Review: ALL THREE - It Began with Picotee: the new edition

This week's book is the new edition of It Began with Picotee. I say new, as not only does it contain their first full novel, It Began With Picotee,  it also contains bonus content.

It is published by Jane Badger Books and is currently available as an ebook and paperback edition.  I shall not review It Began with Picotee again, as apart from an unacceptable term (see previous review) being removed, it has not been edited. It contains the original illustrations by Rosemary Robertson. For the purposes of my review, I shall focus on the bonus content. 

The blurb reads:- 

The Pullein-Thompson sisters are the amongst the best known of the classic pony story authors. Most of their books have been printed and reprinted, but the stories they wrote when they started off are much harder to find. The sisters wrote their first works together, and they are gathered here in this volume. 

It Began with Picotee was their first full-length novel, written by all three during WWII. It has been out of print for nearly 80 years. 

Their earliest works, Cocktail Capitulates and The Road to Ruin, two short pieces that appeared in Riding Magazine, have been out of print for even longer.

This new edition brings these stories together for the first time, showing the sparky observation and solid equine knowledge that flowed through the Pullein-Thompsons' novels for decades to come. 

Hunting was legal when these stories were written, and they reflect that. 

The first bit of bonus content is Cocktail Capitulates: a bit that I touched briefly on in my previous review of It Began with Picotee.  Basically it is a story of how they school a pony. There is more to that, and is their first published work, and it is certainly interesting. 

The second bit of bonus content is The Road to Ruin. It is a story of a pony turned bad, and you can see where the early days of their writing talent shone. It reads like a fictional story rather than Cocktail Capitulates where it is obviously non fiction. To me, personally speaking, I preferred this one. But both Cocktail Capitulates and The Road to Ruin are equally good in terms of quality. 

The next bit is an history of their early works. Most of it has been taken from Jane Badger's Heroines on Horseback (previously reviewed). It is only really interesting if you haven't read Heroines on Horseback or have forgotten it. Either way it's an fascinating insight into the background of their early works. 

There is an historical articles: one about how life has changed, at least monetary wise since it was first written (if like me you were born after decimalisation in the 1970s it's an alien world of shillings) and the two real life showjumpers that are mentioned. It certainly explains a lot to a modern audience. The second is how showjumping used to be scored in the past which adds interest and the third and final one is about publishing history. Jane makes it clear that an unfortunate word has been removed.

So I recommend this edition if you haven't read It Began with Picotee before and if you have then for the sheer bonus content if you dont own them already. It's clear that the PTs knew their stuff from the off. This edition provides an interesting and informative insight into the early years.

Review: ALL THREE: It Began With Picotee

It Began With Picotee is this week's book. It is their first book, and like their mother, all 3 sisters collabrated to do it. It was first published in 1946, the same year as both Diana and Josephine published their first solo books.

It is illustrated by Rosemary Robertson, who was not only a friend of Josephine's, but also did their mother's They Bought Her A Pony.

The blurb reads:-

It began with Picotee, then came Tony, and Pengo and a whole host of other ponies. Some were amenable to discipline, others were decidedly not. But good, or bad, for the three girls who looked after them, the more ponies they had the more they liked it.

It Began With Picotee is rather an apt title, since this began which is was obviously a rather fruitful career for all 3 sisters.

It is, as the blurb suggests, the story of 3 sisters. How much is based on themselves I do not know, but I suspect rather a lot. The first chapter they acquire a second pony - Tony - and they take him hunting. At the time of writing, unlike today, hunting was a key feature of the countryside horsey scene. Thankfully it is not too graphic in it's description so if you accept that hunting went on, it's not liable to offend.

The second chapter is taken up by the girls acquiring yet another pony - Pengo - and without giving too much away, the fun and games they have with him. 

Then in the third chapter they acquire a pony called Imp who they rename Angus. Again like the previous chapter they have - albeit different - fun and games with him.

The fourth chapter is taken up with 3 more ponies that the sisters acquire. One is called Bronx, which the groom says "Mind you sit tight, Miss, 'e didn't 'alf cut some capers in the yard this morning". This is most likely based on the sisters experience themselves as the exact words were used in a 1941 article by the sisters in Riding Magazine.  Again like the first chapter there is a hunting scene but, nothing liable to offend. 

The next few chapters is taken up with schooling which I suspect Josephine may have a hand in. Certainly they acquire no more ponies although there is a horse show the results I will no divulge as to not spoil the story. 

The final chapter is entitled Plenty of Ponies unfortunately contains the n word but it's not used as an insult but a reference to a shade of brown. Thankfully it's the only occurrence of that unfortunate word. It may be noted that none of the PTs used racial slander in their pony books since. Though it you have to remember that this book was originally published and written in the 1940s where attitudes were completely different to a modern audience. 

I quite enjoyed this book. It's a bit rambling in places but overall a decent plot. It's not their finest work but then again you have to remember it's their first work. First works by authors rarely are. Overall a decent effort. 

REVIEW: Heroines on Horseback - Jane Badger

Heroines on Horseback is a book by Jane Badger. It was first published in 2013 by Girls Gone By.

The blurb reads:-

The pony book galloped onto the children's book scene with a flick of its rosetted bridle, and has remained a fixture ever since. Brave girls and nervous ones, scruffy ponies and ornaments of the show ring cantered through pony tale after pony tale, all fallen upon by an audience desperate to read anything that reflected their own passion for the pony.

Heroines on Horseback looks at the pony book from its beginning in the 1920s and 1930s to the glory days of the 1940s and 50s and beyond. The pony book expert Jane Badger writes about the lives and contribution of noted exponents, including Primrose Cumming, Monica Edwards, Patricia Leitch, Ruby Ferguson and the Pullein-Thompson sisters, as well as providing a wide-ranging view of the genre as a whole, its themes and developments, illustrators and short stories.

This book has a chapter devoted to the Pullein-Thompson sisters hence why it is on this blog. However I am not going to focus solely on the PT chapter, but a review of the book in general.

This book is ideal for anyone who is interested in the history of the pony book as it covers everything from the early days to the hey days of the pony book of the 1960s and the 1970s. It also covers major illustrators of the pony books. The book is also aimed at adults who want to relive their pony book days. It also covers British authors, which is not surprising as the author is based in the UK. However that's not to mean that the non UK authors are excluded, Elyne Mitchell (an Australian author) does get a mention.

