Marguerite Henry (1902-1997)

A US author who is extremely well-loved in America, but I feel rather over-looked in the UK. She wrote many books, mainly animal and horse stories, some of which were to become enduring classics and be made into movies.

Marguerite was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1902, the youngest of five children. Suprisingly, considering most of her books are animal-themed, she did not have any pets whilst growing up, although she did love animals. She was also interested in books and writing, possibly due to a prolonged illness which kept her bed-ridden for much of her childhood and able only to read and write. She sold her first magazine article (a story about a dog) when only 11 years old. However despite this early start her writing career was slow to take off. Her first full length book (Auno and Tauno: A Story of Finland) was not published until 1940 and it was not until the publication of Justin Morgan Had A Horse five years later that she began to make her mark in the literary world. This was soon followed by her most popular work, Misty of Chincoteague, which would eventually become a classic pony book.

Most of Marguerite's stories are based upon real life events, people and horses. However, although carefully researched, they are not dry non-fictional accounts, but exciting fictionalised recreations of these events with characters the reader really cares about. She is particularly interested in historical figures, both human and equine, writing about famous sires, race-horses and other notable figures in the horsy world.

Marguerite was particularly lucky to have such an excellent illustrator for many of her books in Wesley Dennis. The lovely and lavish drawings (both in black and white and colour) and dust jackets of the first editions must be some of the most beautiful of all pony books. The first book of Marguerite's Dennis illustrated was Justin Morgan. Marguerite apparantly went to the local library and searched though the children's books there until she found a book called Flip whose illustrations she loved. The illustrator was Dennis and she sent off a copy of Justin Morgan, asking him to consider illustrating it. According to one source, Dennis was so eager to illustrate the book he said he would do it for free!

In total Marguerite wrote around 60 books for children. Five of her books were also made into films

She died at the age of 95 shortly after completing her last book, Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley.



(Source: Encyclopedia of World Biography)

Misty Series:
These are by far the author's best known books.
Like most of the her books, the story of Misty is again based on fact. It has its roots in the yearly custom of the residents of Chincoteague Island off the coast of Virginia, who round up wild horses on nearby Assateague Island and auction them. The story is about two children who long to own one of these wild ponies, in particular a mare called The Phantom. One year she has a foal at foot and this slows her so that she is able to be caught. The pony becomes tame, but then escapes back to her island home, leaving the children with her foal Misty.

Misty was a real filly whom the author herself spotted during Pony Penning Day at Chincoteague. She originally belonged to the Beebes, but Marguerite persuaded them to sell her the pony in exchange for promising to include the names of the Beebe's grandchildren, Maureen and Paul, in the book she was writing. (And of course they are the names of the two children in the Misty series.) Misty lived with Marguerite for several years while her book was being written, later being sent back to the Beebe ranch for breeding purposes. There she had many foals including the most famous, Stormy.

To see pics of the real Misty with the author and her foal Stormy click here

After publication of the book Misty became an instant celebrity, even going on tours, and a film was made of her life in 1961. The book Misty of Chincoteague won many awards including a Newbery Honor and the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1961. The popularity of the book gave rise to three sequels, continuing the story of Misty and her family.

In 1990 the author helped form the Misty of Chincoteague Foundation, an organization dedicated to preserving the legend of the Assateague ponies. The foundation's goals include purchasing parts of the land where the original Misty and Stormy were raised and establishing a museum on the Island of Chincoteague.

1) MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE
(RAND McNALLY 1947)
ILLUSTRATED BY WESLEY DENNIS
Reprinted many times in hard and paperback, including UK editions. There were also German and Spanish editions.
In print at the moment in paperback.
SUMMARY: The book begins with the legend that the ponies which roam wild on the  island of Assateague are descended from ponies shipwrecked from the Spanish Armada. Hundreds of years later Paul and Maureen are yearning for a pony of their own from the island. This is the story of how they come to acquire Phantom and her foal Misty.

