Stormy, Misty's Foal
Encyclopedia
Stormy, Misty's Foal is a young-adult
novel by Marguerite Henry
, illustrated by Wesley Dennis, and a sequel to Henry's Misty of Chincoteague
. Both novels are based on historical characters, human and equine, but many of the facts were changed in the stories. Stormy describes events on Chincoteague during the Ash Wednesday Storm
that hit the Eastern Seaboard March 6, 1962, but three of the main characters (Grandpa Clarence, Grandma Idy, and Paul) were dead by 1962.
with floods, hurricane winds, ice, and snow. At first reluctant to accept the threat of the storm, then reluctant to leave the island, the inhabitants are, in the end, forced to accept the devastation that lays waste to chicken farms and pony herds. This leaves the Beebes no choice: They keep Misty in their kitchen for the time being, while they evacuate. Paul also insists on getting a nanny goat if Misty didn't accept her foal.
When Misty is taken to the vet on the mainland of Virginia (along with the goat), she has her foal there: a brown filly with a white moon on her forehead. She is named "Stormy" after a suggestion sent in by letter. Most of the novel is about the storm and its aftermath; the title character only arrives toward the end of the novel. The Beebes are concerned with restoration of Chincoteague and Assateague, and Misty and Stormy play a key role in this effort, giving shows in order to collect donations for the residents of Chincoteague.
Young adult literature
Young-adult fiction or young adult literature , also juvenile fiction, is fiction written for, published for, or marketed to adolescents and young adults, roughly ages 14 to 21. The Young Adult Library Services of the American Library Association defines a young adult as "someone between the...
novel by Marguerite Henry
Marguerite Henry
Marguerite Henry was an American writer. Henry inspired children all over the world with her love of animals, especially horses. The author of fifty-nine books based on true stories of horses and other animals, her work has captivated entire generations of children and young adults and won...
, illustrated by Wesley Dennis, and a sequel to Henry's Misty of Chincoteague
Misty of Chincoteague
Misty of Chincoteague is a 1947 book by American author Marguerite Henry, inspired by a real Chincoteague Pony named Misty. Set on the coastal island of Chincoteague, Virginia, the book tells the story of the Beebe family and their efforts to raise a filly born to a wild horse. The book won the...
. Both novels are based on historical characters, human and equine, but many of the facts were changed in the stories. Stormy describes events on Chincoteague during the Ash Wednesday Storm
Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962
The Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 occurred on March 6–8, 1962 along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. It was considered by the U.S. Geological Survey to be one of the most destructive storms ever to affect the mid-Atlantic states...
that hit the Eastern Seaboard March 6, 1962, but three of the main characters (Grandpa Clarence, Grandma Idy, and Paul) were dead by 1962.
Plot
Misty is close to foaling and the Beebe family is anxious about it. Paul and Maureen check on her every day before and after school at almost every possible time. Unfortunately, a terrible storm system arrives first, setting up over ChincoteagueChincoteague, Virginia
Chincoteague is a town on Chincoteague Island in Accomack County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,317 at the 2000 census. The town is perhaps best known for the Chincoteague Ponies, although these are not actually on the island of Chincoteague but on nearby Assateague Island...
with floods, hurricane winds, ice, and snow. At first reluctant to accept the threat of the storm, then reluctant to leave the island, the inhabitants are, in the end, forced to accept the devastation that lays waste to chicken farms and pony herds. This leaves the Beebes no choice: They keep Misty in their kitchen for the time being, while they evacuate. Paul also insists on getting a nanny goat if Misty didn't accept her foal.
When Misty is taken to the vet on the mainland of Virginia (along with the goat), she has her foal there: a brown filly with a white moon on her forehead. She is named "Stormy" after a suggestion sent in by letter. Most of the novel is about the storm and its aftermath; the title character only arrives toward the end of the novel. The Beebes are concerned with restoration of Chincoteague and Assateague, and Misty and Stormy play a key role in this effort, giving shows in order to collect donations for the residents of Chincoteague.