Review by Frank Plowright

Louison’s parents have decided to send her to boarding school, and between fear of the unknown and one grumpy room-mate and one who’s hyperactively gushing, it doesn’t seem a good year is on the agenda. However, whatever she thought the boarding school would be, the actuality is far weirder as she’s approached by the spirit of the school and selected to be Wonder Pony, its new protector. She’ll have the strength of a pony.

If that seems seriously strange, Marie Spénale’s imagination has only just begun to fire up. In a series of eight page chapters separated by pin-up pages of Louison’s classmates, Wonder Pony first has to deal with mutated broccoli on the rampage, then the positively over the top admiration of everyone in the school, even though few saw her.

Wonder Pony isn’t quite an all-ages graphic novel, but it’s certainly pitched at the younger end of the young adult market. There’s an absurdist foundation, perhaps devised to suggest boarding school might be fun even if it’s not Hogwarts. Spénale sells the idea not only with constant activities, but also with cheerful cartooning. Even when they’re having a bad patch the characters still look inherently approachable and nice.

Although each chapter can be read separately, they do connect as Louison becomes more capable and between her and the school spirit they figure out what it is that’s manifesting monsters around the school. It’s rather clever actually, leading into a message that most readers won’t see coming. There’s no great depth, but issues are raised in a way to make young readers think, and the learning aspect is reinforced by there being notes for teachers suggesting discussions and activities based on Wonder Pony.