometimes starved in winter. Thirteen-year-old Jessie Wheller had taken her own pony to the mainland, but then learned of the fate of some of the others, and urged her friends to join her in doing something about it.
Young Jessie actually has three rescue adventures in the story, first of some people whose boat is wrecked in a storm, then of a younger school friend who is abused by her foster parents. This seems to cram too many adventures into too short a time, but it's fiction, and people who have adventures in fiction usually have more than in real life. Also, her participation in the earlier rescues gives Jessie the confidence that leads her to believe that she and her friends can rescue a whole herd of ponies.
Because of the setting and the age of the main characters I found it rather similar to Anne of Green Gables, and readers who enjoyed the stories of L.M. Montgomery will probably enjoy this one too. It is an exciting adventure story, well told, and gives an interesting glimpse into place and period.
Young Jessie actually has three rescue adventures in the story, first of some people whose boat is wrecked in a storm, then of a younger school friend who is abused by her foster parents. This seems to cram too many adventures into too short a time, but it's fiction, and people who have adventures in fiction usually have more than in real life. Also, her participation in the earlier rescues gives Jessie the confidence that leads her to believe that she and her friends can rescue a whole herd of ponies.
Because of the setting and the age of the main characters I found it rather similar to Anne of Green Gables, and readers who enjoyed the stories of L.M. Montgomery will probably enjoy this one too. It is an exciting adventure story, well told, and gives an interesting glimpse into place and period.
March 12, 2024
Parent warning: features a child abused by foster parents and kids having a slumber party in order to sneak out.
My 9 and 7 year old daughters give this 5 stars. We all loved it. It took a bit to get into the rhythm of it, but once the various plot threads took off, my girls kept begging for more chapters each night.
I highly recommend this middle grade, historical fiction featuring strong and brave girls.
My 9 and 7 year old daughters give this 5 stars. We all loved it. It took a bit to get into the rhythm of it, but once the various plot threads took off, my girls kept begging for more chapters each night.
I highly recommend this middle grade, historical fiction featuring strong and brave girls.
May 9, 2010
Jessie Wheller, a thirteen year old Newfoundland native, finds herself in the middle of three thrilling and action packed events. After helping to rescue three men that have been shipwrecked on the rocks of the Newfoundland coast, Jessie liberates her abused friend from her adoptive parents and goes on to save abandoned ponies from being sent to the slaughterhouse by the novel’s two main antagonists, Jack Hawley and Melloy McCrumb. While the novel contains some admirable characteristics, such as a brave heroine and the moral aptitude to stand up to abusive parents, it fails in providing a convincing and original tale. For instance, it is never explained how Jessie has more claim to the abandoned horses than the men that already rounded them up, beyond the fact that it makes for a “happier” story. Some younger readers may enjoy this narrative, but this is not a necessity for any bookshelf.
February 10, 2010
Set “on the rugged shores of Newfoundland in 1965,” this book shows a little-seen life of families eking out a living on the islands at a time when the world is rapidly changing. 13-year-old Jessie tells the story of three rescues she instigates: of a shipwrecked boat’s passengers, of an abused child, and of a herd of Newfoundland ponies who are set for the slaughterhouse. The prose is at times melodramatic (lots of exclamation points!!!!) and there’s peril in every chapter, but Jessie pushes through her fears (real and imagined) as a strong heroine. Because of its period setting, island dialect language, or writing style, the book feels old-fashioned, but could be a real adventure for younger readers (probably mostly girls).
November 22, 2011
This was just an o.k. read for me. I had difficulty connecting with the main character, or being extremely moved by the plight of the young lady and the horses, although the story is well written. I think it might appeal to young horse lovers.
December 8, 2017
Secret of the Night ponies by Joan Hiatt Harlow. Jessie wheeler is a Newfoundland girl. Jessie loves horses and try's to help the best she can. one day she helps a young foster girl from being tortured by the parents and saves a group of horses from being turned to meat. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend this to young readers in middle school and elementary.
August 4, 2017
This is one of the few books that I have reread because its so well written!
March 31, 2018
This was fun! I really like the way the author writes because you feel in it yourself.
June 9, 2018
Honestly I read this as a kid and loved it but remember nothing?
January 26, 2021
I enjoyed this book way more than I expected when I picked it up from a library sale. I hope my daughter enjoys it when she's older.
October 9, 2024
Jessie is a very soft-hearted thirteen-year-old girl who loves animals and abused children, living in a small town in Newfoundland, Canada.
July 26, 2016
A fast paced, sweet story that any child fascinated by horses will enjoy. The content is appropriate for a much younger child, but the length of the book as well as the use of the local dialect makes it better suited to a mid-level reader.
This is the action packed story of Jessie Wheller, who lives along the Newfoundland coast during the time of the Resettlement Program. http://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/po...
Jessie’s slightly unbelievable penchant for ending up in extreme situations makes this story thrilling for a young or reluctant reader, who may have a short attention span. In this short novel Jessie discovers a shipwrecked crew and helps rescue them. A foolish bully who is chasing her falls under a tug boat that is moving a house and is seriously injured. She saves a young abused child and she rescues a herd of horses from greedy men who wish to sell them for meat.
