Thank you for visiting.
This content is exclusive to subscribers only.
As a digital subscriber, you’ll receive unlimited access to Horn Book web exclusives and extensive archives, as well as access to our highly searchable Guide/Reviews Database.
To access other site content, visit The Horn Book homepage.
Log In
Don't have a Horn Book Account?
Register Now
Register Now
Lester, Alison
10 Reviews
(3)
PS
In her third outing, Noni the Pony and pals are out walking when they happen upon a lost wallaby joey. Noni decides to help him find his kin, but the animals they question offer no clues. Will the joey ever find his family? This ultra-basic tale, with galloping rhymes and cotton-soft art, is just right for toddlers finally ready for stories.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(3)
PS
Pony Noni and her animal friends return, and this time they're hitting the beach. Lester's faultless rhymes and tranquil, blue-dominant illustrations are back, too; unlike in Noni the Pony, there's a conflict this time ("So Noni the Pony, faithful and brave, / wades through the swells and rescues poor Dave"). Readers may hope to see more from this all-animal cast.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(2)
K-3
Sophie Scott is embarking on an Antarctic adventure with her father, captain of the Aurora Australis. She spots penguins, seals, and whales, and one night she's dazzled by the southern lights. Sophie's scrapbook-style journal is written in a likable, conversational style. Most pages are decorated with appealing childlike art; thumbnail photographs are also used to great effect on several spreads.
Reviewer: Sam Bloom
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2013
(4)
PS
Straightforward verse describes the book's star: "Noni the Pony is shiny and fat. / Her best friends are Dave Dog and Coco the Cat." The illustrations, in which blues and greens outfit a pastoral setting, reflect the rhymes' tranquility, but this conflict-free book feels less like a story than an introduction to a character we may see again.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(3)
K-3
While her father leads four Lipizzaner stallions to safety during WWII, Nina rescues a cart-horse named Zelda, who ends up saving their lives along the arduous trek. The Lipizzaners play second fiddle to Zelda in the text; an appended author's note reminds readers that the story is fictional. Lester's mixed-media illustrations, including black-and-white figures on colored backgrounds with some photo elements, are striking.
Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam
(3)
4-6
With their farm going under in a drought, Dusty's smart, indomitable dad turns to drink. When he gets hurt, Dusty rides for help on her once-feral horse, the Snow Pony--but will the Snow Pony return to her feral ways? Details about the self-sufficient, tough Australian ranchers and a number of emotional hooks keep the pages turning.
Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam
(3)
K-3
For each of the six seasons of a year spent in the Aboriginal Arnhem Land, Anglo Ernie writes back to his classmates about his observations. Each season shows seven children engaged in activities that nicely blend traditional and contemporary interests and values. Bright, slightly understated pictures alternate double-page spreads of individual actions and a larger, concluding observation for that season.
Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian
(3)
K-3
Seven young people display unique interests as they go to a museum, attend sports day, or fantasize about trips. For example, in the park, "Celeste dances with the ducks. Ernie has a snail race. Tessa makes a house of leaves," and so on. Appealing, simple line and watercolor illustrations and the open layout invite readers to speculate about their own responses to the situations.
Reviewer: Patricia Riley
(2)
4-6
For years, Joe has lived in hiding with his emotionally disturbed mother in a valley on the Australian coastline. A year after his mother dies, nine-year-old Joe decides to secretly follow a young girl named Biddy and her parents on a cattle drive, torn between his growing need for human companionship and his love for the only home he's known. An intriguing, suspense-filled tale of two engaging characters.
Reviewer: Kitty Flynn
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 1999
(2)
PS
A simple, alphabet-based text follows Alice and her stuffed donkey Aldo through a typical day of play: "Alice and Aldo are awake... / they have breakfast in bed, / get clothes from the closet," and so on. Framing almost every illustration are labeled pictures of items beginning with the corresponding letter of the alphabet. A child-appealing combination of small, happy story and pictorial dictionary.
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
10 reviews
We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing.