Maddie's Dream (Ponies of Chincoteague #1)

Maddie's Dream (Ponies of Chincoteague #1)
Publisher
Age Range
8+
Release Date
July 08, 2014
ISBN
978-1481403368
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Maddie is desperate to keep her favorite horse from being sold in this first book in a contemporary middle grade series in the tradition of Marguerite Henry’s Misty of Chincoteague. Madison “Maddie” Martinez loves her weekly riding lessons, and she loves working with her favorite horse, Cloudy, every time. So she is shocked when she finds out Cloudy’s former owners might want to buy her back! Maddie desperately concocts various plans to stop the sale: maybe she can raise money to buy Cloudy herself, or what if she can make the potential buyers lose interest? Maddie’s online Pony Post friends—Brooke Rhodes, Hayley Duncan, Nina Peralt, who all share a love of Chincoteague ponies—can tell something is up, but at first Maddie is afraid to tell them what’s happening. If she loses her only connection to Chincoteague, will they even want to be friends with her anymore?

Maddie is desperate to keep her favorite horse from being sold in this first book in a contemporary middle grade series in the tradition of Marguerite Henry’s Misty of Chincoteague. Madison “Maddie” Martinez loves her weekly riding lessons, and she loves working with her favorite horse, Cloudy, every time. So she is shocked when she finds out Cloudy’s former owners might want to buy her back! Maddie desperately concocts various plans to stop the sale: maybe she can raise money to buy Cloudy herself, or what if she can make the potential buyers lose interest? Maddie’s online Pony Post friends—Brooke Rhodes, Hayley Duncan, Nina Peralt, who all share a love of Chincoteague ponies—can tell something is up, but at first Maddie is afraid to tell them what’s happening. If she loses her only connection to Chincoteague, will they even want to be friends with her anymore?

Editor reviews

2 reviews
Friends of Misty
(Updated: June 28, 2026)
Overall rating
 
4.0
Plot
 
4.0
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N/A
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N/A
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Maddie is part of an on line message board consisting of four tweens who all are interested in Chincoteague ponies. Maddie is the only girl who does not own her pony, but she rides Cloudy at Ms. Emerson's stable. When the family who sold Cloudy to the stables, the Richardsons, are interested in buying Cloudy back, Maddie is concerned not only that she won't be able to ride her beloved pony, but also about Cloudy's welfare, since the Richardson's did not train Cloudy well. Maddie tries several different ways to convince the Richardsons that Cloudy is not a good horse, but this only angers Ms. Emerson. In the end, Maddie is able to continue to visit Cloudy as well as keep up with her other love, soccer.

Tween girls and horses seem to go together, and this book is the perfect length. The fact that it is part of a series makes it even better. Hapka clearly knows horse stuff, and perhaps these will encourage readers to pick up Marguerite Henry's books.
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