It is important that children understand there is a difference between steeling someone’s livestock to rescue them and Jessie releasing horses that did not actually belong to Melloy McCrumb. It is also important to note that many of Jessie’s actions were foolhardy and dangerous .In real life she could have come to serious harm.
This book is not heavy in it’s Christian content, but there are several prayers and the overall feel of the book is very wholesome. Jessie and her friends do lie to their parents and disobey several times, although they believe they are doing what is right.
This is the action packed story of Jessie Wheller, who lives along the Newfoundland coast during the time of the Resettlement Program. http://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/po...
Jessie’s slightly unbelievable penchant for ending up in extreme situations makes this story thrilling for a young or reluctant reader, who may have a short attention span. In this short novel Jessie discovers a shipwrecked crew and helps rescue them. A foolish bully who is chasing her falls under a tug boat that is moving a house and is seriously injured. She saves a young abused child and she rescues a herd of horses from greedy men who wish to sell them for meat.
It is important that children understand there is a difference between steeling someone’s livestock to rescue them and Jessie releasing horses that did not actually belong to Melloy McCrumb. It is also important to note that many of Jessie’s actions were foolhardy and dangerous .In real life she could have come to serious harm.
This book is not heavy in it’s Christian content, but there are several prayers and the overall feel of the book is very wholesome. Jessie and her friends do lie to their parents and disobey several times, although they believe they are doing what is right.
June 22, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. The plot all revolves around these three things:
~ In the beginning she totally saves a few people from drowning and basically dying and she gets no credit! After that she is put to even more work. Her grandmother is so nice to other people but totally trashes the main character!
~ This next thing kind of blends into to the main conflict, so I will state it all in here. So one of her young friends- a seven year old- is being abused by her terrible parents. Luckily they just adopted her, anyway she rescues her from a barn behind the girls house. While all of this is happening the main character had previously found out that the two most ruthless men on the island were 'rescuing' horses from an abandoned island. Really they were going to sell these beautiful ponys to slotter houses!
So *spoiler alert* she rounds up some friends and rescues the ponies at midnight hence the title. Then they ride the horses through the freezing water to another abandoned island where no one would think to look for the horses!
I loved this book and I totally admired her character. Along with all her courageous friends. This book I think is more at a 4th or maybe 5th grader level than a young adult. It really matters how mature of a reader you are. Finally I would like to say forgive me if this review is not spot on for I read it a while ago, and that is why I couldn't include any of their names. Also, BUY THIS BOOK!
~ In the beginning she totally saves a few people from drowning and basically dying and she gets no credit! After that she is put to even more work. Her grandmother is so nice to other people but totally trashes the main character!
~ This next thing kind of blends into to the main conflict, so I will state it all in here. So one of her young friends- a seven year old- is being abused by her terrible parents. Luckily they just adopted her, anyway she rescues her from a barn behind the girls house. While all of this is happening the main character had previously found out that the two most ruthless men on the island were 'rescuing' horses from an abandoned island. Really they were going to sell these beautiful ponys to slotter houses!
So *spoiler alert* she rounds up some friends and rescues the ponies at midnight hence the title. Then they ride the horses through the freezing water to another abandoned island where no one would think to look for the horses!
I loved this book and I totally admired her character. Along with all her courageous friends. This book I think is more at a 4th or maybe 5th grader level than a young adult. It really matters how mature of a reader you are. Finally I would like to say forgive me if this review is not spot on for I read it a while ago, and that is why I couldn't include any of their names. Also, BUY THIS BOOK!
March 22, 2022
I’ve been a fan of Joan Hiatt Harlow’s award – winning books for many years now. Her book: Secret of the Night Ponies is just as thrilling as all her other books.
Secret of the Night Ponies is set along the beautiful rugged shores of Newfoundland. This story is set in the year 1965 and is about 13 year old Jessie Wheller, a young girl who knows what’s in her heart & will do anything to follow where it leads her.
Jessie’s faithful companions are her Newfoundland dog Blizzard and her Newfoundland pony Raven. Her grandmother is always pushing Jessie to act like a lady, but in Jessie’s mind if being a lady means no adventures then she wants nothing to do with it.
One day, while in town with her friends, Jessie discovers that a sweet little girl named Clara is being abused. Immediately, Jessie knows that she has to help little Clara. Around the same time, Jessie discovers a herd of wild Newfoundland pones that someone has captured & penned up in the woods. There’s a rumor going around town that some of the men are going to sell the ponies to a cannery. After discovering the ponies’ fate, Jessie knows that she and her friends must somehow rescue them.
Will Jessie be able to save both Clara & the wild ponies’? To find out, grab a copy of this thrilling story soon. You won’t be disappointed, I promise.
Secret of the Night Ponies is set along the beautiful rugged shores of Newfoundland. This story is set in the year 1965 and is about 13 year old Jessie Wheller, a young girl who knows what’s in her heart & will do anything to follow where it leads her.
