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Post by Claire on May 24, 2011 13:10:57 GMT 1
Hi all, looking at our top 10 pony books of all time list, most of the nominations are from the 1950s to 1970s, so its time to add top 10s for older and newer books.
What are your favourite pony books, pre-war, ie written in the 1930s and beforehand. I think we can count 1939 as they presumably would have been written before the war broke out considering how long it takes to get a book published.
Of the top 10 overall, the only ones that qualify are:
SILVER SNAFFLES (1937) BLACK BEAUTY (1877) MOORLAND MOUSIE (1929) NATIONAL VELVET (1935)
So please add suggestions for more. I'd like to add The Wednesday Pony by Primrose Cumming for a start.
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2011 13:32:59 GMT 1
Doney - Primrose Cumming 1934
These three by Moyra Charlton
Tally Ho 1930 The Midnight Steeplechase 1932 Three White Stockings 1933
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2011 18:03:08 GMT 1
Jerry 1930 and Jerry and the Joker 1932 Eleanor Helme and Nance Paul
Echoing Horn 1939 Moyra Charlton
I seem to have quite a few books from that era and most are my favourites.
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Post by haffyfan on May 24, 2011 19:38:58 GMT 1
Silver Snaffles would be on my list alongside
Fortunes Foal - Mary Garland Bullivant Broncho - Richard Ball
A pony For Jean would just scrape in...not one I'm fond offf but know most others are.
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Post by darkhorse on May 24, 2011 20:28:51 GMT 1
I like a Pony For Jean, Moorland Mousie and Older Mousie, also Heather by May Wynne and The Far Distant Oxus.
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Post by Claire on May 24, 2011 22:07:33 GMT 1
I'm the opposite to Rosie in that the early pony books are the ones I like the least, possibly because of the preponderance of pony view point which I find for the most part dull. In fact I find most of them with the odd exception pretty hard going. A lot of the ones listed so far would be on my 'worst' list! I feel like the pony book didnt really 'take off' until the 1940s. Must however mention The Ponies of Bunts for the shortlist, although my favourite M. Oliver books, the Hooks Hollow series, are out of the running in the 40s. For more inspiration check out the 1920s-40s section of the website which may jog your memory: twentiestoforties.ponymadbooklovers.co.uk/
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Post by susanb on May 25, 2011 3:26:31 GMT 1
I loved The Silver Eagle Riding School by Primrose Cumming, (1939)
Also Esther Greenacre Hall's College on Horseback (1933) and it's sequel, Back to Buckeye (1934), the former is a lovely example of the early Paul Brown illustrations
Hmm....have to put the thinking cap on, I'm sure there are more!
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Post by susanb on May 25, 2011 3:43:30 GMT 1
thinking cap in place, a few more to add - all of these are first books or first pony books by these authors, who just make the cut:
Silver Birch by Dorothy Lyons (1939)
Frog: the Horse the Horse That Knew No Master by Col. S.P. Meek (1933)
Hobby Horse Hill by Lavinia R. Davis (1939)
C.W. Anderson's Billy and Blaze series debuted in 1936 and had three titles in print before 1940: Billy and Blaze (1936), Blaze and the Gipsies (1937) and Blaze and the Forest Fire (1938)
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Post by foxglove on May 25, 2011 9:57:44 GMT 1
I rather enjoyed ME Buckingham's Phari. Although it follows the story of a pony, it's not first person narrative and isn't too whimsical. The Tibetan and Indian setting make it different; I've always liked Indian colonial literature- my great grandad was in the British Army out there, and my grandad was born on the Indian Ocean.
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2011 12:12:25 GMT 1
I'm the opposite to Rosie in that the early pony books are the ones I like the least, possibly because of the preponderance of pony view point which I find for the most part dull. In fact I find most of them with the odd exception pretty hard going. A lot of the ones listed so far would be on my 'worst' list! I feel like the pony book didnt really 'take off' until the 1940s. I know they aren't the most exciting of stories, I find it difficult to explain why I like them. It's because they are old and they take me back to that era which I find fascinating and because most had wonderful illustrations and I find them a comfort read. There you see I'm not good at explaining! Anyway... two more which I think you like Claire ;D We met out Cousins 1937 Joanna Cannan London Pride 1939
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Post by shadowhawke on May 25, 2011 18:05:53 GMT 1
How about: Black Beauty
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Post by shadowhawke on May 25, 2011 18:10:04 GMT 1
Never mind... I see it right there on the top....
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Post by Claire on May 25, 2011 23:43:25 GMT 1
I forgot about We Met Our Cousins rosie, definitely one of my favs from that era. I do sort of understand your explanation Anyway as I always say its a good job we all like different things, would be a bit boring otherwise. Thanks for the USA suggestions susan, I hadnt realised Silver Birch was published that early, so that also qualifies from our overall best pony book thread. Next up a category which may be very hard to pick enough good ones for a poll - modern pony stories!
