C. W. Anderson (1891-1971)

Highly talented artist and popular American novelist and artist. Clarence William Anderson was born in Nebraska, USA in 1891. After studying at the Art Institute of Chicago, Anderson first illustrated other author's works and thought of himself as an artist not a writer. However editor Doris Patee encouraged him to write text to accompany his drawings. Eventually he wrote full length novels. He also wrote many other pony stories, non fiction works, especially on racing, and some non-pony stories for children. He was also an accomplished rider, show judge and poet.

Although his stories are quite enjoyable, the standard of his writing does not come close to that of his drawings. However he does display a copious knowledge of horses and riding in his books and, like Josephine Pullein-Thompson, wasn't averse to teaching the reader through the medium of various authority figures in his novels. He was fairly innovative in including amongst his authority figures black people. He certainly did not display a derogatory attitude to these characters (as in many American books of the time) instead they were portrayed as knowledgeable figures who were loved and respected by the children in the books.

But it is for his beautiful drawings that his books are mainly collected. Prints of some of his work can also be purchased on-line  (see link).

Blaze Series:
Amazingly long-running (over 35 years!) and ever-popular series about a boy and his pony and the many adventures they share.  Aimed at a younger readership, with the stories being fairly simplistic and usually adventure-orientated.

ALL ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR

1) BILLY AND BLAZE: A BOY AND HIS PONY
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1936)
Reprinted in hardback a number of times.
Reprinted in paperback, most recently by Aladdin.
SUMMARY: Billy receives the chestnut pony Blaze for his birthday
Read Review

2) BLAZE AND THE GYPSIES
Reprinted in hardback a number of times.
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1937)
SUMMARY: Blaze is stolen! Can he find his way back to his beloved Billy?

3) BLAZE AND THE FOREST FIRE
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1938)
Reprinted in hardback a number of times.
Reprinted in paperback, most recently by Aladdin.
Still in print.
SUMMARY: When a fire strikes its up to Billy and Blaze to raise the alarm

4) BLAZE FINDS THE TRAIL
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1950)
Reprinted in hardback a number of times.
Reprinted in paperback, most recently by Aladdin.
Still in print.
SUMMARY: Billy and Blaze get lost in the woods...and a storm is approaching!

5) BLAZE AND THUNDERBOLT
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1955)
Reprinted in hardback a number of times.
Reprinted in paperback, most recently by Aladdin.
Still in print.
SUMMARY: When their new friend Jim is unable to tame the wild horse Thunderbolt, Billy and Blaze help. Fast and elusive, Thunderbolt is not easy to befriend. But with their kind and gentle approach, Billy and Blaze succeed where the other cowboys have failed

6) BLAZE AND THE MOUNTAIN LION
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1959)
Reprinted in hardback a number of times.
Reprinted in paperback, most recently by Aladdin.
Still in print.
SUMMARY: Billy and Blaze must save a terrified calf from a mountain lion.

7) BLAZE AND THE INDIAN CAVE
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1964)
Reprinted in hardback a number of times.
SUMMARY: Blaze is stolen and Billy, sure he knows the culprit, sets off to find him.

8) BLAZE AND THE LOST QUARRY
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1966)
Reprinted in hardback a number of times.
Reprinted in paperback, most recently by Aladdin.
Still in print.
SUMMARY: The pair set off to find an old lost quarry….

9) BLAZE AND THE GRAY SPOTTED PONY
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1968)
Reprinted in hardback a number of times.
Reprinted in paperback, most recently by Aladdin.
Still in print.
SUMMARY: Billy and Blaze are heroes to Tommy, the little boy who lives next door. Tommy loves horses, and someday, he hopes, will have a pony of his own: gray with spots, like the one he and Billy saw in a field. How lucky he is to have Billy teaching him how to ride and to feed and groom Blaze. One day Tommy does get his gray spotted pony and it is Blaze who finds him!
Read Review

10) BLAZE SHOWS THE WAY
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1969)
Reprinted in hardback.
Reprinted in paperback by Aladdin.
Still in print.
SUMMARY: Billy and Blaze and their friends Tommy and Dusty have fun together, including taking part in a pairs riding competition.

