A Magical Friend

Pippa has always wanted a pet pony. Princess Stardust has always wanted a pet girl. So when they meet in a magical place called Chevalia, they decide to become best friends. Chevalia is an island where ponies can talk; an island that only real pony lovers can find. But now, the ponies need Pippa’s help. The eight special horseshoes that give the island its magic have gone missing. Can Princess Stardust and Pippa work together to save Chevalia?

While finding the missing horseshoes is important, Princess Stardust is so excited to have a human pet that the missing horseshoes become unimportant. Instead of trying to solve the mystery, the princess takes Pippa on a tour of Chevalia. The mystery takes a back seat as Pippa learns about the interesting magical world and is introduced to several important characters. In the end, Princess Stardust and Pippa find one of the missing horseshoes. The story ends by setting up the next book in the series, where the search for the horseshoes will continue.

Younger, horse-loving readers will enjoy meeting magical ponies. Cute black-and-white illustrations appear every 3 to 5 pages and will help the reader visualize the story’s characters—seahorses, ponies, and even a winged horse. Princess Stardust is light and fun; a contrast to Pippa, who is focused on finding the horseshoes. The intriguing topic and interesting characters will draw young readers into the story; however, the story lacks a life lesson or a theme that would elevate A Magical Friend to a must-read book.

Sexual Content

• None

Violence

• None

 Drugs and Alcohol

• None

Language

• “Oh, horseflies,” is used as an exclamation.
• One of the ponies curses by saying, “Prancing ponies.”

Supernatural

• Every year, on Midsummer Day, the ponies must perform a ceremony. “It’s the time when our ancient horseshoes must renew their magical energy. If the horseshoes are still missing in eight days, then by nightfall on the eighth day, their magic will fade, and our beautiful island will be no more.”
• Pippa goes to the sea and discovers sea horses. “Gently, she moved her fingers to get one of the seahorses to swim to her hand. The tiny animal was almost there when, suddenly, with a loud whoosh, the water rose up in the shape of the head and front legs of a galloping horse.” Two giant seahorses appear and take Pippa to the magical island of
• The giant seahorses tell Pippa, “We’re taking you somewhere very special, where time exists in a bubble. You can stay there as long as you like and you won’t be missed, for time will not pass in your own world.”

Spiritual Content

• None