Lucy Daniels is a publisher’s construct: the epic (and very popular) series of Animal Ark books for which the name is best known were written by several different authors. Like other successful series (Heartland, for example) it was created by Working Partners Ltd, who create a series concept and author identity and then farm it out to several different writers.
Ben Baglio, and American book packager, and Rod Ritchie, managing director of Hodder
before it merged with Headline, were responsible for the concept after Baglio had
in mind an “idealised setting that harked back to those non-
The name Lucy Daniels was chosen because they wanted a woman author: Lucy was the name of a Hodder editor, and Daniels was chosen so the books would sit next to Colin Dann’s successful Farthing Wood books.
The Animal Ark series’ heroine is Mandy Hope, who lives with her veterinary surgeon parents. This situation means there are always new animals appearing, with interesting stories to be told: there are at least 60 titles so far.
There is plenty of information out there about the Animal Ark series: what I’ve done in this section is pulled out the titles which are specifically about horses and ponies. There have been several spin offs from the main series: Little Animal Ark is aimed at younger readers; Animal Ark Hauntings capitalises on the current desire for the supernatural in children’s books.
One of the Lucy Daniels series is just about ponies: the Perfect Ponies trilogy is about Josie Grace, who has to find homes for the horses at her family’s riding school now it has closed.
“Lucy Daniels” has a biography on the Hodder site: I assume this is because Hodder don’t want to upset their readers by admitting Lucy doesn’t actually exist. It is possible to identify who wrote individual titles in the series by checking the copyright page of each book: “Special thanks to....” refers to the author. It would be an interesting project to trace every title and check the authors. Some American titles (eg Mustang in the Mist) appear under the name Ben M Baglio rather than Lucy Daniels.
Finding the books: many are still in print. All are easy to find, and generally reasonably priced. Some titles were changed for the American market.
Sources and links:
Hodder on Lucy Daniels, and the Animal Ark site
An interview with Lucy Daniels
The Lucy Daniels authors, The Guardian, 22nd March, 2000
Many thanks to Hannah Fleetwood and Annette York for their help with the photographs.
Known Animal Ark authors:
Helen Magee
Jennie Walters
Jenny Oldfield
Sue Welford
Ben M Baglio
Lucy Daniels
Foals in the Field
Hodder Children’s Books, 1997, illus Jenny Gregory, 152 pp.
Hachette Partworks, 2006 (right)
Author -
Twin foals are born on Drysdale Farm, and Mandy and James care for them, as their
owner has no time to look after sick ponies. Nick, the owner, has to make a success
of
the farm, or it, and the foals, must be sold.
Horse and pony titles only
Shetland in the Shed
Hodder Children’s Books, London, 1997, cover art Peter Warner, 152 pp.
Author -
When Polly’s father goes into hospital, she goes to stay with the Hope family, and
she takes her Shetland pony
too. Unfortunately, Polly is terrified of horses.
The Party Pony
Hodder, London, 2001, illus Andy Ellis, 63 pp
A party with pony rides is planned, but then one of the ponies is stung by a bee.
Animal Ark
Donkey on the Doorstep
Horse in the House
Pony in the Porch
Shetland in the Shed
Foals in the Field
Mare in the Meadow
Animal Ark Holiday Specials:
Ponies at the Point
Pony in the Post
Stallion in the Stable
Little Animal Ark
The Party Pony
The Friendly Foal
Perfect Ponies
Faith
Hope
Charity
Animal Ark Pets
Pony Parade
Donkey Derby
Foal Frolics
Animal Ark Pets Summer Shows
Horse Hero
Animal Ark Hauntings
Stallion in the Storm
Colt in the Cave
Foal in the Fog
Other titles
Racehorse in the Rain
Colt on Christmas Eve
American titles by Ben M Baglio
Mustang in the Mist
Stallion in Spooky Hollow
Pony in a Pumpkin Patch
Donkey on the Doorstep
Hodder, London, 1995, illus Shelagh NcNicolas, 156 pp.
Andi and his family have to move, which means his donkey Dorian will be homeless.
Pony Parade
Hodder, London, 1997, illus Paul Howard, 121 pp.
