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Post by Claire on Jun 11, 2017 18:31:50 GMT 1
Back by popular demand! Here is the official Summer Reading Challenge 2017 thread. SSUMMER READING CHALLENGE 2017 OFFICAL WEB PAGECHALLENGE WILL BEGIN ON 25TH JUNE 2017 AND WILL RUN UNTIL END OF SEPTEMBERFor newbies, the aim of the Challenge is for those taking part to pick a number of books and then challenge themselves to read them all by the end of Summer. We use this thread to discuss the books, how we are getting on with the challenge and give each other encouragement. I also set up a dedicated web page listing everyone taking part and their book lists. Link to the web page will be provided as soon as we have all the lists in. We rate books with smiley, frownie or neutral faces and can win 'virtual' rosettes and of course the coveted Challenge Trophy for completing our lists by the end of Summer! GUIDELINES* You can pick up to 10 books, these can be from the suggested categories list below or completely of your own choice - it's up to you. * Please can you post your full lists here by the starting date if possible (but if you are a bit late don't worry I can still squeeze you in!) SUGGESTED BOOK CATEGORIES TO CHOOSE FROM:RECOMMENDED PONY BOOK FROM THE LIST BELOW * MODERN PONY BOOK (ie. published 2014 - 2017) * NON-FICTION PONY BOOK * PONY BOOK SET IN A COUNTRY OTHER THAN THE UK, USA OR AUSTRALIA * AN ANIMAL (NON-EQUINE) STORYBOOK AND FILM TIE IN
Choose either or both - they will each have their own thread in the Film Club section: THE BLACK STALLION BY WALTER FARLEY & THE BLACK STALLION FILM VIDEO OR DVD Discussion thread here ODDS AGAINST BY DICK FRANCIS & THE RACING GAME DVD Discussion thread hereRECOMMENDED PONY BOOKS: CROSS COUNTRY PONY - PATRICIA LEITCH (Claire's recommendation) - COPY AVAILABLE TO BORROW - please PM Claire WHO SIR, ME SIR? - K. M. PEYTON (Claire's recommendation) - COPY AVAILABLE TO BORROW - please PM Claire SWEET RUNNING FILLY - (Susan's recommendation) - COPY AVAILABLE TO BORROW - please PM Claire THE MILKMAN'S COB - JUNE MARY GROVE (Brumby's recommendation) DARK HORSE - JENNY HUGHES (Garej's recommendation) - COPY AVAILABLE TO BORROW - please PM Claire THE RACEHORSE THAT WOULDN'T GALLOP - CLARE BALDING (Ginslinger's recommendation) LED BY THE GREY - PETER DE COSEMO (Kunuma's recommendation) THE MYSTERY STALLION - SHARON SIAMON (Rally's recommendation) THE WINGED COLT OF CASA MIA - BETSY BYARS (Darkhorse's recommendation) - COPY AVAILABLE TO BORROW - please PM Claire (If anyone else has a copy of any of the above they would be willing to lend please let me know) RATINGS
Don't forget to let me know how you rate each book when you have read it. The ratings are as follows: SMILEY FACE - Liked or loved it FROWNEY FACE - Didn't enjoy it or didn't finish it NEUTRAL FACE - Just OK CONFLICTED - Not sure of how to rate it or maybe what to make of it! STAR BOOK - At the end of the challenge please choose your favourite 'star' book
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Post by susanb on Jun 11, 2017 20:23:49 GMT 1
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Post by garej on Jun 11, 2017 23:29:42 GMT 1
Ok here goes my choices.
Katy's Pony Summer - Victoria Eveleigh (new book) The Milkman's Cob - June Groves (recommendation) A Stable For Jill - Ruby Ferguson (Fidra books edition) Felix the Railway Cat (non equine) 1 more tbd - film choice.
Like last year I am going to only do 5 initially as I managed to do it last year.
