Misty of Chincoteague facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Marguerite Henry |
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| Country | United States |
| Genre | Children's novel, pony book |
| Publisher | Rand McNally |
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Publication date
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1947 |
| Pages | 173 pp. (first ed.) |
| OCLC | 176811 |
| LC Class | PZ10.3.H43 Mg |
| Followed by | "Sea Star: Orphan of Chincoteague" (1949) "Stormy, Misty's Foal" (1963) "Misty's Twilight" (1992) |
Misty of Chincoteague is a popular children's novel. It was written by Marguerite Henry and published in 1947. The book tells a story about wild ponies on Chincoteague Island. It was inspired by a real pony named Misty and the Beebe family who lived on the island. The book was so loved that it was a runner-up for the famous Newbery Medal. Later, in 1961, a movie called Misty was made based on the book.
Contents
The Story of Misty of Chincoteague
What Happens in the Book?
The story starts with an old tale. It describes a Spanish ship that crashed off the coast of Virginia. The ponies on board swam to Assateague Island. Over many years, these ponies became wild. They lived freely on the island.
The book then focuses on two children, Paul and Maureen Beebe. They live with their grandparents on Chincoteague Island. Paul and Maureen dream of buying a special wild pony. This pony is a mare named Phantom. She has avoided capture during the annual Pony Penning event for two years.
The children work hard to save enough money. Finally, they have enough to buy Phantom. Paul manages to catch her during the roundup. Phantom is slower this year because she has a new foal, Misty. But before Paul and Maureen can buy them, a man from the mainland buys Phantom and Misty for his son.
Paul and Maureen are very sad. However, things change for the better! The man's son won another pony in a raffle. So, he decided he didn't need Phantom and Misty. This allowed Paul and Maureen to finally buy their dream ponies.
Paul and Maureen then train Phantom to be ridden. The next year, Paul races Phantom on Pony Penning Day. Phantom wins the race! But the next day, Phantom sees her old wild herd. They are being released to swim back to Assateague Island. The herd is led by a stallion named Pied Piper.
Paul understands Phantom's longing for freedom. He releases her, and she gallops to join Pied Piper and the wild herd. They swim back to their home on Assateague Island. Misty stays behind with Paul and Maureen, becoming their beloved pony.
The Real Misty: A True Inspiration
Misty's Family and Life
The book Misty was inspired by a real pony. This pony was also named Misty. The real Misty was born in 1946 on Chincoteague. She was born at the Beebe Ranch, not in the wild.
Just like in the book, her father was a chestnut pinto stallion named Pied Piper. Her mother was a smokey-black pinto mare called Phantom. These real horses were not wild. But they still gave Marguerite Henry the idea for the wild ponies in her story.
Misty was a beautiful palomino pinto pony. She had a large white patch on her side. It looked a lot like the shape of the United States! You can even see her hoof prints. They are pressed into the sidewalk outside the Roxy Movie Theatre in Chincoteague.
Marguerite Henry bought Misty in 1946. Misty lived at Henry's home in Wayne, Illinois for a while. In 1957, Misty moved back to the Beebe Ranch in Chincoteague. Henry held a big goodbye party for Misty in Wayne. Over 300 children and 160 adults came to say farewell!
Back in Chincoteague, Misty had three foals. Her first was Phantom Wings in 1960. Then came Wisp O' Mist in 1961. Her last foal was Stormy, born in 1962. Stormy was a chestnut pinto filly. She had a crescent moon-shaped white mark on her forehead. By 2015, nearly 200 ponies were known to be descendants of Misty.
The Beebe Family's Connection
The Beebe family was very important to Misty's story. Paul Beebe passed away in 1957. His grandfather, Clarence Beebe, died two months later. Grandmother Ida Beebe passed away in 1960. Maureen Beebe lived a long life. She passed away in 2019 at the age of 81. She was a well-known person on Chincoteague Island.
Misty herself passed away peacefully in her sleep. This happened on October 16, 1972, when she was 26 years old. Both Misty and her foal Stormy were preserved. You can see them at the Museum of Chincoteague Island.
Misty's Legacy Lives On
The Misty of Chincoteague Foundation was started in 1990. Marguerite Henry helped create it. The foundation works to keep Misty's memory alive. It also encourages children to read. They raised money to create a statue of Misty. This beautiful statue was placed on Chincoteague. It was officially shown to the public on July 29, 1997. Another identical statue of Misty is at Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.
More Books in the "Misty" Series
Marguerite Henry wrote several books about Misty and her family:
- Misty of Chincoteague (1947)
- Sea Star: Orphan of Chincoteague (1949): This book is a sequel. Misty is sold to be shared with children everywhere. The Beebe children then rescue a tiny orphaned colt after the Pony Penning.
- Misty, the Wonder Pony, by Misty, Herself (1956): A picture book told from Misty's point of view.
- Stormy, Misty's Foal (1963): This sequel tells about the big Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 on Chincoteague. It also describes the birth of Misty's last foal, Stormy. Misty and Stormy even made appearances to help raise money for the wild pony herds after the storm.
- A Pictorial Life Story of Misty (1976): A book with many drawings and pictures about Misty's life.
- Misty's Twilight (1992): This book came out almost 30 years after the third one. It's about a woman who owns a horse farm in Florida. She raises one of Misty's descendants to become a champion show horse.
Celebrating 50 Years of Misty
In 1997, the original Misty of Chincoteague book turned 50 years old. To celebrate, a special diary was released. It had quotes from the book and new illustrations. This happened just a month before Marguerite Henry passed away.
Misty's Influence in Other Books
Many of the real-life Misty's descendants have been featured in books by other authors:
- Windy of Chincoteague by Ronald Keiper (1987): A non-fiction book about Misty's first granddaughter, Windy.
- Pony Promise by Lois Szymanski (1996): A fictional story. It's based on the true event of Windy nursing her half-sister Misty II. This happened alongside her own foal, Cyclone, because Stormy rejected Misty II.
- Nightmist the Miracle Pony by Jessie-Ann Friend (2005): A children's book about Misty's great-grandson, Nightmist.
- The Forgotten Pony by Jessie Ann-Friend (2007): Another children's book about Misty's great-grandson, Rainy's Boy.
A series of children's books by pony breeder Kendy Allen also started in 2006. These books feature Misty's family ponies:
- Misty's Heart of the Storm
- Misty's Black Mist and the Christmas Parade
- A Chincoteague Pony Named Misty III
- Ember's Story, The Misty Miracle Pony