I found it interesting and it gave a quick summary of some of the books without giving the plot away. The author has a knack of keeping the author interested without making the subject into a boring tome - something which could be easily done. The only downside is that it skimmed through the more modern stuff (1990s onwards), briefly giving them a mention. I felt as though they werent given the same time to the book. Perhaps the author simply ran out of room - after all you cant fit everything into a book. Though admittedly there are new pony authors coming out all the time. The major authors (Pullein-Thompsons, K M Peyton) are covered along with lesser authors such as Patience McElwee (though like modern books they arent all covered). Judith M Berrisford (who wrote the longest running pony book series) is another author who is barely covered. However the author has a superb website which is full of biographical information of many authors - I suspect that she didnt want to reiterate what is available essentially for free thus making the book redundant.







The Pullein-Thompson chapter is very informative and full of a wealth of information about the sister, including little known gems. It focuses on their works up until 1970, which means that later books such as the later Phantom Horse series, A Job With Horses (Josephine) are largely forgotten about. It also contains a review of the Black Beauty Family's series by Susanna Forest (author of If Wishes Were Horses).

It makes you want to buy many authors that you missed out as the author of the book has a knack of describing hidden gems.

There was a couple of things that I didnt like. Personally I didnt like the yellow on the front cover, I felt cream or something more neutral would have been more appropriate. Also I didnt like the fact that covers of pony book depicted internally where in black and white - I would prefer them in colour. I suspect that both decisions were taken by the publisher rather than the author however. The black and white does fit in however with the illustrations, of which they are plenty and sympathetically chosen to display what the author is trying to convey. Similarly the quotes of the various pony books are well chosen and fit with what the author is trying to convey well.

It is a well written book and definitely worth the money paid for it. Despite my criticisms, I highly recommend it. Heroines on Horseback is available through Amazon, abebooks, Girls Gone By, Waterstones (at least online, I dont know about their physical stores) as well as through the author's own website (link below). If you order through Jane herself she will sign it for you at no extra cost. (Mine is!)

http://www.ponybooksales.com/?page=shop/flypage&product_id=5145&keyword=badger,+jane&searchby=author&offset=0&fs=1

An interesting personal note is that I am mentioned in the acknowledgement section by name. Obviously I am not going to put my real name on a public blog, but my initials are DH. If you own such a copy you will work it out yourself.

Review: ALL THREE - Fair Girls and Grey Horses

Fair Girls and Grey Horses: Memories of a country childhood is really their second collective work, as the first was It Began with Picotee. However, unlike It Began With Picotee, this is an non fictional work. It is actually an autobiography, with all 3 sisters contributing to every chapter. This is actually a different style to It Began With Picotee, which works much better I think. However, it does lead to some duplication.

It was first published in 1996, 50 years after the publication of It Began with Picotee. The scan is of an paperback edition, which has the same cover as the hardback edition. There is also a large type edition and an audio book version (sadly, not read out by the sisters).

This book is not aimed at children, more like adult collectors or people have who have read their books as a child and are now grown up. It is not illustrated.

The blurb reads:-

'Are your twins normal?' Mrs Pullein-Thompson was asked. 'Good God, I hope not,' she retorted.

The twins were Diana and Christine who, with their elder sister Josephine, have written 150 books, which have sold in millions around the world. Now, over 50 years after the publication of their first book, It Began with Picotee, the sisters have jointly written about their extraordinary childhood with lovable but often unreliable animals and unforgettable humans.

It also mentions quite frequently their brother Denis Cannan, and their father, Cappy, of which little is known about, at least in comparison to the sisters (and their mother). It begins with some family history.

Although not meant to be funny, there are some. One particular incident is when Josephine writes "He also had an embarrassing habit of knocking the hats off men who failed to remove them for the National Anthem" when talking about how Cappy was fiercely patriotic. Also they (the sisters) had euphemisms brought by their Victorian Nana, and the confusions/chaos it sometimes caused led to some amusing incidents.

There are a few adult references, but not as much as the non pony work, A Place With Two Faces (Josephine), but the general tone would make it boring for children. There are some incidents about animals (not necessarily about horses) which provide some amusement. Some events which happened in their life did actually appear in their (or their mother's) books, though the names had been changed.

Three are also some sample of poems which have yet to appear in any other book, which gives a fascinating insight into their fruitful literary career, especially as most of them were written before the publication of It Began With Picotee. There are also some photos of their childhood.

In some ways, it shows (despite their lack of formal education) the forward-thinking of their Mamma (Joanna Cannan). Although she did send them to school at some point, she insisted that they only attended half a day, because she "believed children should enjoy their childhood", a fact that is sadly lacking these days.

All in all, a humorous book, and completely utterly enjoyable. However for me, the greatest disappointment was the fact that there was not a complete bibliography of their works included. Admittedly, Christine did write several books after this was first published. You notice to the right there is the link to the Wikipedia article which has all the books listed, but that was done by me, following many hours of research. If that was included, it would have made my life much easier. Completely and utterly fascinating, though sadly there is not much about the riding school that they owned.

Review: DIANA - The Long Ride Home

The Long Ride Home is this week's book, and also the final Diana book we will be seeing for quite a considerable amount of time. I am aware that I have left out Black Princess, Black Romany and Black Piper, but I do plan to do all the "Black" books at the same time, by all 3 authors. It was first published in 1996, making it Diana's last book (both pony and non pony). It is not illustrated.

The blurb reads:-

"Call granny if something really awful happens and you need help" says Carey's mother. before leaving. "You can share Sandpiper with me," Carey tells Hannah. But Hannah hates riding and soon the cottage fills with her mysterious friends. Before long the medical problem, which has dogged Cary ever since an attack of meningitis, is being exploited by Hannah and her boyfriend Steve. Then her mobile phone, Carey's lifeline, disappears. Frightened, she leaves the Scottish island with Sandpiper and her collie, Tina, and sets out to ride to her Grandmother's cottage in Yorkshire.

This is the story of Carey's long and often terrifying ride with her two beloved and sometimes awkward animals, a story of treachery and pursuit with an surprising twist at the end.

To a certain extent, this is based on Diana's own long ride (for those of you who are unaware, she rode from Land's End to John O'Groats), however she does make an comment that this book is entirely fictitious, save for the warm hospitality that she received from the Scots. Whether that bit is true or not, I have never been to Scotland or have any Scottish relatives.