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Post by kunuma1 on Jun 12, 2017 19:50:41 GMT 1
Back by popular demand! Here is the official Summer Reading Challenge 2017 thread. CHALLENGE WILL BEGIN ON 25TH JUNE 2016 AND WILL RUN UNTIL END OF SEPTEMBERFor newbies, the aim of the Challenge is for those taking part to pick a number of books and then challenge themselves to read them all by the end of Summer. We use this thread to discuss the books, how we are getting on with the challenge and give each other encouragement. I also set up a dedicated web page listing everyone taking part and their book lists. Link to the web page will be provided as soon as we have all the lists in. We rate books with smiley, frownie or neutral faces and can win 'virtual' rosettes and of course the coveted Challenge Trophy for completing our lists by the end of Summer! GUIDELINES* You can pick up to 10 books, these can be from the suggested categories list below or completely of your own choice - it's up to you. * Please can you post your full lists here by the starting date if possible. SUGGESTED BOOK CATEGORIES TO CHOOSE FROM:* RECOMMENDED PONY BOOK FROM THE LIST BELOW * MODERN PONY BOOK (ie. published 2014 - 2017) * NON-FICTION PONY BOOK * PONY BOOK SET IN A COUNTRY OTHER THAN THE UK, USA OR AUSTRALIA * AN ANIMAL (NON-EQUINE) STORY * BOOK & FILM TIE-IN - To be arranged - watch this space! RECOMMENDED PONY BOOKS: CROSS COUNTRY PONY - PATRICIA LEITCH (Claire's recommendation) - COPY AVAILABLE TO BORROW - please PM Claire WHO SIR, ME SIR? - K. M. PEYTON (Claire's recommendation) - COPY AVAILABLE TO BORROW - please PM Claire SWEET RUNNING FILLY - (Susan's recommendation) - COPY AVAILABLE TO BORROW - please PM Claire THE MILKMAN'S COB - JUNE MARY GROVE (Brumby's recommendation) DARK HORSE - JENNY HUGHES (Garej's recommendation) - COPY AVAILABLE TO BORROW - please PM Claire THE RACEHORSE THAT WOULDN'T GALLOP - CLARE BALDING (Ginslinger's recommendation) LED BY THE GREY - PETER DE COSEMO (Kunuma's recommendation) THE MYSTERY STALLION - SHARON SIAMON (Rally's recommendation) Claire can we cheat a bit and have rereads - I'm trying to do my list as set out, though I'm struggling with the foreign one now you have knocked out Australia!! If I can do a reread it will be French!
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Post by susanb on Jun 12, 2017 20:25:03 GMT 1
I know, kunuma! I was having a hard time too, as I had planned to do Drovers Road by Joyce West for my "overseas" pick, but it's Australian. The only European book I had in the pile we just did, Pony in the Luggage In the US, on short notice and not wanting to spend a ton (the postage is a killer these days), Canada was my best option, but maybe New Zealand would work for you?
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Post by tintin on Jun 12, 2017 21:47:17 GMT 1
Here is my list:-
* RECOMMENDED PONY BOOK - The Milkman's Cob (J M Groves) * MODERN PONY BOOK (ie. published 2014 - 2017)- Amounting to Nothing (K Walsh)[April 2017] * NON-FICTION PONY BOOK (S) - A Woman's Work is Never Done - M P Lose, Veterinary Officer to the Philadelphia Police Scarlet and Pink - Major-General E A H Alderson * PONY BOOK SET IN A COUNTRY OTHER THAN THE UK, USA OR AUSTRALIA - Storm Horse (N Garlick) - The Netherlands * AN ANIMAL (NON-EQUINE) STORY- Jennie (P Gallico) - Cat
Two authors recommended to me by Maggie Dana:-
First Fence (K Lattey) The Horse is Never Wrong (M Pagones)
and one from the classic age:-
Ponies of Bunts (M M Oliver)
As for the film I await the recommendation
By the Way my recommendation would be Led by the Grey as well. A true original.
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Post by rallycairn on Jun 12, 2017 22:08:11 GMT 1
Here's my list:
Sharon Siamon: Mystery Stallion, Coyote Canyon, Heartbreak Hills, Desert Rescue, Runaway Dreams, Mystery Returns (6 books) KM Peyton (recommendation): Who Sir? Me Sir? Non-horse: Tom Ryan: Following Atticus (re-read of a hiking with dog/memoir/nature reflection book) by Tom Ryan.
Plus whatever book we choose with the movie tie-in. And I might add Ponies on the Heather OR Prince Among Ponies.
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Post by Claire on Jun 14, 2017 21:42:40 GMT 1
Sorry I threw a bit of a spanner in the works by making the overseas book outside of the UK, USA or Aussie but I thought it might give us some more interesting reads than the norm. Do t forget tho you don't have to choose books from every category so don't let it rule out ones you have already picked. If anyone would like suggestions on overseas books I can do a list.
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Post by sarah on Jun 14, 2017 22:11:42 GMT 1
How about Krista Ruepp for overseas books - quite a few copies on abebooks
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Post by susanb on Jun 15, 2017 1:39:00 GMT 1
Winners (also published as Jordy) by Mary Ellen Lang Collura, a Canadian, is brilliant. It had a couple of printings in the UK too, so it's easy to find and pretty cheap in UK or US. There's just one copy in Australia, not cheap but not wildly expensive either.
Ha! While having a nose around to see if any other names popped out at me, I realized that my original choice of overseas book actually works...Joyce West is from New Zealand, not Australia! Have changed my list back :-)
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Post by rallycairn on Jun 15, 2017 2:19:27 GMT 1
Ideas for overseas books: Rider by Night by Anckarsvard; any of the Humleby Farm series by Malin Stehn (the first one is You and Me, Speedy); and I can't think of the author's name, but the classic Jumper (set in Russia, isn't it?). Carl Raswan's Drinkers of the Wind about Bedouins and the Arabian in the early 20th century -- that would also qualify for a nonfiction read! (hmmmmm .... haven't read it in a while). Or And Miles to Go about the famous Arabian *Witez II by Linell Smith (haven't read that one since middle school).
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Post by Claire on Jun 17, 2017 17:53:04 GMT 1
Jumper is by Nicholas Kalashnikoff. Lots of ideas for overseas pony books to be found on my Pony Books by Area web page: area.ponymadbooklovers.co.uk2 particularly good ones I would recommend are Foal of the Fjords (Norway) and Penny and Pegasus (Greece) both by Primrose Cumming. JPT wrote one set in Greece (Save the Ponies) and CPT wrote a donkey related adventure story set in Sicily (Bandits in the Hills) Plus there is the classic book about a long distance ride based on a true story (counts as non-fic too?): A F Tschiffely - A Tale of Two Horses Hope this info helps.
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Post by fizz on Jun 19, 2017 10:42:58 GMT 1
Is it too late for me to join in? I have been madly busy making an exhibition and I probably won't have much time before early July. Can anyone lend me one of the recommended books?
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Post by kunuma1 on Jun 20, 2017 17:41:08 GMT 1
OK Here's a list from me!
Recommended Cross Country Pony Patricia Leitch Foreign Stallion of the Sands Helen Griffiths (South America) Non Fiction Shy Boy Monty Roberts Modern First freebie kindle I find - I'm not buying one they are usually so awful!! Update, got something called The Painted Pony Animal Story Rascal Sterling North - and I've got the film too!! Extras Star the Story of an Indian Pony The Dragon Oracles T J Garrett Pony Tracks F Remington In Times Like These N van Coops Forces of Nature Brian Cox
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Post by susanb on Jun 20, 2017 20:03:46 GMT 1
A lot of the freebie kindle titles really do kind of stink, but there are some great ones that are really cheap:
Led by the Grey by Peter de Cosemo (one of the recommended titles) is only £1.49, and would count as modern
Elizabeth Letts' Eighty Dollar Champion is more pricey, but an excellent (non-fiction), it's at £4.99
A few others are recent, but not sure if they're in the date range allowed:
The One Dollar Horse by Lauren St. John, at £4.49 The Perfect Distance by Kim Ablon Whitney is £2.18
Alison Lester's The Snow Pony is £3.29
A couple of off the beaten path, not your typical story, but brilliant books have just come to kindle: Shirley Roussou Murphy's White Ghost Summer and The Sand Ponies (not a series, both are stand alones). At £2.45 each, well worth while
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Post by Claire on Jun 20, 2017 21:33:52 GMT 1
Thanks for that list Susan, some really good ones there.
Kunuma - or anyone else who would like a modern freebie, there are 3 e-books (usually free at some point) by Angharad Thompson Rees - The Painted Pony, The Galloping Pony and The Ugly Pony. I have read one of them (Galloping Pony) and its much better than the usual freebie stuff although it is aimed at younger readers and very short, it's nicely written and has quite a sweet heart-warming story. So if you want something quick and light reading, try one of them. The links can be found on the Read For Free section of the forum, or just search for them on Amazon.
Fizz - or anyone else - not too late to join in. I can easy add people to the web page. But the sooner you can send in lists the better - and the quicker you'll be able to start too. If you check out the recommended reads section above, Fizz, I have marked the ones where I have a copy to lend.
Well I must get cracking with my own list....
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Post by Vivien Gorham on Jun 21, 2017 0:23:33 GMT 1
Hi there,
Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley has written some great horse books for kids - highly recommended if you're looking for books to add to your list. Plus I'd love it if someone decided to read my children's book Touch of Gold, published in 2015 and winner of the 2017 Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award here in Canada.
Thanks and happy reading!
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Post by CanadianHorsesRule on Jun 21, 2017 13:20:49 GMT 1
There's also Awesome Possum and Lemon Squeezy! Both are horse books for kids set in Canada They're a more modern type of horse book, my kids loved them. The author also wrote some for adults I'm pretty sure. Save
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Post by ginslinger on Jun 21, 2017 20:05:55 GMT 1
Subject to my Abe books order being fulfilled. I may have interpreted some categories loosely * MODERN PONY BOOK (ie. published 2014 - 2017)Mount - Jilly Cooper * NON-FICTION PONY BOOK Equitation -Henry Wynmalen * AN ANIMAL (NON-EQUINE) STORY Ring of Bright Water - Gavin Maxwell * BOOK & FILM TIE-IN - The Black Stallion * RECMMENDATION Who sir? Me Sir? KM Peyton * OTHER A pony for Jean - Joanna Cannan Flying Changes - Caroline Akrill Neues vom Ponyclub - Josephine Pullein-Thompson (not in English as sub for not in Anglophone country). Outlandish Knight - Minoo Dinshaw (a friend wrote it and its 600 pages has daunted me since November Patricia Leitch Pony Stories 3 in 1 A Special Pony, Cross Country Gallop, A pony to jump (bought in error for Cross Country Pony I can't count! There are ten there already. That will do for now I think.