2) SEA-STAR ORPHAN OF CHINCOTEAGUE
(RAND McNALLY 1949)
ILLUSTRATED BY WESLEY DENNIS
Reprinted many times in hard and paperback, including UK editions
In print at the moment in paperback.
SUMMARY: The children are devastated when Misty is sold and taken away so a movie can be made of her life. They feel she can never be replaced. But then they come across a young orphan foal who needs their love and attention if he is to survive.
A charming foreword by the author explains how she was not planning to write a sequel to Misty, but then, like the children she finds a lone orphaned colt, and knows that she must write about him.

3) STORMY MISTY'S FOAL
(RAND McNALLY 1963)
ILLUSTRATED BY WESLEY DENNIS
Reprinted many times in hard and paperback, including UK editions
In print at the moment in paperback.
SUMMARY: Misty returns to the ranch to have her foal. But disaster strikes in the form of a terrible storm. Born in the midst of the upheaval little Stormy and Misty become a symbol of hope to the stricken Beebe family and their neighbours and it is through them that the island and the wild pony herds are saved.

4) MISTY'S TWILIGHT
(MACMILLAN 1992)
ILLUSTRATED BY KAREN HAUS GRANDPRE
Reprinted in paperback.
In print at the moment in paperback.
SUMMARY: Set years after the original trilogy of books with a new set of characters and a new pony heroine in the form of Twilight, a direct descendant of the famous Misty.

Other Editions:

MISTY MAKES A MOVIE
(RAND McNALLY 1961)
Book based on the movie version of Misty.

A PICTORIAL LIFE STORY OF MISTY
(RAND McNALLY 1976)

Collectors Info:
First editions of the first three in the series  are particularly striking books with beautiful dustjackets and illustrations. They are quite reasonably priced. Paperbacks are common and easily found as there have been many reprints over the years. Luckily most seem to have retained the lovely illustrations, although they do not make as much impact as in the larger colour first editions.
The two 'extra' books Misty Makes a Movie and A Pictorial Life Story of Misty are much rarer and harder to find.

Other Horse & Pony Books:
Although I don't normally include non-fiction on here, I felt I couldn't miss out a couple of the author's non-fiction books for children as they are so readable and have lovely illustrations. Most of the following are fiction however.

THE LITTLE FELLOW
(JOHN C WINSTON 1945)
ILLUSTRATED BY DIANA THORNE
Reprinted in hardback and paperback.
SUMMARY: Charming story for younger readers of a young colt who is happy being the only baby around until another mare has a foal and he becomes jealous.

JUSTIN MORGAN HAD A HORSE
(WILCOX & FOLLET 1945)
Reprinted in hardback and paperback.
ILLUSTRATED BY WESLEY DENNIS
SUMMARY: Historical story based on a real life horse, the famous American sire, founder of the Morgan breed.
Made into a Walt Disney film in 1972
PONYMAD RATING: 3 HORSESHOES

KING OF THE WIND
(RAND McNALLY 1948)
ILLUSTRATED BY WESLEY DENNIS
Reprinted in both hardback and paperback.
Published in the UK in paperback.
In print at the moment in a hardback edition published by Simon & Schuster.
SUMMARY: Fictionalised account of how The Godolphin Arabian came to England and became one of the founders of the Thoroughbed breed. As with most of Ms. Henry's stories, it also features a character who forms a close bond with the horse.
There is an interesting story about the conception of this book. The idea actually came from the illustrator Wesley Dennis who was commissioned to draw an illustration of the Godolphin Arabian for a Throughbred breeder. Whilst researching what the horse actually looked like Dennis found out the horse had lived a fascinating life. Discussing the subject with Dennis, Marguerite realised that it would make an excellent book and so the novel was born.
The book won awards including the Newbery Medal in 1949 and the Young Readers Choice Award in 1951.
It was made into a film in 1990.
PONYMAD RATING: 5 HORSESHOES

BORN TO TROT
(RAND McNALLY 1950)
ILLUSTRATED BY WESLEY DENNIS
Reprinted in both hardback and paperback.
In print at the moment.
SUMMARY: A young boy lies in a hospital bed reading about the famous trotting horse Hambletonian. His father, hoping to speed the boy's recovery buys him a young filly. Will she too one day become a great trotter?

ALBUM OF HORSES  (Non-fiction)
(RAND McNALLY 1951)
ILLUSTRATED BY WESLEY DENNIS
SUMMARY: A collection of fascinating facts and anecdotes about various breeds of horse from Appaloosas to Shetlands, all with superb illustrations. Not a novel but a great book to 'dip-into' and the beautiful illustrations make it highly collectable.

BRIGHTY OF THE GRAND CANYON
(RAND McNALLY 1953)
ILLUSTRATED BY WESLEY DENNIS
Reprinted in both hardback and paperback.
SUMMARY: Based on the true story of a shaggy little burro and set in the Grand Canyon. Made into a film in 1967

BLACK GOLD 
(RAND McNALLY 1957)
ILLUS WESLEY DENNIS
Reprinted in both hardback and paperback.
SUMMARY: The amazing story of the small Indian colt from Oklahoma who won the Kentucky Derby. Hankies may be needed tho!

GAUDENZIA, PRIDE OF THE PALIO
aka PALIO: THE WILDEST HORSE RACE IN THE WORLD (UK TITLE)
(RAND NCNALLY 1960)
ILLUSTRATED BY LYNN WARD
Reprinted in both hardback and paperback.
British edition published in paperback by Lions and re-titled.
SUMMARY: The true story of a boy and a beautiful half-Arabian mare who achieved undying fame when they won the Palio - one of the most dangerous horse races in the world which is set in Siena, Italy. But more, it is the story of the boy who loved her and who found his love for her conflicting with his fierce desire to become a top Palio jockey.
PONYMAD RATING: 4 HORSESHOES

WHITE STALLION OF LIPIZZA
(RAND McNALLY 1964)
ILLUSTRATED BY WESLEY DENNIS
Reprinted in both hardback and paperback.
UK hardback edition published by Blackie.
SUMMARY: Story about Borina, a famous Lipizzana stallion. Again based on a true story.

FIVE O CLOCK CHARLIE
(RAND McNALLY 1962)
ILLUSTRATED BY WESLEY DENNIS
Reprinted in both hardback and paperback.
SUMMARY: Hard to find pony story. Based on the true story of Charlie, an old draught horse who refuses to retire.

MUSTANG: WILD SPIRIT OF THE WEST
(RAND McNALLY 1966)
ILLUSTRATED BY ROBERT LOUGHEED
Reprinted in both hardback and paperback.
UK hardback edition published by Collins.
There was also a German edition.
SUMMARY: Based on the true story of 'Wild Horse Annie Bronn' - a girl who almost single-handedly saved the wild mustang breed from extinction.

DEAR READERS AND RIDERS (Non-fiction)
(RAND McNALLY 1969)
ILLUSTRATED BY WESLEY DENNIS
SUMMARY: Book about Henry's life and the animals which inspired her stories. Illustrated by Wesley Dennis plus photos.

SAN DOMINGO THE MEDICINE HAT STALLION
aka PETER LUNDY AND THE MEDICINE HAT STALLION
(RAND McNALLY 1972)
Reprinted in both hardback and paperback.
This was republished under the name PETER LUNDY AND THE MEDICINE HAT STALLION to tie in with the film version (see film link for more details)
SUMMARY: Historical pony story set around the time of the American civil war. A young boy forms a deep bond with a pony but  is devastated when his father trades his beloved San Domingo for another horse.
Made into a film in 1977 entitled Peter Lundy and the Medicine Hat Stallion.
PONYMAD RATING: 3 HORSESHOES

OUR FIRST PONY
(RAND McNALLY PB 1984)
Reprinted in paperback.
SUMMARY: Twin brothers, Justin and Joey are completely different. The only thing they have in common is their love for their pony Midge and the excitement they share when they find she is about to have a foal.

BROWN SUNSHINE OF SAWDUST VALLEY
(SIMON & SCHUSTER 1996)
Reprinted in both hardback and paperback.
SUMMARY: Younger readers mule story. A young girl and her father buy a broken down old horse. With love and care the mare is restored to health and gives birth to a mule they call Brown Sunshine.
PONYMAD RATING: 3 HORSESHOES

Collectors Info: 
The first editions of these are fairly rare and hard to come by in the UK, although much easier to find if buying from the US. There are paperback editions of all the books which are a lot easier to find, although still not as common outside of America as are the Misty books. Some are in print at the moment and can be bought new from Amazon.