ANNE FARRELL

The Mitchell Family series:
Set on Tasmania on a cattle farm and centred around the lives of the Mitchell children, Lesley, Val, David and Ian. Horsy content varies in the books which are, like Monica Edward's Punchbowl Farm stories, perhaps more of a farming series than a pony series. They are pleasant and well written stories.

1) THE GIFT-WRAPPED PONY
(HODDER & STOUGHTON [AUSTRALIA] 1973)
ILLUSTRATED BY ASTRA LACIS
IST UK ED BROCKHAMPTON 1974
Also reprinted in the UK as a paperback by Knight in 1977
SUMMARY: The Mitchell children share a naughty pony called Arum who is always getting loose and causing havoc on their father's farm. They are distraught when he tells them that unless they can control Arum the pony must go! They decide that Arum is naughty through boredom and loneliness and that he needs a pony friend and so set about trying to earn enough money to buy another pony. (And also of course it will be another pony for the children to ride!) The money-making scheme is not hugely successful but a missing heifer leads to an unexpected bonus for Lesley and her siblings!

2) THE CALF ON SHALE HILL
(HODDER & STOUGHTON [AUSTRALIA] 1974)
ILLUSTRATED BY ASTRA LACIS
SUMMARY: Lesley cares for an abandoned runt calf in secret…

3) EIGHT DAYS AT GAURA
(HODDER & STOUGHTON [AUSTRALIA] 1976)
ILLUSTRATED BY ASTRA LACIS
SUMMARY: When their parents leave for the Australian mainland to buy a bull, the plans they made to look after the farm and children go astray and the youngsters find themselves left to cope alone with the farm for 8 days. Can they manage...and can they keep it a secret from any adults who would spoil their adventure?

4) SHADOW SUMMER
(HODDER & STOUGHTON [AUSTRALIA] 1978)
ILLUSTRATED BY ASTRA LACIS
SUMMARY: Lesley falls from her pony Shadow...

Collectors Info:
As far as I know the only one to be published in the UK was the Gift-Wrapped Pony which was reprinted in the UK in both hardback and paperback editions. The paperback edition is not that hard to find. Others in series you will probably have to buy from Australia (ditto the first true edition of Gift-Wrapped Pony)