PBOTD: January 3rd, Frances Priddy - The Grand Rogue

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Frances Priddy is an American author of horse books, and she's responsible for one of the few (in fact the only) pony book I can find which actually mentions New Year. It might well be that plenty of other pony books do, but that I haven't made a note of the fact. If you can add any to the list, then please do.


Dodd Mead, 1958

Frances Priddy wrote nine children's books, of which three were about horses. Her contribution to the New Year is The Grand Rogue (1958), in which heroine Megan does that great horse story girl thing of buying a rogue horse no one else will touch in the hope that under her tender touch he will reform. Rogue is more of a nightmare than a dream horse, or a nightstallion, if I'm being accurate. He causes the loss of Megan's job, and her reform programme for him does everything apart from go to plan. However, Megan's determined to ride in in the New Year's Day show, come what may.

I do love the illustration on the cover. I'll give the horse the benefit of the doubt, and assume he's rearing away from his owner, and not attempting to scalp her. Whatever, the chap in the splendid jersey is not exactly sprinting to help. Run fast, run far, Megan.
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You can read much more on Frances Priddy here.

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