About the author
Robert Newton Peck (1928–2020) was something of a man of mystery – reliable information about him is thin on the ground. There’s plenty of it, but much of it is conflicting. However, that’s not stopped him writing. He’s written over 50 books, most of them children’s stories. Many of his stories are set in the Florida of the 1920s and 1930s, though his very popular series Soup is set in a one-room schoolhouse in Vermont. Many of his books reflect the harsh realities of farming life; his first book, A Day No Pigs Would Die (1973) didn’t pull its punches. One of his horse stories, Spanish Hoof, looks at the sacrifices that sometimes have to be made in order to save a farm.
Finding the books
Horse Thief is in print; the other titles are all reasonably easy to find.
Links and sources
Robert Newton Peck on Wikipedia
Terri A. Wear: Horse Stories, an Annotated Bibilography, Scarecrow Press, 1987
Bibliography (horse books only)
Soup in the Saddle
Knopf, New York, 1983, 110 pp, illus Charles Robinson
Dell, Yearling, 1987, pb
Part of the Soup series. Soup and his friend Rob go to a one room school in Vermont. One day they find a western saddle in a barn, and decide that if they’re going to be real cowboys, they need to find a horse. They do, only to find “Gentle George” isn’t as quiet as they hope – by any means.
As his real name is Thunderbolt, that’s probably why. Once over that adventure, they have to confound someone who wants to tear down their school and sack their teacher.
Spanish Hoof
Knopf, New York, 1985, 181 pp.
Harriet’s delighted when her birthday present is a spotted pony. However, her mother’s ranch hits severe difficulties, and black leg strikes down the new calves. Everyone has to make sacrifices.
The Horse Hunters
Random House, New York, 1988, 215 pp.
Set in 1930s Florida, this story sees Ladd, 15, travelling alone to bring wild horses back to
use for the rodeo, and for breeding.
Cowboy Ghost
HarperCollins, New York, 1999, 200 pp.
Set in Florida during the 1920s, 16 year old Timothy (Tee) can ride the most difficult horses, and round up cattle, but can he make it on a gruelling cattle drive through Florida? It’s anything but easy, but he hangs on, until fate deals him one last blow.
Horse Thief
HarperCollins, New York, 2007, 277 pp.
Another story set in 1930s Florida, the hero of this one is Tullis Yoder. He loves horses, and is a member of the Big Bubb Stampede, a ragged horse show. When the biggest (literally) cowboy in the show breaks his neck, the Stampede is set to be dissolved, and the horses sold, mostly for pet food. Tullis is determined to save them.