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2011 11:09:14 GMT 1
I'll struggle with this one, I've only read about two Mind you, one of them I did like
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Post by susanb on May 26, 2011 16:11:50 GMT 1
re the modern books, it probably depends on what your cut off date is going to be. To get as broad a range as possible, I'd suggest 1980 and after. It's solidly past the "golden age" of pony books, which lingered through the 1960s with a few long tails into the early 70s, but still enough scope to come up with some titles. It's definitely a tougher catagory, just because there were comparatively few pony books even being published, and then you're futher narrowing it down to the best of the era!
Just a thought.....would it be fun to parse it even further to "best books" of the decade....30s, 40s, 50s, etc? It would have a certain appealing symmetry....Top 10s of the Decades!
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Post by Claire on May 26, 2011 19:47:28 GMT 1
Crikey susan we'll be on forever! ;D On my website I count 1990s onwards as modern pony books, however it would be interesting to have an ultra modern pony book section, possibly ones that are in print now? The only problem is like rosie a lot of people may not have read many modern ones.
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Post by susanb on May 27, 2011 0:24:36 GMT 1
LOL, I suppose you're right. Maybe save it for the end of the year, part of the New Years celebrations?
Re the ultra modern/in print.....I dunno...could we even come up with 10, let alone TOP 10? I suppose you could just start and expand it if need be!
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Post by trixiepony on May 27, 2011 3:17:55 GMT 1
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Post by Claire on May 27, 2011 11:12:43 GMT 1
Re the ultra modern/in print.....I dunno...could we even come up with 10, let alone TOP 10? I suppose you could just start and expand it if need be! I think I have probably read more modern ones than most people. I think a lot of people steer clear of them thinking they'll be rubbish - and in a lot of cases they are sadly right! Apart from The Perfect Distance and the K M Peytons the only decent in print ones seem to the Stabenfeldt books. I like the idea of the decade thing for a Christmas project! Trixiepony thanks for the links, havent read the Karen Wood ones yet.
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Post by shadowhawke on May 27, 2011 17:56:49 GMT 1
I haven't had much luck with the Stabenfeldt books.... I find the boring and repetitious, as well as to much supernatural undertones.(not all, but a few) I think I've read 3 so far, and 2 had supernatural undertones. I do like that they have reprinted some of my favorites. Star Of Shadowbrook Farm, Battlecry Forever, and a few others. I have them out in the shed...... Finding them at the used bookstore makes it easier to reread them. Just my own opinion.... don't want to make anyone mad. As for other modern.... I found a series of two books set in Newfoundland. I'll have to get the names.... they were'nt bad. War Horse was pretty good..... And for pre war books... The Sorrel Stallion was it before 1940? I don't remember. I have a copy...... I also have 2 old books of short stories that I believe were printed before 1940. I can't think of the titles.....
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Post by susanb on May 27, 2011 18:22:34 GMT 1
The Sorrel Stallion by David Grew was published in 1932....good catch, Shadowhawke! I always forget how old it is because I've got the Famous Horse Stories edition, which was printed much, much later!
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Post by shadowhawke on May 27, 2011 18:28:41 GMT 1
I don't know when my copy was printed.... I think dad found it in the free box at the used bookstore years ago. I am going to have to find the two short stories books. I know their old... they have stories I've never heard of.
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Post by haffyfan on May 27, 2011 19:50:27 GMT 1
Next up a category which may be very hard to pick enough good ones for a poll - modern pony stories! Jane smileys are aslo good...I don't think we'd struggle too much coming up quite a lot once the massssssive series such as Saddle club, TB etc are pushed aside as it's hard to see past them sometimes. Can't see Katie price making the cut mind
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Post by Claire on May 27, 2011 20:18:01 GMT 1
Haven't read Jane Smiley's children's ones yet.
Any more oldies to add? I'd better start up a modern thread as it seems to be taking over this one!
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Post by Claire on May 29, 2011 13:34:01 GMT 1
Rosie, as you like older books, have you tried the On'y Tony books by Brenda Spender yet? They were all published in the 1930s. Although they are set a younger age group than the norm, they are nice little stories with lovely illustrations.
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2011 17:19:55 GMT 1
No, I haven't even heard of those! They sound good though
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Post by garej on May 30, 2011 11:06:58 GMT 1
I have the entire series of On'y Tony! I bought them in the wrong order though - the third first, the second, second and the first, third.
Sea Ponies by MM Oliver/E Ducat would count.
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2011 11:33:09 GMT 1
I have the entire series of On'y Tony! Have you read them Garej and if so did you enjoy them?
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Post by Claire on May 30, 2011 21:33:52 GMT 1
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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2011 6:28:28 GMT 1
Thanks Claire. I like Eleanor Helme so sounds like they might be my cup of tea.
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