{Kids} Review: My Little Pony Volume 2: Friendship is Magic by Heather Nuhfer & Amy Mebbereson

Title: My Little Pony Volume 2:  Friendship is Magic
Author: Heather Nuhfer, Amy Mebbereson (illustrations)
Series: My Little Pony
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Publication Date: September 24, 2013
Source: from publisher for review via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Get ready for another unforgettable adventure in the land of Equestria! Twilight Sparkle and gang are confronted with a perilous new danger in the form of a long-unseen enemy!

Okay, so I'm really behind the times (and storyline) of My Little Pony.  I've also never been a comic book/graphic novel person, but I think that has more to do with my addictive personality -- er, need to collect pretty books -- than anything else.

But my daughter is a huge fan of My Little Pony, most especially Pinkie Pie (that was the theme of her 5th birthday party), and we watch the cartoon together every Saturday morning.  So, when I saw this up for grabs on Netgalley, I knew it was meant to be.  And since Katie didn't feel like drawing a book cover for her weekly feature this week, we decided to review this one together...sort of.  I'll translate her excitement as best I can.  :)

Initial reaction when I showed Katie what we were going to read before bed all this week: EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! Translation:  You're the bestest Mommy in the whole wide world and I love you so much for thinking of me!

Halfway through when one of the ponies goes missing:  I hope I don't have nightmares. Translation: Mommy, this book is kind of scaring me.  I hope they find the missing pony soon.

Final thoughts:  I'm so glad everypony got a happy ending in Ponyville!  But it could've used more Pinkie Pie. Translation:  I liked the story, even if it did scare me at times.  More Pinkie Pie, please!!!

Despite a darker premise, the ponies remain true to their characters and provide the usual comic relief. There are some scary nightmare creatures that might be a bit much for some kids, but Katie did alright with them. The artwork for the nightmare creatures was dark and eerie, and the writing for their dialogue was done in red inside of black cartoon bubbles, which made for difficult reading on Katie's Nook, but I don't think that will be as much of an issue in the final print editions.

The story was adorable, and we both really enjoyed it. And I always like the messages the ponies have to teach us about love and friendship. This one focused on self-esteem and believing in yourself and trusting in your friends to do the same.  All in all, it was really cute, and we can't wait until the next volume!

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