Anabel Dean is one of those authors about whom biographical information is difficult to find. She wrote a number of children’s books, amongst which were a picture book which I think was horsey (I can’t find a picture to check), and a six-book series which followed the fortunes of Mary Majors. Mary longed for a horse of her own, and to have a horsey career. Each book is centred around a different equestrian discipline, and contains a section at the end with information on the title subject, illustrated with photographs.
The Mary series
Saddle Up
Junior Rodeo
High Jumper
Harness Race
Steeplechase
Ride the Winner
Finding the books
The Mary books are reasonably easy to find, and not generally expensive. Willie is a bit harder to find.
Links and sources
Thanks to Lisa Catz for the summaries and pictures, and for the information about the series.
Bibliography (horse books only)
Willie Can Ride
T S Denison, Minneapolis, 1970, 36 pp, illus Nancy Lee Fuller
Harness Race
Benefic Press, Westchester, Illinois, 1975, 71 pp, illus Peg Sindelar
Mary’s love of horses leads to a job at a harness racing stable. Miss Snow’s stable is having financial problems, and they need every win they can get. Mary travels the circuit, and gets tod rive in an important race. She finds there are more ways of winning a race than just having the fastest horse.
High Jumper
Benefic Press, Westchester, Illinois, 1975, 71 pp, illus Peg Sindelar
Mary discovers that Duke’s talent is jumping. With the help of her friend, Tim, she gets him ready for a horse show where she will ride with the Country Club Riders. A rival club has won the jumping trophy for the last five years, but the Country Club Riders are determined to win this time. A fall from Duke while jumping causes Mary to lose her nerve, and Tim and Judy do their best to get it back before the show.
Junior Rodeo
Benefic Press, Westchester, Illinois, 1975, 71 pp, illus Peg Sindelar
Mary wants to earn money to help her mother to buy a car. She decides on entering the Junior Rodeo with the hope of winning some prize money. But as she practises with Duke, she is forced to realize that Duke is not cut out for the rodeo events. She finds a horse to use, but then the horse hurts herself shortly before the rodeo. After nursing her, Mary takes her to the rodeo, and hopes that the leg has healed well enough to compete.
Ride the Winner
Benefic Press, Westchester, Illinois, 1975, 71 pp, illus Peg Sindelar
Mary is home after her first year at veterinary school. She takes a job working with thoroughbreds at Long’s Racing Stable. When Sharky, one of the jockeys, disappears, Mary has a chance to ride the horses. She is preparing to ride Gray Dawn, a famous racehorse, in an important race, when the mystery of Sharky surfaces again when he reappears, and then Gray Dawn suddenly becomes ill.
Saddle Up
Benefic Press, Westchester, Illinois, 1975, 71 pp, illus Peg Sindelar
Mary falls in love with a horse named Duke at her friend’s stable. Duke has a hurt foot, and Mary becomes devoted to taking care of him. Her joy turns to sorrow when she learns that Duke is to be sold, and she may not have enough time to come up with the money neededto buy him for herself.
Steeplechase
Benefic Press, Westchester, Illinois, 1975, 71 pp, illus Peg Sindelar
Mary graduates from high school, but is left without a job or money to go to college. It looks like the end of her dream to become a veterinarian. Then she finds out about a steeplechasewhere first prize is $5,000. Mary and Tim work hard all summer training Duke, and Mary’s chances of winning look good, until Duke goes missing two days before the race.
