About the author
Mary Hooper failed her eleven plus and left school without any qualifications. This early setback did not stop her in the least: in later life she went to the University of Reading to study English, thereby catching up on all the books she’d missed during her school career. Her first job after leaving school at 15 was as a window dresser: not for her she thought, so she got an office job, and learned to type. She started writing when she wrote a short story for Jackie magazine and had it accepted. Since then, she’s written over 90 books, from stories for the youngest reader to YA books dealing with difficult themes like teenage pregnancy and internet grooming. Fallen Grace was nominated for the Carnegie Medal in 2011. Her focus now is historical novels, and that’s where she sees it staying.
Her earlier career saw her write several series for younger readers. Best Pets and Lucy’s Farm both contain stories which revolve around ponies (or donkeys, if I’m being strictly accurate).
Finding the books
Easy to find.
Links and sources
Mary Hooper’s website (no longer extant)
Mary Hooper at Bloomsbury
Bibliography (pony books only)
Becky and Beauty
Bloomsbury Children’s, London, 1998, 62 pp, illus Lucy Su
Becky’s pony Beauty saves her when she’s swept away by a flood.
Lucy’s Wild Pony
Macmillan Children’s Books, London, 2000, 88 pp, illus Anthony Lewis
Lucy goes on a trip on the moors with her friends, but then Courtney wanders off. Lucy tries to find her, but disaster strikes when she’s injured. She’s rescued by a ghostly white pony.
Lucy’s Donkey Rescue
Macmillan Children’s Books, London, 2000, 85 pp, illus Anthony Lewis
Lucy and her friend Lisa save the life of Harriet, an endangered donkey. Harriet repays being saved, because she becomes a heroine herself when snobby Thalia’s pony falls into a slurry pit.
Bibliography: pony books only
Becky and Beauty, Bloomsbury Children’s, London, 1998, 62 pp, illus Lucy Su
Lucy’s Wild Pony, Macmillan Children’s Books, London, 2000, 88 pp, illus Anthony Lewis
Lucy’s Donkey Rescue, Macmillan Children’s Books, London, 2000, 85 pp, illus Anthony Lewis