Jessie’s faithful companions are her Newfoundland dog Blizzard and her Newfoundland pony Raven. Her grandmother is always pushing Jessie to act like a lady, but in Jessie’s mind if being a lady means no adventures then she wants nothing to do with it.
One day, while in town with her friends, Jessie discovers that a sweet little girl named Clara is being abused. Immediately, Jessie knows that she has to help little Clara. Around the same time, Jessie discovers a herd of wild Newfoundland pones that someone has captured & penned up in the woods. There’s a rumor going around town that some of the men are going to sell the ponies to a cannery. After discovering the ponies’ fate, Jessie knows that she and her friends must somehow rescue them.
Will Jessie be able to save both Clara & the wild ponies’? To find out, grab a copy of this thrilling story soon. You won’t be disappointed, I promise.
November 21, 2014
In my opinion,secret of the night opines is a awesome book the author made the book very suspicious through out the book.I am able to relate to jessie because she and i never at a loss for helpful companions.And where always there to help people when they need it.I thought about the book i read,and my book had a lot of mysteries,but through out those mysteries they've been with awesome answers, I prove this is a awesome because she loves her dog just as i like mine. it says blizzard is the sweetest and most loving dog in the world. She is my favorite character, the author was and still is a fantastic author, this author is now my favorite author.
March 23, 2011
In the beginning, the main character, Jessie, saves a group of people from the devil's head and gets no credit! So, gran, gives her more work to do. How would you feel? Then in the middle, she goes down to Gull Harbor with her new friends so they can send a telegram. She sees her youngest friend and she was only 7 and being abused! Later in the story, her little friend, Clara, gets taken away from her terrible life Later she discovers a corral that has 11 horses that are going to be turned into horse meat! Will these lovable ponies ever make it? It's all up to one girl to Change this!!!
June 10, 2012
This is the second book I've read by Joan Hiatt Harlow and as with the first one, I was not disappointed. Set in the 1960's in Newfoundland, I was intrigued by the fact that even as recently as my lifetime, there were parts of North America where they did not have telephones, televisions, and paved roads. I loved the passion the main character had for her friends and saving the horses. Her family, with the exception of her grandmother, are truly lovable. What a great read. One I will definitely recommend to my students.
March 31, 2014
I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. Cute little regional story with strong local flavor. This really reminded me of the myriads of horse books I devoured as a child...I read every horse book in my county and the next county over. I liked the protagonist and the story, and lots of cute ponies made it extra fun. I also liked the interesting local words/dialect and how they were liberally sprinkled throughout, and the traditions of a small town in the past, in an area that I'm not very familiar with.
July 12, 2012
This was a very good read. I have always enjoyed books about horses and this tale of a young girl who saves her friend and the ponies at virtually the same time, is truly wonderful. The fact that our protagonist proves her own maturity throughout the entire story is so compelling. I was spellbound waiting for the next move and to see if they would be found out. This is a very, very good young adult book. I highly recommend it.
May 27, 2015
Jessie Wheeler is just a regular old Newfoundland girl with a big heart. One day she see's a girl being tortured by her foster parents and decides to help. She also tries to help a big group of Newfoundland ponies escape turning into horse meat but can she pull it off?
I gave this book four stars because it was really interesting to me and it talked about a big problem, child abuse, and it talks about how a young person can really help those in need.
I gave this book four stars because it was really interesting to me and it talked about a big problem, child abuse, and it talks about how a young person can really help those in need.
January 11, 2012
Let me just tell you how much I adore Joan Hiatt Harlow! She is amazing, and an excellent writter! Go Harlow! Anyways, when I read this book, I could just picture me in it. The younge girl was so much like me! If you love horses, start reading! :)
~Katelyn
~Katelyn
February 27, 2013
secret of the night ponies is a entertaining book about how jessie the main character can save a heard of ponies.But she will have to take some risks to attempt the rescue. I loved the book and highly recommend it.
August 9, 2013
I really liked this book at the beginning. I was very into the story and it flowed with a few surprises. However towards the end the story became predictable and not as attention grabbing. It's a great book for tweens.
December 31, 2013
I have read a few other book by Harlow and enjoyed them but this one wasn't the best. The girl was disrespectful to her grandmother sometimes. It was not as interesting as some of the other ones I had read and I wouldn't really enjoy reading it again.
February 21, 2014
Great story , i enjoy the story and the characters a lot especially the main character's grandma , she was just a bald but yet bad ass grandma .
Is a great story for a girl like Jessie can be so brave and smart to save horses .
Is a great story for a girl like Jessie can be so brave and smart to save horses .
December 30, 2014
I thought it was a very good book, it took me by surprise in some parts, and in others it did sometimes (but rarely) loose my attention, overall this is a good book, I would rate it 4 stars out of 5, I would recommend this book to people who like adventure, horses, and bonding books.
November 12, 2016
Great story for youths and adults. It takes place in Newfoundland, which is a new location for me to learn about. And any story about the sea is exciting. Most enjoyable story. Joan Hiatt Harlow is a new favorite writer of mine.
March 23, 2010
Book is a lot like the Chincoteague stories by Marguerite Henry only this story is set along the shores and islands of Newfoundland.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews