Lilias Edwards

A rather over-looked author, and one of whom I know very little. She wrote a few general girls and animal stories but as far as I know only these three pony novels and a short horsy story. (She may have written other short stories but this is the only one I can find). They are all very good reads filled with humour and warmth, and are all fairly easy to find.

Horse & Pony Books:

SILVER BLAZE
(HAMLYN PB 1968)
SUMMARY: Susan loves the pony Silver Blaze but he is not hers. She and her friends from the Youth Club put on a pantomime to raise money to buy him but things don't go smoothly.
PONYMAD VIEW: Heart-warming rescue type story.
PONYMAD RATING: 4 HORSESHOES

THE DANCING PONY
(GOLDEN PLEASURE PB 1965)
ILLUSTRATED BYJOAN THOMPSON
SUMMARY: Debbie makes friends with Mr. Pegg and his Dartmoor pony Brownie, who now pulls his cart but was once a circus pony. Debbie learns to ride Brownie but then tragedy strikes when Mr. Pegg has an accident and the pony disappears…
PONYMAD VIEW: Mystery pony story. An unusual format - this is large illustrated paperback edition with more illustrations than is usual in a pony book, almost a picture book but aimed at an older readership than is the usual picture book.
PONYMAD RATING: 4 HORSESHOES

A STABLE TO LET
(COLLINS 1973)
Part of the Collins Pony Library series
SUMMARY: Cherry is a rather spoilt girl used to getting her own way but contact with horsy people and concern for a neglected pony make her a nicer person.
PONYMAD VIEW: Good solid story with the popular theme of horse improves an unpleasant person..
PONYMAD RATING: 3 HORSESHOES

Collectors Info:
Both Silver Blaze and The Dancing Pony were paperback first editions. A Stable to Let was a hardback published as part of the Collins Pony Library. Silver Blaze is easy to find in the UK, the other two harder, with A Stable to Let being the rarest. All are fairly hard to get hold of outside the UK.

Short Stories in Other Books & Collections:

I WANTED A PONY
in HORSE AND PONY STORIES FOR GIRLS
(HAMLYN 1971)
ILLUSTRATED BY F. D. PHILLIPS
Reprinted a number of times in hardback
SUMMARY OF STORY: When the family moves to a new house in the country, Elizabeth hopes that she will be able to ride. But her attempts to get close to the local ponies don't go well!
PONYMAD VIEW: A good humourous story in a very good compilation of longer than normal short stories. See British Horse Story Collections webpage for more info on the book itself and the other stories within.
PONYMAD RATING: 3-4 HORSESHOES

Collectors Info:
Reasonably easy to find in both the UK and USA.