June Crebbin was born in Leicestershire.  She trained, and worked, as a teacher and took early retirement to concentrate on writing.  She was a keen writer as a child, filling red notebooks she got from the Post Office with stories.  When she was thirteen she wrote a book about a chestnut pony, which was illustrated by her art teacher.  She has kept the pony theme going:  although her books cover many subjects, several feature ponies.  Like most of her books (over 40 now), they are aimed at the younger reader.

For inspiration, she draws on the children she knows as a local riding school.  June Crebbin rides:  she is learning the piaffe, so is obviously a dressage fan.  She drives a pony and trap, which means in these days of extortionately expensive petrol that she has what might be a very useful skill indeed.

Finding the books:  Ride to the Rescue and Nibbles are a little more expensive than the other titles, but still won’t break the bank.  The Merryfield Hall series are still in print.

Sources and links:

Walker Books on June Crebbin

June Crebbin

Ride to the Rescue

Viking Kestrel (Kestrel Kites), London, 1989, illus Catherine Bradbury, 96 pp. HB.

Young Puffin Books, London, 1990, 96 pp.  PB

Kate’s Dad has told her she will be able to have a pony of her own.  He is getting married again, and Kate will
have a new mum at last, but it looks as if in the excitement of the wedding that the promise of the pony has
been forgotten.

Bibliography - pony books only

The Merryfield Hall Series

Jumping Beany

Saving Oscar

Riding High

Stealing Emerald

Tarquin the Wonder Horse

Walker Books, London, 2000, illus Tony Ross, 58 pp HB

Walker Books, London, 2001, illus Tony Ross, 64 pp PB

Tarquin the Wonder Horse has some amazing powers:  he can talk, breathe fire.... And also get into terrible trouble.

Saving Oscar

Walker Books, London, 2007, 74 pp.  

Amber is on a Pony Club Camp at Merryfield.  On the first day she spots a pony in the next door field being
tormented by boys.  The pony is no longer wanted by his owner, but Amber is determined to rescue him.

SHORT STORIES

Horse Tales

(Collected by June Crebbin)

Walker Books, London, 2005, illus Inga Moore, 147 pp.

Nibbles

Cambridge University Press, 1997, illus Susan Hellard, 24 pp. PB

Part of the Cambridge Reading scheme.

Jumping Beany

Walker Books, London, 2004, 70 pp. PB

Walker Books, London, 2007 , 80 pp. (new edition badged to fit in with the rest of the series)

Amber’s Dad, for the first time ever, has promised to come and watch her ride at the
Stables’ Open Day, but that’s only going to work if Amber’s Mum can get her there on time.

Stealing Emerald

Walker Books, London, 2009, 70 pp.  

A princess is visiting the stables:  alas, she doesn’t ride, but she does help out around the stables.  Amber then
finds out Rana is riding Emerald in secret but is too scared to tell her pushy parents.

Riding High

Walker Books, London, 2008, 74 pp.  

Amber is going pony trekking in Wales for three days.  Unfortunately Donna is not happy, and seems to be
out just to cause trouble.