In some ways this is a more modern book than Diana's previous creations, the advent of the mobile phone is an obvious example, and the mentioning of the illness is another. Pony books dont generally mention the rider's illnesses, the nearest they get is an attack of the "needle" (whatever that may be; I suspect it is another way of saying nerves). Again Neighbours is a mention of another thing (the TV programme, not the people who live nearby), TV is rarely mentioned in pony books. Presumably, people in pony books are too busy having adventures to bother about things such as TV, or in the case of the early books, very few people had TV, because they were so darned expensive. I have heard countless tales of people in the 1950s having only one television in the street, and I suppose having 101 neighbours around (the real people this time) to watch your tv was guess tough luck if you wanted peace and quiet. Or if you didn't like your neighbours, I guess you had to be uber nice to them if you wanted to watch their TV.

Anyway, back to the book. The main part is given away in the blurb, and there is a lovely detail in the way she ends up. Her parents are away, so feeling downtrodden, she goes to her granny's on horseback. The people she meets on the way, and the threat is so real that she faces. It's like you are almost there. With some pony books you feel that it is unreal, that it could never happen, but this one, it definitely not like that.

The twist is suprising at the end and totally unexpected. I really like this book, and is of the same high quality standard that we expect of Diana. It should appeal to the masses, but it is not lost either. It's surprising that many people dont talk about this book, I feel it deserves better recognition than what it does.

Next week: a Josephine book.

Review: DIANA - Riding With The Lyntons

Riding With The Lyntons is this week's book. It was first published in 1956, making it one of Diana's earlier books.

The blurb reads:-

Suddenly we heard blaring car horns and the screech of brakes. Then the two ponies came clattering towards us down the wrong side of the road. The oncoming car didn't have a chance. Tyres skidded on the wet surface, there was a shrill whinny and then a dreadful, sickening silence...

Lesley can hardly believe her luck when she moves to the country and makes friends with the horse-mad Lyntons. But then she's blamed for the accident that ruins it all...

In some ways this book reminds me of last week's book Horses At Home & Friends Must Part, which is not surprising, as that book was Diana's last publication prior to this one. I guess that theme must have been fresh in her mind.

Like most of Diana's books, this one does have a morbid side to it, and it is certainly the most morbid of hers. It's not a cosy read. But don't let that put you off reading it, it is certainly worth taking a look at. The Armada edition is the easier copy to find, but it's not the easiest of books. A quick note: any edition published after 1982 has been revised. That particular Armada edition shown above does have quite a few illustrations: illustrator is uncredited. However I strongly suspect that they are the original which makes them by Sheila Rose.

The main element to this book is stated by the blurb and unlike the other books, it is not worth me going over it, as the best bits are above. However, it is wonderfully descriptive, the whole book is told by Lesley's point of view on everything. However, unlike The Pennyfields it is not boring. I feel it is slow to start, but worth it.

There is one tiny point that annoys me greatly; in the beginning (before Lesley discovers the Lyntons) when Lesley complains that she is bored (naturally being in a new area she doesnt know anyone), her dad calls her "a wretched little socialite". I think that it is highly unfair, as she didnt ask for her to move, and secondly it is not her fault she doesnt knows anyone. Thirdly, I feel it is down right nasty for her parents to call her that, and could be bordering on emotional abuse (perhaps in the 1950s it was acceptable for parents to call you names) and fourthly, living in the country is not everyone's idea of brilliance. Some people hate living in the country.

Like the Boy and the Donkey I feel it is better appreciated from an adult's point of view rather than a child's, and certainly not every single child is not comfortable with the death. Even for me, it threw me a little. It is more of an examinations of friendships and relationships with people, but done in a lovely, if somewhat morbid way. Not the most appealing of books in the whole; but again, I feel it is one of Diana's best.

Next week is the final Diana review for quite a while: it is The Long Ride Home. Two weeks time should see the start of Josephine.

Review: DIANA - Horses At Home & Friends Must Part

Horses At Home/Friends Must Part is this weeks book.

It is actually 2 short stories combined into one volume, I have never seen them printed separately. It was first published in 1954.

The first picture on the right is the first edition and the second picture to the right is an Collins Pony Library edition, but there is not a blurb on those. I like the Collins Pony Library editions, they seem to have nice illustrations on the cover. The first edition is illustrated by Sheila Rose, but the Collins Pony Library edition is not illustrated.

The blurb reads:-

When Nicholas's and Clare's aunt was suddenly rushed into hospitial, everyone wanted to know what was to happen to her two famous show jumpers.

Nicholas had a suggestion.

"But it would be so easy, and Aunt couldn't afford to pay all that money to have them kept in a livery stable. Please let us have them. Please. We'll be dreadfully careful."

Their mother wavered. "Alright then. I give up. We'll have them for a day or two and see how you get on." And the children set about making the HORSES AT HOME...........

Horses At Home is the first story: it tells the story of Nicholas and Clare's famous showjumping Aunt (called Gay), who due to an illness, means that they are left to care for them. They quite often find themselves out of control (overhorsed springs to mind here), which leads to some incidents. Fortunately nothing deadly serious happens, and they get their reward when Aunt Gay is much better. To me, this has elements of Pat Smythe's (the showjumper) real life, and to a certain extent her books, but it is still a lovely story.

Friends Must Part is the second: it tells about Andy and her relationship with her pony and the people who live across the road. She has a pony called Peppermint, but is later replaced with a pony called Gingersnap. Unfortunately when she goes to buy Gingersnap her sister, Brandysnap is for sale. The people across the road chose Brandysnap, when in reality Andy wanted her first. There is a feud over this, which isnt helped with the 2 ponies wanting to be with each other. Fortunately, this is solved towards the end of the book.

I personally think that Horses At Home is the better story: perhaps why this is first. But they are both great stories and one of the easiest to get into. It is a pleasant light book which should appeal to everyone: however being 2 short stories there are some bits missing, and could be better if it was 2 normal length books. Still this is one of my favourite Diana books.

Review: DIANA - Ponies In Peril

Ponies in Peril is this week's book. It is also the final installment in the Sandy and Fergus series. It was first published in 1979.

The blurb reads:-

The six ponies stood under the trees, watching us warily.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" said Jake. "Terrible to think that they'll end up on someone's dinner table."

When Sandy and Fergie learn that the ponies are destined for slaughter, they are determined to save them. If only they can raise the money to buy them, they can break them in and sell them to good homes. But how will they find six hundred pounds in two weeks? It seems hopeless - the ponies are surely doomed...

Like the first one in the series, the horses are more of a subplot, this is about raising money and community spirit. However, unlike Ponies in the Valley the horses are more predominent, as obviously, the money is for the ponies. But that is one thing that only takes up a quarter of the book, as in all pony books, it is pretty obvious that in the end they get the ponies.

The trials and tribulations of the ponies, being broken in, takes up a good part of the book, and is an enjoyable read. Unlike most pony books, they dont keep them.

It is also quite unique is that all the sisters chose to use the same name for a pony. One of the ponies here is called Jigsaw. The name Jigsaw also appears in the following books by Josephine: Pony Club Challenge and Pony Club Trek. In Christine, the entire Black Pony Inn series features a Jigsaw, and also in the book Sundance Saves the Day. However, as Sundance Saves the Day is based on Julip horses, and the names were Julip's choosing and not Christine's.

As it is a final part of the series, I feel that it doesnt do it justice at the end. Although there is a satisfactory outcome to the end of the book, unlike the Pony Seekers series, there isnt a natural conclusion. I feel that Diana could have taken the series further, perhaps she got fed up of them or this one didnt sell as well?

Review: DIANA - Ponies On The Trail

Ponies on the Trail is this week's book and is the continuation of the Sandy and Fergie series. It was first published in 1978 and like many books of the time, the first edition was a paperback. However, Severn House decided to republish it in hard back, and the photo (right) is the hardback edition.

The blurb reads:-

"An adventure holiday", said Jake. "That's what I've planned. And you two will help me run it. We'll take a dozen riders for six days, and provide them with a pony, food, equipment - the lot. And we'll sleep in old shepherds' huts up in the hills."

"Brilliant!" cried Fergie. "Mimosa and Silverstar will love it."

But the riders turn out to be a very odd bunch indeed - and Sandy and Fergie find themselves heading for a week full of mystery and excitement...

Unlike that week's (and the previous one in the series) book, this book has more of a horsey plot. As stated, the book is about them going off and doing an (give or take) week long trek. The overview is that they turn out to be beginners (with 2 exceptions), and of course beginners give any pony book author a fair more deal to write about than experienced people. In fact, this quote tells you a lot about the sort of people they were:-

The photograph showed a blonde girl with a slightly tip-tilted nose sitting on a beach in a bikini. Her skin was golden as honey and her eyes grape hyacinth blue. It was the sort of picture you might expect to find on the cover of the magazine.

"Crumbs!" cried Fergie. "She looks like Miss World."

Trust men to think of that. The mix of ages, also make it interesting, and a lot of the book is taken up with the dynamics of the group, which also an unusual angle for a pony book. But dont let that put you off.

It's full of thrills and spills. The descriptive style of Diana never makes it dull, where this could be. There's almost an adventure on every page. It doesn't have a big event, just the backdrop of the trek and lots of small ones. But they fit together beautifully.

Interestingly, very much like the book Cassidy In Danger/This Pony is Dangerous, there is a reference to a relative of theirs; May Wedderburn Cannan. May (Wedderburn) Cannan was their mother's sister, and curiously, Wedderburn is one of Josephine's middle names. May died some 5 years prior to this book being published.

A good continuation of the series, and although it isn't as solid is the Ponies in the Valley it is a worthy sequel. A book that doesn't come up as often as Diana's other books, but not a very expensive one.

Review: DIANA - Ponies In the Valley

Ponies In the Valley is this week's book. It was first published in 1976, and is also part of a series. It is also the final series I have left to do, the other books I have left, which are 5 excluding this one, the vast majority are not part of a series.

Before you all moan, yes, I have discounted the "Black's". This is because when I got hold of my copy of Black Beauty's Family with the elusive Black Raven in, I also discovered there is another Black Beauty's relative story by Diana, which is entitled Black Piper. So because there were so many editions of Black Beauty's Family/Clan, and they were published under different names, I am making sure that there are no other "Black" stories hidden in the woodwork. But fear not, I am planning to do the "Black" stories at one point, it will all be together, at the same couple of weeks, that I will tackle the following books: It Began with Picotee, Fair Girls and Grey Horses and Pullein-Thompson Treasury Of Horse And Pony Stories. Before you all moan (again!) I know that Fair Girls and Grey Horses is a non fictional book, and this blog is about their (pony) fictional books. But, like their mother's books, I feel this has a valid place. It gives a fascinating insight into their childhood. I could prattle on about their autobiography, but before you know it, I might as well change the title, as I would have done a review. But back to this week's book.

The blurb reads:-

Do you know what's it like to long for a pony...?

Sandy had dreamed for years of her own grey mare. Then her parents decide to pack up their city lift and live on a farm - with stables! And when Fergus finds Mimosa at the horse sale, it seems as if all Sandy's dreams are coming true...

But Mimosa is uncontrollable - and if Sandy and Fergus cannot manage her, they will have to sell her. Why does she behave so badly? The answer comes as a complete shock...

And so does the dreadful discovery, one night, that the gates are open, and the field empty...

The "Sandy and Fergus" series of books is one that I enjoy, even more so than the Pony Seekers series. It tells of Sandy's desire to have one, their upheaval to the Welsh Marches (it doesnt given an exact area, but it does mention that is in the Wales border, and Shropshire isnt close by. As I am not that far from Shropshire myself, the area I live in is generally known as the Welsh Marches, though I suspect that they were based further south than I am), and their life.

It tells of how they adjusted from life in the city to life in the country. Not just them, but life as a whole. In some ways it is more realistic, though it doesnt have any tragedies. Anyone moving from the town to the country (and vice versa) can relate to that. How they struggle to fit in and finally be accepted by almost everyone.

There is a horsey element, like the blurb says. Mimosa (and the borrowed pony: Bourneville) are good solid equine characters, and unlike Diana's other books, there isnt really a horsey accident. In many ways, the getting of Mimosa, and the influence on their life is more of a subplot than anything else.

There are two interesting twists: horse wise and non horse wise, but there is enough to make everyone happy. A good solid book with an excellent start to the series. In fact I would say it is good enough to stand on it's own.

Review: DIANA - Cassidy In Danger/This Pony Is Dangerous

Cassidy In Danger is this week's book. It was first published in 1979, but in the 1990s, J A Allen republished it as This Pony Is Dangerous.

