Victoria's Regencies
  • Welcome
  • About Me
  • News and Events
  • Victoria's Vibes -- a blog
  • My Books
    • An Ideal Match
    • Ask Jane
    • Cordelia's Corinthian
    • Miss Milford's Mistake
    • Miss Parker's Ponies
    • The Eligible Miss Elliott
    • The Fontainebleau Fan
    • The Tables Turned
    • BirthRights: a Dangerous Brew, Chapter One

BLAST FROM THE PAST...

4/25/2020

2 Comments

 
Picture
My friend Maria Clark recently posted  a picture of wild horses on the Outer Banks beach which brought back memories of one of my favorite childhood books, Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry. Do you remember this book with the same fondness I do?   
​        According to Wikipedia, Ms Henry (1902 – 1997) wrote  fifty-nine books "based on true stories of horses and other animals. She won the Newbery Medal for one of her books about horses and she was a runner-up for two others."
Picture
   She followed up Misty's story,based on the ponies that annually swim from Assateague Island off Virginia to Chincotegue Island where they are auctioned, with two sequels, Sea Star, Orphan of Chincoteague, and 


Picture
​

Below, a picture of Marguerite Henry with Misty, probably at her farm in Wayne, Illinois, where she lived, wrote, and hosted parties for children who loved Misty and all her books. 
Picture
One of the reasons for her success, in addition to the excellence of her writing and appeal to children of all ages, was her partnership with artist Wesley Dennis (1903-1966). His brilliant illustrations for Henry's books, as well as more than a hundred others, were the source of many hours of dreaming for kids like me, hopelessly horse-crazy. 
Picture
Above, they hold King of the Wind, winner of the prestigious  Newbery medal in 1959. Below, the cover which captured my adoration of King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian. Any lover of horses, thoroughbred racing and/or Britain should not miss it.
Picture
Perhaps my favorite of  their sixteen joint ventures was Album of Horses, first published in 1951. Both King of the Wind and Album of Horses remain on my bookshelves today, as do several others of their works.
Picture
Album of Horses is the easiest to read and most beautiful of the research books you will ever encounter. Henry describes the origin of many breeds of horses and Dennis illustrates each one in his brilliant style. Below, a few of the illustrations; please click on each to expand.
Marguerite Henry and Wesley Dennis collaborated on many other books, all of which  placed high on my Christmas list, and Santa always obliged. Here are a few.
What other books from your childhood do you remember?  can think of many more, and lots included horses.
2 Comments
Kerryn Reid link
4/25/2020 06:53:18 am

Oh my yes!!! I loved her books. Checked them out from the library time and again, and was so proud to own several of those wonderful hardcovers. Unlike you, I've passed mine on to my grandchild, though it'll be some time before he's ready... assuming he ever is. He's a boy, after all, less likely to go through that horse-mad stage.

Reply
Victoria Hinshaw link
4/25/2020 08:19:46 am

I cannot bear to part with some of my books, the Raggedy Anns, Poohs. Wind in the Willows...it makes me seem like a hoarder, but as long as it's books, I feel it indicates good taste! But I do read to my grandkids, not allowing them to actually HAVE the books!!! You are more generous than I am!!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Victoria Hinshaw, Author


    Here I will share some of my articles on favorite topics, such as English Country Houses, the Regency Royals, Jane Austen, and the like. Some of these articles have been published elsewhere, probably on the blog I share with Kristine Hughes and Louisa
    ​Cornell:  numberonelondon.net

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    October 2021
    June 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    June 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Photo used under Creative Commons from amandabhslater