June Crebbin

British author born in Leicestershire in 1938. As a child she loved writing and even wrote a book about a chestnut pony which was illustrated by her art teacher! She trained and worked as a teacher, but took early retirement in order to concentrate on her first love of writing. She has now written over 40 children's books, as well as poetry.

Ms. Crebbin also has a love of horses and rides regularly. She is learning dressage at the moment and says that she would loved to have been a top showjumper if she wasn't an author! Not surprisingly some of her books feature ponies, including a series centred on a riding school and a couple of stand-alone pony stories. These are all aimed at younger readers. She has also edited a book of short pony stories and novel excerpts called Horse Tales.

Sources: Walker Books and Puffin Books websites

Merryfield Hall Riding School Series:
Younger children's pony series centring upon Amber and the riding school where she rides.

1) JUMPING BEANY
(WALKER PB 2004)
Reprinted by Walker
SUMMARY: It's Pony Day at the Riding School and, for the first time ever, Dad has promised to come and watch Amber jump! Everything will be perfect as long as Amber get can to ride her favourite pony Beany. But spoilt Donna wants to ride him too and she'll stop at nothing to get her own way….

2) SAVING OSCAR
(WALKER PB 2007)
SUMMARY: It's the first day of Pony Camp at Merryfield Hall Riding School. Amber has been looking forward to it for months! But that evening, she spots a pony in a neighbouring field, being bullied by a group of boys. Told that his owner no longer wants Oscar, and that in the morning he will be taken away and destroyed, Amber is horrified, and hatches a rescue plan. But can she keep him hidden long enough to find the owner and convince him to save Oscar?

3) RIDING HIGH
(WALKER PB 2008)
SUMMARY: Amber is on a pony trekking holiday in Wales but when another girl wants to spoil the holiday, Amber must save it from disaster.

4) STEALING EMERALD
(WALKER PB 2009)
SUMMARY: Amber and her friends are excited to hear that a middle-eastern princess will be visiting Merryfield Hall this summer. Unfortunately Princess Rana says she doesn't ride and helps out with stable duties instead. But Amber soon discovers that Rana is riding her own pony, Emerald, in secret, and is scared to tell her pushy parents for fear of failure. Amber persuades Rana to compete in the summer show. Will the princess succeed and prove to her parents that she can ride?

Collector's info:
Paperback first editions. The first book was published in two different paperback editions. The series is all still in print and easy to find in the UK. In America, the first one can be bought new from Amazon. The others can be found reasonably easily second hand.

Other Horse & Pony Books:

RIDE TO THE RESCUE
(VIKING 1989)
ILLUSTRATED BY CATHERINE BRADBURY
Reprinted by Puffin in paperback.
SUMMARY: Kate has always wanted a pony of her own. Now on a mystery holiday with her family, it looks as if her dream will come true - if only for a week. When the gypsy caravan they are travelling in gets stuck, Kate has to ride her pony Blanco to find help.

TARQUIN THE WONDER HORSE
(WALKER 2000)
ILLUSTRATED BY TONY ROSS
Reprinted by Walker in paperback.
SUMMARY: Younger children's fantasy pony story. Tarquin the Wonder Horse has amazing powers. He can talk, breathe fire and make wishes come true. There are times, though, when having magic powers only brings trouble  and all the humans he comes across want to exploit his special powers for their own gains. But then Tarquin meets Rosanna and Paul, and it seems he may finally get what his heart desires.

Collector's info:
Unlike the Merrifield series, there were both hard and soft back editions of these books. Tarquin is still in print and can be bought new. Both are easy to find in the UK, and to a lesser extent in the USA.