Joan Selby-Lowndes

British author of a number of children's books. She taught for many years at a stage school and when she started writing, the world of performance dominated many of her books, with lots of stories about ballet and the circus. Two of the books featured ponies, although the stories were once again set in the world of the performing arts (circus & pantomime).

The author had a pony and spent time travelling in a horse-drawn caravan (which featured in a non-fictional work she wrote entitled Home with a Horse).

Not only did she write, she also translated other author's works from French into English (most famously Rene Guillot) and illustrated both her own and other's books.

Pony Books:

MAIL COACH
(COLLINS 1945)
ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR
Reprinted by Collins in hardback
SUMMARY: Historical story. Richard is determined to ride in the circus and runs off to try and fulfil his ambition.

FAMILY STAR
(COLLINS 1961)
ILLUSTRATED BY DICK HART
Reprinted in
SUMMARY: Kitty, the family pony who pulls the family's flower cart, goes lame, causing general consternation. Then daughter Jenny gets a part in the pantomime and finds a way for Kitty to help too.

Collectors Info:
Mail Coach is easy to find in the UK, with Family Star a bit harder. Both books can also be found in Australia, but can be much harder to find in the USA, especially Family Star.

Short stories in other books & collections:

LITTLE BILLY THE CIRCUS HORSE
in TRUE HORSE AND PONY STORIES
edited by Diana Pullein-Thompson
(ARMADA 1976)
ILLUSTRATED BY DENIS WAUGH
Reprinted in hardback by Severn House
SUMMARY: True life story of a well-known performing pony called Little Billy.

Collectors Info:
Fairly easy to find in the UK, especially the paperback edition. Can be trickier elsewhere.