PBOTD 30th July: Marguerite Henry - Misty of Chincoteague

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Armada, whose coveres have been getting a bit of a psting from me over the past few days, did do some lovely ones too. I'm particularly fond of the ones they did for the Marguerite Henry titles they published (King of the Wind, Sea Star, Stormy - Misty's Foal, and Misty). The Armada version below is the one I had. I actually prefer the cover illustration to the Wesley Dennis original (heresy), though the Armada version did keep the black and white illustrations of the original.


The main point of the Misty stories is the annual Pony Penning and swim that takes place every year, when the ponies are swum from Assateague Island to the island of Chincoteague. In the few days before the swim, the ponies are gathered into corrals, and then swum over. They are then rested, and the foals go to auction. This is a fundraiser for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company.


Collins, London, 1961

The swim has been going on for nearly ninety years, but it became well known when Marguerite Henry wrote about it in Misty of Chincoteague (1947). 

Endpapers of the hardback edition

The Beebe children, Paul and Maureen long for a pony of their own, and follow the wild mare Phantom, who has a foal, Misty. They rescue Phantom but have to let her go when she cannot settle. Misty, however, becomes the foundation of a line of ponies kept by the Beebes.

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The Pony Penning and Swim
More on Marguerite Henry

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