About the author
Edna Walker Chandler (1908–1982) was born in Kansas on a wheat farm. She had a rather fragmented education. She was educated at Friends University, Wichita, but eventually graduated from Sacramento State College in California when she was 50. This didn’t stop her writing career. Once Walker’s children had grown up, she started writing, and produced the long and popular Cowboy Sam series, aimed at the child who finds reading difficult.
I’ve given an order for the Cowboy Sam series, but I’m making no claims for its accuracy. The UK editions, of which I’ve been able to find nine, had a completely different series order to the original American printing.
Finding the books
Some appear to be available as print on demand. Pricing of original copies is variable. The UK editions are a little easier to find in good condition. Finding copies which are not ex-library or ex-school is difficult. At least two titles have been published in Australia.
Links and sources
Biographical information, Map of Kansas Literature
Terri Wear: Horse Stories – An Annotated Bibliography
Many thanks to Lisa Catz for all her help with this section.
Series
Cowboy Sam series
Cowboy Sam
Cowboy Sam and Freddy
Cowboy Sam and the Rodeo
Cowboy Sam and PorkyCowboy Sam and the Rustlers
Cowboy Sam and the Fair
Cowboy Sam and Shorty
Cowboy Sam and the Indians
Cowboy Sam and Miss Lily
Cowboy Sam and Dandy
Cowboy Sam and Flop
Cowboy Sam and the Airplane
Cowboy Sam and Sally
Cowboy Sam and Big Bill
Cowboy Sam and Freckles
Bibliography (horse books only)
Cowboy Sam
Beckley-Cardy Co, Chicago, 1951, 64 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
E J Arnold & Sons, Leeds, 1963, 64 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
The first in the Cowboy Sam series.
Cowboy Sam and Freddy
Beckley-Cardy Company, 1951, 67 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
E J Arnold & Sons, Leeds, 1963, 64 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
Cowboy Sam’s nephew, Freddy, comes from town to spend the summer on the ranch. Cowboy Sam gets a black-and-white pinto pony for Freddy, and a saddle and an outfit. Now Freddy is all set, and he learns how to ride and helps brand the calves.
Cowboy Sam and the Rodeo
Beckley-Cardy Company, 1951, 95 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
Educational Supplies Pty Limited, Brookvale, NSW, 1972
Freddy is sad that summer is almost over, and he will have to leave the ranch, and go back to town. Cowboy Sam cheers him up by entering him in a rodeo, and then helps him get ready for the calf roping, the stake race,
and for the square dancing afterwards.
Cowboy Sam and Porky
Beckley-Cardy Company, 1952, 64 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
E J Arnold & Sons, Leeds, 1955(?), 64 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
The ranch’s cook, Bill, has a lazy horse named “Porky”, who never has to work. But one day
Cowboy Sam’s horse comes in without him, and it is up to Bill and Porky to find him. Bill needs to find a way to make Porky run.
Cowboy Sam and the Rustlers
Beckley-Cardy Company, 1952, 124 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
Cowboy Sam’s nephew, Freddy, comes to the ranch for the summer, and is reunited with
his horse, Spot. During the summer he helps keep an eye on the cattle, tangles with a bear,
and helps to catch some cattle rustlers.
Cowboy Sam and the Fair
Beckley-Cardy Company, 1953, 94 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
It is time for the big fair, and it will be Sally’s first time entering any animals. She picks out her best turkey and her best calf. Cowboy Sam enters his best bull, and the fair turns out to be exciting and not without a little danger.
Cowboy Sam and Shorty
Benefic Press, Chicago, 1953, 67 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
E J Arnold & Sons, Leeds, 1966, 64 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
Cowboy Sam and the Indians
Beckley-Cardy Company, Chicago, 1954, 127 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
Some Indians come to live near Cowboy Sam’s ranch. One of them, Leo, comes to work for Sam, and Sam’s young partner, Fred, gets to learn about the Indians’ way of life from him. Cowboy Sam is able to help the Indians out when their crops are infested, and in return, the Indians are able to help Cowboy Sam solve his loco weed problem in his new pastures.
Cowboy Sam and Miss Lily
Benefic Press, Chicago, 1958, 61 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
E J Arnold & Sons, Leeds, 1963, 63 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
Cowboy Andy
Random House, New York, 1959, 65 pp, illus E Raymond Kinstler
Cowboy Sam and Dandy
Benefic Press, 1958, 48 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
E J Arnold & Sons, Leeds, 1963, 47 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
While out tending to the cattle, the horse Cowboy Sam is riding leads him to an orphaned palomino colt. Cowboy Sam takes the colt home, names him Dandy and teaches him to be a good ranch horse.
Cowboy Sam and Flop
Benefic Press, Chicago, 1958, 64 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
E J Arnold & Sons, Leeds, 1963, 63 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
Cowboy Sam and the Airplane
Benefic Press, Chicago, 1959, 127 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
Educational Supplies Pty Limited, Brookvale, NSW, 1972
Cowboy Sam learns to fly and buys an airplane. It saves a lot of time with ranch work, and saves a sick boy’s life. Sam sees another plane parked on his landing field. Then the white plane stampedes Sam’s cattle, and Sam knows they are up to no good, and tries to find them before more harm is done.
Cowboy Sam and Sally
Benefic Press, Chicago, 1959, 127 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
Cowboy Sam and Big Bill
Benefic Press, Chicago, 1960, 47 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
E J Arnold & Sons, Leeds, 1963, 47 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
Cowboy Sam and Freckles
Benefic Press, Chicago, 1960, 47 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
E J Arnold & Sons, Leeds, 1966, 47 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
Pony Rider
Benefic Press, Chicago, 1966, 48 pp, illus Jack Merryweather
A Ben Logan story about horses and the West.
Popcorn Patch
Whitman, 1969, illus Darrael Wiskur
Johnny plants some popcorn and watermelons in an unused bit of field. He’s hoping he’ll be able to sell them and earn enough to buy a new saddle for his horse.
