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Post by Claire on Oct 7, 2011 18:33:52 GMT 1
Hi all, after talking with garej about CPT's frankly not great forays into this territory, was wondering what other people would pick as the best pony books aimed at younger readers. I think its quite a hard area to excel in as you have to balance simplicity with having some sort of story/decent characters etc. I would also like ideas as I am thinking about adding a section to the website about this area.
I particularly like Walter Farley's pony books for younger kiddiwinks such as his Little Black books and The Pony That Swam Away. Patrick's Pony by JPT is pretty good too. Also KMP's Scuffy Pony and Pony in the Dark are excellent. Will put my thinking cap on for more. Other people's suggestions please.
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Post by susanb on Oct 7, 2011 20:03:54 GMT 1
Little Black is what came to mind for me too. Still, I'm sure there are others....will have a good think (and scan of the shelves!)
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Post by susanb on Oct 7, 2011 20:06:56 GMT 1
Thought of a few...Hamish by Joanna Cannan is very sweet (and has the lovely Anne Bullen illustrations to recommend it, too!)
Jessie Haas has some nice books for the younger set...Runaway Radish, the Beware the Mare series,
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Post by susanb on Oct 7, 2011 20:10:20 GMT 1
Oh, and C.W. Anderson has a few targeting the younger reader, especially his Billy and Blaze Series.
One fave from my childhood was Helen Kay's "A Pony for the Winter"
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2011 20:22:18 GMT 1
One I've read recently is The Strawberry Jam Pony by Sheila Lavelle. I thought it was a good little story with nice illustrations
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Post by garej on Oct 7, 2011 20:28:47 GMT 1
I cant think of anything that would be classified as decent, except for "The Horse of Dreams by Mary May" and "The Rag and Bone Pony by Pamela Rogers".
All CPT's younger (pony) books I have found to be worse than her regular books. Not terrible, but just not up to her usual standard.
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Post by Claire on Oct 7, 2011 22:38:34 GMT 1
In general I'm not a huge fan of the younger reader's pony books, especially the modern ones which are mainly of the glittery fairy pony sort. I actually have never read Hamish precisely cos it was aimed at the younger end, but will pick up a copy on your recommendation susan! I also have a Jessie Haas which I have yet to read.
The Runaway Pony by Pamela Rogers is quite good. Sylvia Green's pony and donkey stories are nice too. I don't know if The Magic and Moonshine books would count as younger readers, certainly they are for younger readers than the average pony book. They are certainly far above the norm in terms of quality.
I suppose it is quite hard to say what is a younger reader's book, do we count only picture type books or all those who are under the average aimed at by the traditional pony book?
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Post by darkhorse on Oct 8, 2011 21:06:22 GMT 1
If they count as young enough....Misty of Chincoteague & Stormy.
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Post by garej on Oct 8, 2011 22:44:52 GMT 1
Snowy by Berlie Doherty is another book I have just remembered. Lovely illustrations and quite a decent storyline.
BTW Claire I was counting as "younger than average", I think I would have trouble nominating good books which are picture type books.
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Post by Claire on Oct 9, 2011 11:52:52 GMT 1
I think 'younger than average' is a good yardstick garej. In that case we can deffo include Misty & Pantomine Ponies. Another one thats nice is The Penny Pony by Barbara Willard. I agree with Snowy btw too.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2011 13:14:05 GMT 1
I seem to remember you saying you thought the On'y Tony Series by Brenda Spender were good Claire?
I haven't read them yet so i don't know what they are like but I think you said they were nice old fashioned stories?
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Post by haffyfan on Oct 9, 2011 14:07:42 GMT 1
I have never thought of JPT's Patricks pony as a 'younger read' although I guess the characters are younger than in many books but I'd have thought the subjects more 'tricky' than the average young reader book?
I guess it also depends what age group (or reading age) we are classifying young readers as too....to me it's usually up to 8/9 yrs old. Depends on the individual of course.
I always think of the younger readers as having slightly larger print, often illustrated throughout on many/most pages and of course being quite thin in content...usually well under 100 pages. Basically The step between picture books and more 'meaty' books if that makes sense.
If Pa tricks Pony counts then Poor badger would also Qualify? Although I think under 9/10 (school year 5/6) would possibly struggle a bit with these possibly? Maybe not the reading in many cases but some of the understanding required in parts of the story lines etc. Again it comes back to what the definition of a young reader is.
