Joan Dickins

British author. Only wrote the 2 pony books that I am aware of, comprising a short series. Strangely her heroine was named Jill Crewe, namesake of a much more famous Jill (of the Ruby Ferguson series), which slightly shocked me when I first read the books. Coincidence or not? In this incarnation Jill has an Arab called Prince. The illustrations and the dustjackets for the first editions of the books are lovely, the books themselves unfortunately don't quite live up to this quality, being a little uninspired - though pleasant enough.

Jill and Prince Series:

1) JILL AND PRINCE THE PONY
(BLACKIE 1949)
ILLUTRATED BY STANLEY LLOYD
Reprinted again by Blackie with an inferior dustjacket illustration.
EDITIONS PICTURED: 1st edition, Blackie reprint
SUMMARY: Jill is saved from having to stay with an old Aunt in dreary London when her mother's old friend invites her to stay with her family in Dartmoor. The children are all horsy and Jill has a pony to ride but she falls in love with Prince, an Arab who is proving hard to train. After an accident Prince is condemned to be sold but Jill determines to train the horse in secret for an upcoming show and prove he is worth keeping.
PONYMAD RATING: 2 HORSESHOES

2) JILL AND PRINCE TRIUMPH AGAIN
(BLACKIE 1952)
ILLUSTRATED BY WENDY MARCHANT
EDITION PICTURED: 1st edition

Collectors info:
Not common but can be found without too much trouble in the UK on internet bookshops and are usually reasonably priced. The second book in the series is harder to find than the first. Outside of the UK, the first book is quite hard to find but not impossible, the second can be very hard to track down. Collectors would do well to avoid the Blackie reprints which have very inferior artwork on their jackets.