About the author
Sue Bentley is best known as an author of books for the younger reader. Her Magic Ponies series is just one part of a whole menagerie of different magical animals: there are Magic Puppies, Magic Kittens, Magic Bunnies and even a Magic Reindeer.
Sue Bentley was born and brought up in Northamptonshire, where she still lives. She started writing relatively late: once her children started school she decided it was now or never, and on she went.
Her series are part of the fantasy movement that spread throughout children’s books post Harry Potter. Fantasy does not always sit easily with pony books. Magical pony Comet is searching for his sister, Destiny, and materialises to little girls in different pony guises; sometimes as native ponies. Comet is terribly, terribly, good, which is does become rather unrelenting after a while.
Finding the books
All in print
Links and sources
An interview with Sue Bentley at Penguin Books (no longer available)
The series
Magic Ponies
A New Friend
A Special Wish
A Twinkle of Hooves
Show Jumping Dreams
Seaside Summer
Riding Rescue
Winter Wonderland
Pony Camp
Bibliography (pony books only)
A NEW FRIEND
Puffin Books, London, 2009, 117 pp. Cover Andrew Farley, illus Angela Swan
Comet appears as a New Forest Pony to Eleanor, who’s having a miserable and lonely school holiday.
A SPECIAL WISH
Puffin Books, London, 2009, 117 pp. Cover Andrew Farley, illus Angela Swan
Read my review of the book here.
Marcie wants a pony of her own, but then forgets about that (for the moment) when she discovers Comet, in the guise of a dapple-grey pony, at the end of her garden.
A TWINKLE OF HOOVES
Puffin Books, London, 2009, 118 pp. Cover Andrew Farley, illus Angela Swan
Steph is lonely at the stables, but that all changes when she meets a little piebald pony – Comet.
SHOW JUMPING DREAMS
Puffin Books, London, 2009, 107 pp. Cover Andrew Farley, illus Angela Farley
Alexandra dreams of show jumping success, and it looks as if her dreams might come true when she meets a glossy palomino pony – Comet!
SEASIDE SUMMER
Puffin Books, London, 2009, 115 pp. Cover Andrew Farley, illus Angela Farley
Jessie Starling’s family run a circus near the sea: but there’s a problem – no audience. However, once a spotted pony (Comet) comes ashore, everything changes for the better.
RIDING RESCUE
Puffin Books, London, 2009, 114 pp. Cover illustration Andrew Farley, illus Angela Swan
Read my review of the book here.
Gina learns to overcome her nerves when Dartmoor pony Comet arrives at the Pony Rescue Centre.
WINTER WONDERLAND
Puffin Books, London, 2009, 112 pp. Cover Andrew Farley, illus Angela Farley
Skeeti is having a snowbound holiday, but then a Highland pony (Comet) arrives….
PONY CAMP
Puffin Books, London, 2009, 110 pp. Cover Andrew Farley, illus Angela Farley
Lindsey is lonely at Pony Camp, but that all changes when a Fell Pony called Comet appears.