The blurb reads:-

'Cassidy's vicious - he's a killer', they all said. 'He'll have to be destroyed.'

But left to her own devices for the holidays, Katie determines to save the beautiful bay pony. Can she succeed? And if she does, will she ever be able to make him safe to ride?

If anyone is unfamilar with the J A Allen editions of the P-T books, approximately 3/4ers of the back is taken with information about the author. Hence why it is so short. But it can be useful though, it wasnt until I got hold of a J A Allen edition that I found out that the P-T sisters had a brother, who is of course Denis Cannan. There is no mention of him on this edition though.

Dangerous ponies seem to be a thing that Diana likes: it is not the first time she had written about a supposedly dangerous pony. After all that is what A Pony To School is about.

The book starts with Katie, the main character of the story, being sent to her godmother's house and her joys of getting there. Interestingly, there is an reference to Georgette Heyer, a friend of her mother's.

Katie, after discovering that the local riding school charges £4 an hour for riding lessons (she was only left with £10) feels rather alone and that is when she discovers Cassidy. She also discovers later from her godmother why Cassidy is deemed dangerous, but like most books, it makes it sound like the previous rider's fault. Left to her own devices a lot, she makes friends with Cassidy, and ensures that he will be saved. Consequently, she spends her spare time with Cassidy, and meets a neighbour called Matthew (another reused name, it was in The Hermit's Horse there was a boy called Matthew). They become good friends, and makes a good additional character. She rides Cassidy, and tries to retrain him.

There is a time when Cassidy almost loses his life, but like all good books he gets saved. In some ways it has elements of Christine's Phantom Horse In Danger, but this book was published a year before Phantom Horse in Danger, so I guess it must be a twin thing. They say that twins are psychically linked after all.

Whether Cassidy continues to be dangerous or is really dangerous isnt really answered by the book, unlike A Pony To School the answer is never really given. It's up to the reader whether or not they want to believe it. But the main thing that Cassidy isnt put to his death, and presumably, he lives until an old age. Pony books never really deal with that.

It's a little bit dated that they refer to 1980s bands/artists. As J A Allen decided to revise this book, I feel that they should have re jigged a little bit by saying "the latest bands", or something along those lines. I feel that it isn't as strong as compared to A Pony To School on the dangerous front, but it's more appealing to today's people who are more used to being fed a diet of Heartland or similar junk. In some ways, this is better than A Pony To School. But it's more appealing to most people, and less old fashioned. But it is a good book, and not one that is hard to find.

Many thanks to Jane Badger for the scan of Cassidy In Danger.

Some P-T/blog related thoughts

I have had some fruitful pony book parcels this week. I managed to acquire (many thanks to bevi who put me on the right track) the edition of the Black Beauty's Family which has that elusive Black Raven in.

Which got me thinking. As I was sitting on my bed last night, after helping Jane (of Jane Badger books) with her soon to be published Christine section, that how long it would take to get through every single P-T books I have (including those I have left on my wish list). So I started to write it all out. 104 books. Which means, that taking into account, that I am only doing one book a week, that it will take 2 years (since there are 52 weeks in a year). That is a long time, and I bet by the time it is finished, things will move on in my life. Of course, most of Christine's later books are for a younger age groups than most of hers, so that wont take as long to do, but it's one commitment. I just hope that I manage to find all the ones that are on my want list. I suspect that The Horse Sale will be the hardest, since I am after that lovely edition that Sheila Rose did the cover for (blue background), which is harder to find, than other edition of the same book. I must admit that I do prefer illustrated covers over photographic covers of books, illustrations seem timeless and have a certain charm. I had a look at my local county library's website, and they do have 20 P-T books, and fortunately one of them is on my want list, so hopefully I can request it if I am desperate (since it is not located at my local or the main library). Though sadly, with the exception of Fair Girls and Grey Horses, they do not have any of the author's adult titles.

I also managed to get hold of my last wanted Joanna Cannan book: They Bought Her A Pony. Which means now that I have all the Joanna Cannan pony books. I have not read any of her other non pony related titles, as again, like her daughter's adult works, my local library does not stock any (and there are none in the county, the nearest I got was May Cannan).

But it got me thinking: once about 2 years down the line: should I do Joanna? As it says on my first post, this is mainly about the P-T's. Sometimes, kind of like today, I will go off track and stray away from the P-T's but this will always be pony book related (and yes, shock horror!! I do have other pony books which arent by the sisters). But I think Joanna does have a rightful place here: if she was not born, then we would not have the P-T's. Also if it wasnt for Joanna encouraging them and the sisters seeing her writing throughout their childhood (had their mother been a housewife, then maybe we wouldnt have the lovely books we have today), then they would not have been tempted to start what is obviously a very successful and fruitful career, both for themselves and pony book sellers alike. I doubt that one pony book seller has not had at least 1 P-T book pass through their hands. I am sure Jane has plenty in her stock room!! Also, Vanessa at Fidra has definitely reprinted 2 of Joanna's works and Josephine's Six Ponies, if there wasnt a demand for P-T/Joanna Cannan books, then she wouldnt go down that route.

It als0 got me thinking: what is the most expensive pony fictional book (not just P-T books)? Previously, I would have said that Primrose Cumming's Silver Snaffles was the most expensive, being such a hard to find book in the first place, and definitely commanding a high price. However with the soon to be released Fidra books edition coming out, and for the maximum price of £15, I bet a lot of people will be going for that. Great if you are a buyer (myself included: I have ordered a copy), I suppose it is horrible if you are a bookseller. What was a nice little earner is probably sitting longer unsold than it did before, though there are some purists who want the original edition (and have the money for it!). I dont know the answer: the most I spent on a single book was £45 on an Caroline Akrill hb edition of I'd Rather Not Gallop (and it is signed to boot).

Anyway, here is my want list, if anyone is interested. I have not included titles which I have already and want to replace with certain editions, I'll leave that until later, as it is not something I am desperate for. If you have any of these, please let me know. Just one thing: I am not interested in hardback editions of books which are missing their dustjacket: I cant stand that. Though of course, if it is something with a pictorial cover (such as the Collins Pony Library series), I'll make an exception. Like I previously said, I prefer illustrated over photographic covers.

Josephine Pullein-Thompson

# Proud Riders
# Save The Ponies!

To make matters worse, there is an book also called Save The Ponies by Gillian Baxter as well as Josephine. They arent the same book: Gillian's was published in 1971, whereas Josephine's was published in 1983. You would think that the publishers would check there hasnt been a book with the same title, considering Gillian's was only published 12 years before. Anyway, I am definitely not after the Gillian Baxter edition.

