Look, if your kid is in that specific horse-obsessed phase and has burned through all the good horse content, Pony Pals will do the job. It's safe, it's wholesome, it teaches responsibility and friendship, and the horse care information is accurate.

But let's be real: these books are from 1994 and they feel like it. The plots are formulaic, the writing is just okay, and there's nothing particularly special or memorable here. That 4.9 Amazon rating? That's nostalgic adults remembering their childhood, not kids discovering these fresh.

They're fine as transitional chapter books for early readers who need something easy and safe. But if your kid isn't already obsessed with ponies, these probably won't spark much interest. There's better contemporary horse content out there, but if you find these at a library sale or hand-me-down pile, they won't hurt anybody.