Excellent story books (IMO) include The Magic Donkey ride (for very young children) and The Prince Brownie books, The Donkey's day out, Custer The story Of A Horse and the donkey sanctuary stories for independent readers in the picture book section. Then for slightly older children (8+ ?) The Annie owns a pony and Annie learns to ride comic style stories are brilliant and the kids seem to like The Secret Unicorn and magic pony books. Jenny Oldfields Half Moon Ranch seems popular with Y5/6 too...as does Harry potter and Michael Morpungo (sp) and I don't think they would be classed as for younger readers hence coming to some of my thoughts above
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Post by Claire on Oct 9, 2011 20:29:25 GMT 1
forgot about the Ony Tony books rosie, thanks for reminding me.
I think Patrick's Pony is for younger readers (not the real beginning readers but certainly younger than average - I think about the same age as Gillian Baxters pantomime ponies books), but as you say haffy it deals with quite 'tricky' issues for that age group. Is this a bad thing tho - should stuff be overly sanitized for the younger ones. I think the PTs believed in giving kids realism!
I haven't read some of the others you listed haffy. I have read some Half Moon Ranch and aren't impressed, I find the Lucy Daniels Animal Ark pony stories much better.
What do people think about Peter Clover's Sheltie series, which is definitely aimed at the younger end of the market?
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Post by tintin on Nov 3, 2011 18:14:00 GMT 1
"5 O'Clock Charlie" ! I fell in love with him as a middle aged man, he would be a strong contender in a "most adorable heavy draught ever" competition. It is a good job I never found him as a little kid or I would have pestered my Dad to visit him which might have been problem...
Completely off topic, but can anyone suggest any good heavy draught stories (for any age group)?
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Post by susanb on Nov 3, 2011 18:49:26 GMT 1
Thought of a few more for younger readers:
Jeanie Goes Riding, written and illustrated by Eleanor Schick
And a couple of titles in the Garrard Famous Animal series:
Captain, Canada's Flying Pony by Lynn Hall Pluto, Brave Lipizzaner Stallion by Anne Colver
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Post by susanb on Nov 3, 2011 18:49:57 GMT 1
re heavy horses....there is The Great Horses by Primrose Cumming or Breed of Giants by Joyce Stranger
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Post by susanb on Nov 3, 2011 18:51:03 GMT 1
btw, the story of Charlie, in abbrieviated form, appears in Marguerite Henry's Album of Horses, well worth it for the pics alone.....20 or so full page color plates
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2011 19:53:52 GMT 1
The Empty Field by Christine Pullein Thompson
Ben - the story of a cart horse by Primrose Cumming
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Post by Claire on Nov 3, 2011 20:19:01 GMT 1
Completely off topic, but can anyone suggest any good heavy draught stories (for any age group)? These are from my website subject page. Some have already been mentioned but there's quite a few more: Heavy Horses: Emma Brock - Plug-Horse Derby Joy Cowley - Shadrach series Primrose Cumming - Ben, The Great Horses Colleen Hubbard - Christmas in Silver Lake James Herriot - Bonny's Big Day out Jean Hovde - A Horse Called Cinammon aka A Horse for Cassie Pamela Kavanagh - Dreamcatcher (slight element only) C Pullein-Thompson - The Empty Field (slight element only) Joyce Stranger - Breed of Giants, The January Queen Judy Van der Beek - Thunderfoot Carol Vaughan - Matilda series Suzanne Weyn & Kristin Earhart - Snowflake (Breyer Stablemates)
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Post by darkhorse on Nov 3, 2011 22:29:40 GMT 1
Again off topic, but can we have a top 10 for non-fictional horsey books as I would like some recommendations. I don't want to stat it myself in case a poll needs to be added.
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Post by Claire on Nov 3, 2011 23:08:04 GMT 1
Good idea, don't think we've had that one - will set up thread 2mrw.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2011 7:38:53 GMT 1
Good idea Darkhorse. And can we have one for pony books which have an instructional theme? Would there be enough for a poll do you think?
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Post by trixiepony on Nov 4, 2011 9:43:31 GMT 1
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Post by Claire on Nov 4, 2011 16:45:49 GMT 1
Did we not have the instructional element one already? I know it was suggested on the original thread a while back. Maybe I just never got round to doing it. TBH I would find it hard to vote in that poll as I think they are all a bit dull. Will set up a thread for non-fic now.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2011 18:35:26 GMT 1
It was me who suggested it I quite enjoy them myself.
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