11) BLAZE FINDS FORGOTTEN ROADS
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1970)
Reprinted in hardback.
SUMMARY: Billy and Tommy find an old forgotten road when they are out exploring.
Read Review

Collectors Info:
Many of these books are still in print in paperback editions and can be bought new in both the USA and UK. The older editions are reasonably easy to find in the USA, but a lot harder in the UK.

Other Pony Books:

ALL ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR

SALUTE
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1940)
Reprinted in hardback by original publishers a number of times.
SUMMARY: Peter rescues an old horse named Mohawk and when the old horse wins a race uses the money to buy Salute, grandson of the famous Man O' War.
Read Review

BIG RED
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1943)
SUMMARY: Biography of the great race horse Man O'War

A PONY FOR LINDA
(MACMILLAN 1951)
Reprinted in hardback by original publishers a number of times.
SUMMARY: Linda always loved horses and wished for one of her own. finally a little black and white pony named Daisy comes into her life.
Read Review

THE CROOKED COLT
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1954)
Reprinted in hardback by original publishers and by Hale.
Reprinted in paperback by Weekly Readers and Atheneum.
SUMMARY: Story of a colt who was born with crooked legs and could not run but whose courage and persistence led him to be the fastest of the herd.

HORSE OF HURRICANE HILL
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1956)
(1st UK edition BROCKHAMPTON 1958)
Reprinted in hardback by original publishers a few times.
Published in the UK by Brockhampton in 1958 and also reprinted by them a couple of times in hardback.
SUMMARY: A  young boy is determined to train a horse to become a champion but there are troubles and heartbreak along the way.

AFRAID TO RIDE
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1957)
(1st UK edition BROCKHAMPTON 1959?)
Reprinted in hardback by original publishers a couple of times.
Reprinted in paperback by Scholastic.
Published in the UK by Brockhampton in I think 1959 and also reprinted by them in 1960.
SUMMARY: Judy loses her nerve after a nasty fall and vows to have nothing to do with horses any longer, but then a friend asks her to look after a mistreated mare called Lady. With each other's help both Judy and Lady regain their confidence.

PONY FOR THREE
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1958)
Reprinted in hardback by original publishers a couple of times.
SUMMARY: Three children get the pony they want, but have to look after him when he is injured.

A FILLY FOR JOAN
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1960)
Reprinted in hardback by original publishers a couple of times.
SUMMARY: Louis, the huntsman of the Grafton Hounds, teaches children to ride. Amongst them is Joan for whom Louis is trying to find the perfect filly.

LONESOME LITTLE COLT
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1961)
Reprinted in hardback by original publishers a few times.
Reprinted in paperback by Collier.
SUMMARY: Charming story of a motherless little colt.

GREAT HEART
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1962)
Reprinted in hardback by original publishers a couple of times.
SUMMARY: A boy and his father train a horse for the show jumping circuit.

ANOTHER MAN O'WAR
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1966)
Reprinted in hardback by original publishers in 1967.
SUMMARY: Sally and her grandfather buy a chestnut yearling to train for the racecourse in the hopes that he will follow in the hoofprints of his great ancestor Man O'War.

THE OUTLAW
(MACMILLAN  [USA] 1967)
SUMMARY: The magnificent black stallion seemed too wild to be tamed but a boy and his father are determined to make a champion racer out of him. Will the old horse whispering secrets be the key  to gentling him?

PHANTOM SON OF THE GRAY GHOST
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1969)
SUMMARY: From the moment he first sees her ride, Mr. Jameson knows Sally has the courage and spirit to match the wonderful horse Phantom.

THE RUMBLE SEAT PONY
(MACMILLAN [USA]  1971)
Reprinted in hardback by original publishers a couple of times.
SUMMARY: A family discover a neglected pony in a field and their love and care works a miraculous transformation.

THE BLIND CONNEMARA
(MACMILLAN [USA] 1971)
Reprinted in hardback by original publishers a couple of times.
Reprinted in paperback by Collier.
SUMMARY: Rhonnda is given a beautiful Connemara show pony but the pony is going blind…

Collectors Info:
Not easy books to find in the UK. I think only one of the titles had a UK printing. Fairly easy to find in the USA and, with a few exceptions, not expensive. For UK buyers, purchasing from the USA may be expensive due to shipping costs rather than book price, as the books are mostly largish hardbacks and heavy.