Christine Pullein-Thompson

# A Pony In Distress
# Incredible Pony Tales
# Little Black Pony
# Magical Pony Tales
# Ponies In The Blizzard
# Ponies In The Forest
# Ponies In The Park
# The Best Pony For Me! (am now waiting for this one, but I dont count it being off the want list until it is physically in my hands)

Review: DIANA - A Pony Found

A Pony Found is the last in the "Pony Seekers" series and was first published in 1983. It is not illustrated.

The blurb reads:-

Lynne, David and Briony Fletcher loved horses, and everything to do with them, more than anything else in the world. That was why they founded the Pony Seekers in the first place. But sometimes the best intentions in the world can't make things go right. In the first twelve months, when Briony was cheated by experienced dealers and Lynne's beloved pony, Candy, fell ill, it seemed that everything was going wrong. And then, a miracle - the Pony Seekers were offered a yard of stables by a wealthy local man, and it seemed that their problems would be solved.

But Lynne, David and Briony soon discovered that even miracles have snags.

First of all I totally disagree with that blurb and I dont think it is well written. Ironically, it comes from the same publisher as my copy (Sparrow) of The Pony Seekers and they clearly say on the back Lynne and David Fletcher saw a terrible summer looming ahead. There would be no riding because their parents could no longer afford to keep ponies for them. Hence why the Pony Seekers were founded, and partially because Briony wanted to have a horse career, but could not face training horses after a tragic accident. But I apologise if you havent read the other 2 stories, because now some of the best bits in the first book has now been revealed.

Anyway, like it said things dont go right. Mirabelle, the daughter of the owner of the stables is a complete and utter pain, basically, she expects them to do everything as they arent paying for the cost of the stables. Her ambition is to go to Wembley, and she sacrifices her ponies for that, expecting Briony to get her the best. Again, like the other two books they seem to leap from one disaster to the next, but things turn out. Interestingly, Fred's character is revealed, and although tactless, is not the blot he is made out to be.

But, things do work out in the end, although there is a little bit of sadness that the Pony Seekers are no more.

But still it is a fitting end to what is a good series. It should satisfy most readers, and it comes to the end of my review of the series. Next week, a new Diana book.

Review: DIANA - A Foal For Candy

A Foal For Candy is the next instalment of the Pony Seekers series, first being published again like the previous book in 1981. It is not illustrated.

The blurb reads:-

'I reckon that cream mare is in foal.'

Fred's words rang in my ears as I walked down the lane. I dreamt of the beautiful foal that my favourite pony Candy would produce. Then a terrible thoughs crossed my mind. Perhaps we could not afford to keep a pony and foal through the winter months. It was more important than ever that my brother David and I should help to make the Pony Seekers agency a success...

As the title suggests, the storyline is obvious. (Candy is, btw, a pony, and not a person) But there is more going on than just the foal, and this follows the ups and downs of the pony selling business. They are still recovering from the illness that struck in the previous book The Pony Seekers and of course, Fred is seen as an unwelcome tactless blot in the storyline.

There is a good moral tale to this (seems to be a reoccurring theme in this series): always be aware when reading descriptions. As Candy is pregnant, they decide to buy a Dartmoor mare believed to be in foal to a famous stallion. Later that proves to be untrue, and that is when it is pointed out.

Unlike the previous book, there is a good fortune at the end, so it looks like things are going right for once.

I like this book, unlike some books, the sequel can be poor. But this one isnt, and again, appeals to most people. It has the usual flair and style we know of Diana, and if you like the first one in the series, then you will definitely like this one.

Review: DIANA - The Pony Seekers

The Pony Seekers is one of Diana's last pony books, and is the last series she did. It was first published in 1981. It is not illustrated.

The blurb reads:-

The Pony Seekers Care. We will find you the ideal pony for your needs and also a new home for your old pony. Personal attention and expert advice. Contact: Briony Fletcher, Blackwood Farm, Dickensfield, Knitts End, Glos.

Lynne and David Fletcher saw a terrible summer looming ahead. There would be no riding because their parents could no longer afford to keep ponies for them. But the situation is saved when their elder sister Briony, a famous show jumper, decided to enlist their help to set up The Pony Seekers - an agency that guarantees to supply clients with ponies suited to their needs. All goes well with the first few ponies but then disaster strikes and Lynne and David realise that they must do something desperate if Briony's enterprise is not to be ruined...

This story (and series) is basically about pony dealing. Only Briony doesnt call herself a dealer because she is "rather more superior than that, more caring". It tells of fate and fortune, problems that dealers do to cover things up, and the hard way of things that go wrong.

It is a good book and a good series, but some degree of morality to the tale, that you should always get it vet checked. An illness sweeps the yard causes by one of the ponies harbouring it, and if a vet check did occur then may be it wouldn't have happened. It is a tale of family enterprise and one that is full of adventure. Not thrilling adventure, but still. There is a blot on the landscape with a neighbour called Fred, some of his remarks are so cutting you feel like hitting him.

I like this series of books, and it should appeal to most people. The Pony Seekers is a good start to it, and has the usual style that we are accustomed to of Diana.

Review: DIANA - The Hermit's Horse

The Hermit's Horse is one of Diana's harder to find books, not being really republished, except for 10 years later. Again, it is another one which the first edition is a paperback. It was first published in 1974.

The blurb reads:-

Matthew and Sophie are forbidden to go near the neglected, ivy-clad old house. The hermit that lives there is said to be mad or dangerous. But the unexpected arrival of a big bay horse begins a strange friendship between the children and the man with the mysterious past.

New hopes and happiness grows, especially with their plans for the Frinkley Horse Show. Then suddenly violence and fear strike! Can the hermit ever find peace now? And what is he afraid of? Will Matthew and his horse ever be able to prove themselves...?

Unlike most pony books, the emphasis is mainly on Matthew, which obviously is a boy.

This book is big on misconceptions, it is turns out the hermit is anything but mad, he just wants to be left alone. I suppose to an outside world, the friendship seems weird, considering the age gap, and if this was a modern world, he would be labelled a paedophile or something, definitely regarded with suspicion. But it proves that the unlikeliest of friendship can grow, and the added adventure of there being a horse is the most common factor.