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Post by Claire on Jun 22, 2017 0:23:06 GMT 1
Thanks for the recommendations from the 2 guests.
Got half a list so far. Am having trouble with the non-fic book as I'm not a great non-fic reader. Can anyone recommend something that either reads like fiction or is pretty light?
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Post by garej on Jun 22, 2017 0:26:50 GMT 1
I have decided to go for the Dick Francis one for my film choice.
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Post by susanb on Jun 22, 2017 2:49:09 GMT 1
:-) Claire, the only one that springs to mind again is The Eighty Dollar Champion by Elizabeth Letts, especially if you haven't read anything about Snowman and his owner/rider Harry de Leyer, it's well worth while. A horse that went literally off the meat wagon to being Horse of the Year at the National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden (think Olympia). And yet was so laid back he was still being used as a school horse in a girls school in the off season, who let his owner's kids take turns diving off his back into Long Island Sound.
Here's an interview with the author:
The book Snowman by Rutherford Montgomery is a YA version of the story, but its kind of hard to find and can be expensive.
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Post by rallycairn on Jun 24, 2017 0:24:37 GMT 1
Claire, what about Meet Stroller or My Book of Horses by Marion Coakes Mould? Fun and quick reads and no negative stuff.
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Post by ginslinger on Jun 24, 2017 18:15:04 GMT 1
I have found the Black Stallion on you tube so will probably go for that though I have read the book years ago. I thought I was going to have to start with A Pony for Jean which I got a couple of weeks ago but my ABE books order arrived today - I have never had so many parcels at once. The usual post came separately while the book parcels came in a crate in a van!!!
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Post by susanb on Jun 24, 2017 18:21:45 GMT 1
Whoo hoo....like Christmas in June, ginslinger! Which will you start with?
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Post by garej on Jun 24, 2017 18:59:56 GMT 1
I received The Racing Game dvd in the post today. I just have to buy the book which is plentiful compared to the dvd so it shouldn't be a problem. I will buy it from amazon because I have a prime account so therefore no postage cost. They send the majority of their stuff via their own delivery company so I have to order it for delivery a day when I have time to wait for their stuff as you can guarantee that the moment I go out it will come!
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Post by tintin on Jun 24, 2017 20:42:29 GMT 1
Claire - I have started "A Woman's Work is Never Done" it is a nice light non-fiction work with some shades of the pony book (there is even a real life police horse falls in a bog...)
Merlin - Portrait of a Courageous Police Horse
and
The Queen's Horse - Gift of the Mounties
are also non-fiction and quite light. I have n't read it yet, but "Our Horses, Our Teachers" is meant to be a classic
I enjoyed "Brother Mendel's Perfect Horse", but it is a bit odd abd probably a Marmite book
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Post by Claire on Jun 24, 2017 21:00:42 GMT 1
Thanks for the non-fic recommendations everyone. Now to decide which one! The Eighty Dollar Champion sounds like it may be my cup of tea, especially as I've always wanted to know more about Snowman, but I also quite fancy reading something by Marion Coakes/Mould as I did enjoy her collaboration with Gillan Baxter (Sue Elaine Draws a Horse)
If possible can I have full lists by tomorrow (25th) so I can start setting up the web page. But don't worry too much if you aren't quite ready as it will take 2 or 3 days to get it up and running anyhow and I can easily add on latecomers. I will also be setting up special threads for the film/book tie ins in the film club section.
Hope everyone is looking forward to starting as much as I am!
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Post by ginslinger on Jun 24, 2017 22:36:50 GMT 1
Whoo hoo....like Christmas in June, ginslinger! Which will you start with? Well it happened to be my birthday yesterday and to the friend who was present when the post arrived it looked as if I had gone mad sending myself presents....
I haven't decided. I ordered a few things not included in the challenge and have reread the first two of the Eventers Dream trilogy this afternoon and still enjoyed them so I am tempted go with Flying Changes but maybe I should have a change from Akrill. Mount seems like the longest apart from my friend's biography and I will probably need to mix up the longer and harder reads with the shorter lighter ones. I haven't received Equitation, Ring of Bright Water or the german one and I need to order the Black Stallion. It might make sense to go for Mount.
I did see but now can't find that Claire had posted a few foreign suggestions and since I remember enjoying Penny and Pegasus when I was young I might get the foal of the Fjords in case the German is over ambitious..
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Post by rallycairn on Jun 25, 2017 2:19:23 GMT 1
Well Happy Birthday, gin!
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