About the author
Helga Sandburg (1918–2014) was the daughter of the poet Carl Sandburg. She grew up on the Michigan dunelands and a farm in North Carolina, which gave her a love of animals of all kinds, reflected in her children’s books, which are mostly about animals. They include several horse-related books. Two of them are about the same characters: Blueberrry and Gingerbread. She also wrote A Great and Glorious Romance – the story of Carl Sandbury and Lilian Steichen and …Where Love Begins about her family.
Finding the books
All are easy to find in the USA, and not generally expensive.
Links and sources
Dustjacket of Gingerbread
A profile of Helga Sandburg
Helga Sandburg on Carl Sandburg – Youtube
Series
Kristin
Blueberry
Gingerbread
Bibliography (horse books only)
Blueberry
Dial Press, New York, 1963, 158 pp
Kristin und Blueberry
Albert Muller, Rüschlikon, 1964
Kristin found Blueberry at the County Fair; persuaded her family she was responsible enough, and he was hers. Things went well during the summer, but the winter was different. Kristin’s best friend, Danny,
was sent away to live with his uncle, and Kristin struggled. She also struggled to keep Blueberry, which is dependent on school grades, work about the farm, and accepting the obligations that go along with growing up.
Gingerbread
Dial Press, New York, 1964, 192 pp, illus Charles Geer
Reprinted 1967
Blueberry’s foal is due. When he arrives, he is not the prettiest of creatures, but Kristin thinks he is remarkable, and he is quick to learn. Kristin and her friend Danny are given four horses to train over the winter, but one day lightning strikes and one mare and Gingerbread are blinded by the shock. Whether it is temporary or not no one knows, but Kristin is determined to teach him to live
with his blindness. Kristin manages to come up with a workable solution, and to prove to her father that she is growing up.
Bo and the Old Donkey
Dial Press, New York, 1965, unpaginated
The Unicorns
Dial Press, New York, 1965, 93 pp