It is also a tale of horse rescue and rehabilitation, since the horse was a rescue one. In a way, it is a story about rehabilitation of people too, as the hermit doesnt deal with the outside world, and what happens when he does. It is a quiet story, and often overlooked, but one of the best, as the hermit's character is really defined. The cover I feel lets it down, but I think this is one of Diana's gems, which has less publicity and generally less well known than her other books. If you can, I think you should read it.

Oh and some news about my want list. I have only got 2, possibly 3, Josephine books left on it to get. I say 3, because there is some doubt about whether Black Raven does exist. Certainly there is no sign of it on abebooks. Copac and the British Library dont have it in their records, however they are sometimes inaccurate as I know of a Christine P-T book which does not appear on there. It's never shown up on ebay either. Whatever, it is mighty strange. So if anyone does have it, please post. My Christine want list is down to 9 books now. Though I have yet to read all my P-T books. So once Diana is done (which should be by the end of the year, unless something goes wrong), Josephine is next one of the P-T's to be tackled.

Review: DIANA - The Pennyfields

The Pennyfields is a slightly bizarre book. First of all, like The Boy and The Donkey/The Donkey Race this should be an slightly OT topic, as unlike Diana's pony books, they do not a pony. However the Pennyfields (Pennyfield being the surname of the family) do have a donkey, so this could be classified as a pony book, rather than something like The Battle Of Clapham Common which is obviously not a pony book.

The blurb reads:-

"Gosh! The pig!" cries Marie, leaping to her feet.

In a moment they were on the pavement in time to see the fat white sow dash down a side street. They ran after her. The onlookers roared with laughter, and school boys whistled derisively.

Marie, a fast runner, soon gained on the pig. Jennet was laughting so much she could hardly run at all. She told Soloman to head it, and Soloman, mistaking her order, nipped the pig's heels, causing her to run the faster....

The Pennyfields is a happy story, full of good fun.

I am not sure I agree with the last comment. Of all the words, I dont think happy is the right thing for a book. As for full of good fun.....

The basis of the story is that the Pennyfields want a pony, a canoe and rather bizarrely, a shotgun (if they cant afford a horse). This story is basically an account of them trying to get hold of the money, as they are fed up of being poor.

Well to be honest, I found this book rather boring. It takes place during the Second World War (it was after the third time of reading about the Black Market I finally cottoned on), which accounts for them being poor. This is Diana's third book, being first published in 1949. Albeit rationing did carry on until the 1950s in the UK though. It is the first time that I struggled to finish a P-T book, and to date, the only one. The blurb doesnt help much either, and is to be honest, is one for the true fan of the P-T books. Thankfully it is not an expensive book on ebay.

The Pennyfields carry out all sorts of bizarre tasks to get their money, including cleaning windows, but in perspective, I suppose during WW2, the men who would normally do these kind of things would be in the trenches, or in P.O.W. camps. The only men around would be too old, or too injured to do these things. Though, why would you want to clean windows, when they were blacked out at night and you couldnt see much through them anyway, with all the safety tape on them should they be in an area where a bomb would have landed. In most cases the things that they would be doing, most children I suspect would do them without pay, as part of the "war effort".

Although there are a few incidents, there is nothing spectacular about this book, it is not one that grabs you and unlike the pony books, isnt very interesting for any child. This is the first time I am struggling to say anything about this book. In the end, they do get the pony, though it is unclear (thankfully) whether or not they get the shotgun. Like I said, this is one for the true P-T fan.

Review: DIANA - Only A Pony

Only A Pony is the final book in the Augusta/Christina series. Interestingly, this is published much later than the earlier series, and like most of the P-T's later books, the first edition is a paperback. I Wanted a Pony was first published in 1946, Three Ponies and Shannan was published in 1947 and A Pony To School was first published in 1950. It is rather strange to think that Only A Pony was first published in 1980, some 30 years after the last offering. Perhaps Armada put pressure on Diana to come up with an new pony book (as apart from the Pony Seekers series, and The Long Ride Home) this was one of the last books she wrote. Or maybe Diana had some fondness for Christina and Augusta, and wanted to, albeit briefly, revive them? Maybe more was planned but as the gap had been so long between the rest of the series that people didnt share the same fondness for them and this was not the same success commercially as the previous books?

Maybe also it is a P-T trait (or even a twin trait), there is a gap of 15 years between Christine's Phantom Horse and the subsequent book in the series Phantom Horse Comes Home? Josephine did not suffer from that trait, although in her series there are a couple of gaps, nothing as long as those two.

This book is not illustrated. 

The blurb reads:-

"Who's there?" cried Christina.

Moonlight shone through the stable window, Lucifer gave a low growl and, trembling, I raised the poker. Then our hearts missed a beat. Staring at us with an expression of interest was a small roan pony.

Also hidden in the stable is Nico, a young boy who has run away from home to save his pony from a cruel horse dealer. Augusta and Christina agree to help him, but soon find themselves on the wrong side of the law, and heading for danger...

The book begins with Christina and Augusta being left alone, with the exception of Mignon, a sort of French help. However Mignon leaves them, which means that they are totally left alone. But that does not bother them, as they can cook on their own (Christina being the kind of person she was in Three Ponies and Shannan meant that she never had too cook). Why some people should not be able to cook their own stuff, in the 1980s I do not know, as unlike the late 1940s/1950s, servants are less commonplace. Also, the illogical time gap means that Lucifier, Christina, Augusta, Daybreak and Serenade havent aged, and certainly the animals would be dead by then (or the ponies extremely old!). Maybe this was supposed to take place in the early 1950s, but there is no setting (time wise) given in this book. But we'll ignore that. It is during their time alone that they discover Nico and his pony, who is called Rainbow.

It turns out that like the pony in the previous book, Rainbow needs reschooling and is being threatened with being sold by Nico's father, so to avoid this fate (Christina and Augusta boast of being able to reschool problem ponies), they agree to hide this pony. However he is later found, and there is a nasty incident involving a tower, and Nico behaves like a wild animal, frightened to get caught, because of what would happen to Rainbow.

But things, like most pony books do work out. There is a brief revisit to Augusta by her cousins and her aunt, who we first met in I Wanted a Pony. Although her cousins treat her with some disgust, there is a much better atmosphere and slightly friendlier attitude than the last time we met them.

