Barbara Holland (1933-2010)

American author. She wrote poetry, adult non-fiction and a handful of children's novels. Probably best known for her humourous advocacy of such vices as smoking, drinking, swearing and eating unhealthy food. She wrote a book tellingly titled Endangered Pleasures: In Defense of Naps, Bacon, Martinis, Profanity, and Other Indulgences - and listed her two favourite hobbies as drinking and smoking.

One of her children's novels is a pony story and contains an equine character based on her daughter's own cantankerous pony.

Barbara's mother Marion Holland was also an author of pony novels.

Horse & Pony Books:

THE PONY PROBLEM
(DUTTON [USA] 1977)
Reprinted in paperback by Scholastic and Puffin.
SUMMARY: Jean wins the palomino Hopscotch in a competition but when he ends up grazing on her lawn it causes problems with the neighbours. But things go too far when they want the SPCA to come and put the pony to sleep. Can Jean save him?
PONYMAD RATING: 4 HORSESHOES

Collector's Info:
Easy to find in the USA. Not often seen elsewhere but can be bought cheaply from America via Amazon.