Florence Hightower

American author born in Boston. She graduated from Vassar and later married a Professor of Chinese and lived in China for some time. She wrote only six books, all of which were children's novels, mainly mystery type stories. One is a story centred around a horse-mad rather eccentric family. It is an excellent humourous story and very easy to find. Her other books, although not pony stories, have also been highly recommended by those who have read them.

Horse & Pony Books:

DARK HORSE OF WOODFIELD
(1st edition HOUGHTON MIFFLIN [USA] 1962)
(1st UK edition MACDONALD 1964)
ILLUSTRATED BY JOSHUA TOLFORD
Published in the UK in 1964 with different illustrator A. H. Eisner.
Also reprinted in the UK in paperback by Puffin.
EDITIONS PICTURED: 1st UK edition, Puffin paperback
SUMMARY: Quirky and humourous historical story set in the 1930s, in the midst of the Depression. The once prominent and wealthy Armistead family have now fallen on hard times and young Maggie is determined to win the top prize in the Junior Hunter Stake on her pony Star, so she can use the prize money to help buy her Aunt's horse back. The whole family is horse mad, except for the black sheep poet Uncle Wally who wrote an offensive poem which caused a rift between himself and the rest of the family. But it is Uncle Wally's poetry that ironically may save the day!
PONYMAD RATING: 5 HORSESHOES
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Collector's Info:
This is one of a number of books which had more printings elsewhere than in its native country. The book is very easy to find in the UK, especially the paperback edition. In the USA, it is still fairly easy to find but not quite as common as in Britain.