Mandy’s new neighbour Paul gets her help in choosing a pony from a local sanctuary.
Because the pony is in very
bad shape, people get the wrong idea and think Paul
is responsible.
Pony in the Porch
Knight Books, London, 1994, illus Shelagh McNicholas,
Cover Peter Warner, 150 pp.
Hodder Children’s Books, 2001, pb, 150 pp. (Right)
The only thing Mandy Hope likes about Susan Collins is Prince,
her pony. Susan is
stuck up, and determined to win at show
jumping at all costs. Can Mandy rescue Prince?
Ponies at the Point
Hodder, London, 1998, 160 pp.
The Hopes and their friend James are on holiday in Ireland, where they find wild
ponies on the beach. A foal has on
a headcollar, cruelly cutting into her head.
Horse in the House
Hodder, London, 1998, illus Jenny Gregory, 168 pp.
Mr Bennett has to sell his riding stables. It is turned into a campsite, but the
holiday makers report seeing a ghostly
horse.
Donkey Derby
Hodder, London, illus Paul Howard, 128 pp.
Lightning, the fastest donkey in Welford, has just had a foal and so can’t race. Mandy has plans, however.
Perfect Ponies
(Faith, Hope and Charity)
Hodder, London, 1999
Single volume containing all the stories in the Perfect Ponies series.
Pony in the Post
Hodder, London, 1999, Ann Baum, 156 pp
The surgery gets an unwanted miniature pony, and Mandy has to try and find out who she belongs to.
Stallion in the Storm
Hodder, London, 1999, illus Ann Baum
Folan’s Racing Stables is in trouble as people think it is haunted: can Mandy and
James prove it one way or the
other?
Sweet Charity
Scholastic, 1999, illus Tristan Elwell, 132 pp.
Scholastic, 2002, pb
Hodder, London, 1999, illus Ann Gowland, cover Richard Jones,
374 pp. (Includes Keeping
Faith,
Last Hope & Sweet Charity)
Author -
Josie Grace has to find a home for the horses at her family’s riding
school now it
must close. Charity is beautiful and spirited, and
there is a family interested in
buying her: then Charity vanishes
from the stables.
Last Hope
Scholastic
Hodder, London, 1999, illus Ann Gowland, cover Richard Jones, 374 pp. (Includes Keeping
Faith,
Last Hope & Sweet Charity)
Author: Jennie Walters
Hope has a lovely nature, but is very plain, so Josie doesn’t think she’s going to
be easy to re-
Keeping Faith
Scholastic 1999
Scholastic, 2002, 135 pp.
Hodder, London, 1999, illus Ann Gowland, cover Richard Jones,
374 pp. (Includes Keeping
Faith,
Last Hope & Sweet Charity)
Author: Jennie Walters
Faith is the Grace’s oldest pony, and will need peace and quiet
in her new home.
Mare in the Meadows
Hodder, London, 2001, illus Ann Baum, 160 pp
Mandy and James are finding it difficult to give the mare Camomile the attention
she needs. Angharad should be the
answer, but she doesn’t seem keen, and they don’t
know why.
The Friendly Foal
Hodder, 2003, London, illus Georgie Ripper, 61 pp.
Mandy’s friend Helen has a new foal called Fern. They are just about to move house,
and Helen is worried Fern will be
lonely.
Foal in the Fog
Hodder, London, 2001, illus illus Ann Baum, 151 pp.
Mandy is pony trekking in Devon and gets lost in the fog.
Stallion in the Stable
Hodder, London, 2002, illus Ann Baum
Horse Hero
Hodder, London, 2002, illus Paul Howard, 116 pp.
The police horse Marlow does a wonderful display, and this gives Mandy an idea for
helping her friend Lucy, who is
worried about getting her pony Honey ready for Welford
Show.
Colt in the Cave
Hodder, London, 2000, 151 pp.
Mandy and James have a school trip to an old mine. Mandy thinks about what life
must have been like for the pit
ponies who worked there, and then she sees ghostly
eyes....
Racehorse in the Rain
Hodder, London, 2003, 153 pp.
Mandy’s Dad wins first prize in the Christmas raffle; a racehorse for the day.
