by Annie Wedekind

This is the first book in the Breyer Horse Collection horse series. Each book tells the story of a particular horse breed.

Shetland pony Phin comes from a long line of working ponies, and seems doomed to live out his life on the carnival route. But his fortunes change when a kind carnival worker sees Phin’s potential as a show pony. Phin becomes “Dauphin” or Little Prince, and leads a pampered life as the show pony of a spoiled city girl. But when she outgrows Phin, he’s sent to live with a roadside menagerie. The “funny farm” is home to a streetsmart dog, a dotty camel, a blind reindeer, a philosophical water buffalo, assorted cats with an attitude, and some pony-terrorizing bunnies. The animals are largely left to their own devices, and Phin sorely misses human companionship. As time goes on though, Phin becomes the leader of the little “herd” of misplaced animals. It’s a gem of a horse story, laugh-out loud funny and exciting. If you’ve ever loved a horse, this book will touch you. MPL currently has two books in the series: Little Prince and Wild Blue: the Story of a Mustang Appaloosa.