All in all it is a enjoyable book. To me, it does not have the same charm as the earlier books in the series but still, that could be due to the gap between them. It is probably the easiest to get into, and one of the better ones. This should appeal to most people, though with the addition of Nico, there is an element of it being "of the times", when books in the 1980s were watered down, and with the exception of the P-T's, being poor quality. But it should appeal to most people anyway.

Review: DIANA - A Pony To School

A Pony To School is the continuation of the Augusta/Christina series, and is the third. I am not sure what colour Clown (the pony referred to the title), is as in my copy (an 1978 Armada edition) he is clearly pictured and described as being skewbald, but in earlier editions he is a grey. Whether the previous editions are wrong, or Armada (in some fit of insanity) changed the original colour of the pony, I do not know. Having only had this edition in my fair hands, I cannot confirm or deny this. But now, just having seen another edition (published by Severn House), which shows a brown pony on the cover, I strongly suspect that somewhere down the line the colour has been changed.

The blurb reads (taken from the Armada edition on the right):-

As we rode home, I thought of how Clown had cowered in fear when Ted Dunn had finally managed to catch him. I wondered if Christina and I would ever turn him into a well-schooled pony. Then suddenly I was determined to succeed at all costs, not because he was beautiful, but because I never wanted him to look so miserable and frightened again.

Then Augusta and Christina discover that the skewbald pony is a rearer - and if they cant cure him of his dreadful habit he will have to be destroyed...






The original book (illustrated cover) is illustrated by Anne Bullen. However the later edition (the one with the photographic cover) is not illustrated. 

Admittedly this book is balanced a bit more in favour towards Augusta than the previous series (and last week's) title Three Ponies and Shannan since this book is told by either Christina or Augusta, every other chapter is by one of the two. Interestingly, this is a similar style that is used in Diana's joint work Fair Girls and Grey Horses, but still, you cant help feeling that the emphasis is put more on Christina.

Christina is a more nicer and rounded character than the spoilt person she was in Three Ponies and Shannan, but this book does have a lot of an element of fantasy about it. With most of Diana's books, you can imagine that the events which do happen in them could have happened in the 40s, 50s etc (or whenever the book was set), but to give 2 young people, an rearer is not at all wise. As the sisters admitted in Fair Girls and Grey Horses, they learnt to automatically reject and definitely steer clear of rearers. Secondly, most rearers cannot be cured, unless you are fortunate enough to have one that was caused by a simple case of a badly fitting saddle (and are wise enough to sort out a proper fitting saddle). I am not talking about horses that have reared once because of genuine fright or ones that have been trained to do so on command. Clown is also a 5 year old, which is even more deadly. Even more, when Ted Duanne (Clown's owner) got them to take on the pony, he "neglected" to mention that he was a rearer.

Still there is a nice reference to a book called Equitation, which presumably is a reference to Henry Wynmalen’s Equitation, a book which heavily influenced all three sisters.

It is a good book, which seems to urging on the moral high ground that if something goes wrong with a young pony, it is best to start reschooling straight away. Which is what they do. The story is basically an account of what happens when they start reschooling, and the incidents which happen when Clown is ridden. However, they do start to discover the cause of Clown's rearing, which again, makes a good moral for this story, that a good rider/owner should always check if there is a cause for a pony's misbehaviour, too many riders say "the pony is a bad one", when a vet/saddler check or a course of lessons could stop it. Thankfully this book has a happy ending, and obviously the pony does not rear. There is a tragedy in the story though.

Incidentally, the subject of dangerous ponies is not a subject not forgotten about - the book Cassidy in Danger/This Pony is Dangerous is about a potentially dangerous pony too. I wonder if in Diana's pony schooling life, she always took on the "dangerous" ones?

I feel that this book is the second best (or even the best) out of the series, as it is a lighter and better tone (not to mention better written) than the others. If you can sit through Three Ponies and Shannan without giving up, then I can guarantee you will enjoy this one more. I also feel that this is one of the better Diana books too. The final one in the series is Only A Pony, which I will be covering next week. I will also be doing an extra review next week too, the book to be decided.

Review: DIANA - Three Ponies and Shannan

Three Ponies and Shannan is the sequel to last week's book: I Wanted A Pony. Unlike I Wanted A Pony, this focuses on Christina, who through a Pony Club camp, meets Augusta, the star of the previous book. Unfortunately, for some reason, that is the tone of the rest of the series (A Pony To School and Only A Pony). I have no idea why Diana chose to take that route, as now Augusta is resigned to be a secondary character (if somewhat minor) now. You could easily be forgiven for thinking that it is not in the same series as I Wanted A Pony.

This edition is not illustrated. 


The blurb reads:-

LIFE SAVER...

The barn looked romantic in the moonlight and the ponies seemed to be pleased to see me...but my knees knocked, my hands shook. Filled with despair, I crept forward. Did a drowned boy await me? As I gazed into the dark depths of the well, I could see no red hair, no grasping hand, nothing but the bubbles on the water...

Then suddenly there was a splash, and Terence appeared, desperately trying to keep himself afloat. His face was not deadly pale like those of drowning people described in books, but he appeared frantic and struck out widely with his arms, crying: "Help me. Quick, help me!"

Discounting the lack of Augusta, this makes an interesting story. Christina is obviously a rich girl, and in some ways, rather like Augusta's cousins. Her life is involved with nothing but shows, but to me, she seems richer than Augusta's cousins, having a butler (apart from a groom, Augusta's cousins have only a maid) as well as groom. There is talk of Lobster , which even in these days, are not cheap. Through a series of events, she managed to get a dog (that is where the Shannan bit comes from), though she has the three ponies already.

The book goes along quite nicely and nothing extraordinary happens (unless you count the incidents with Shannan, which make pleasant reading), until the camp. Apart from the aforementioned meeting of Augusta, she is forced, through Shannan's adventures to change herself (even falling into a pond at one point, and later, saving Terence), as previously she had been incredibly spoilt, not daring to look after the ponies herself (which is what the other characters of the story do). Her parents do spoil her, so much so, that she hadnt got to think for herself - even to the point it was a sin to get muddy. The gymkhana at the end makes a good end to the story.

It is a easy book to get into, and not too heavy going, unlike some of Diana's, but still for me, the shift of focus in the rest of the series onto Christina rather than Augusta, is somewhat of an annoyance. If this had been a focus on Christina, and the rest of the series had been equally on both of them (since Augusta turns out to be pretty important), then it could be forgiven.