David Severn (1918-2010)

David Severn was the pseudonym of David Storr Unwin. He was the son of famous publisher Sir Stanley Unwin. Severn wrote a number of children's books in a wide variety of different genres, including holiday adventure, animal stories for younger children and supernatural/time slip young adult stories. He wrote two holiday adventure series, the most popular is probably the 'Crusoe' series, lesser known but more pertinent to this website is the 'Warner' series in which ponies play a large part. He also wrote three books for adults, including a biography of his father, under his real name.

As with many a holiday adventure or pony story Romany gypsies featured in his books, in particular the 'Crusoe' series. But unlike the stereotypes cunning and lawless gypsies in most books of the time, for the most part they were treated sympathetically by the auhtor, with a respect for their lifestyle and customs. Although one story does has the ubiquitous horse stolen by gypsy scenario! The Warners series is fairly similar to the Crusoe books but horses play a role in these stories, although some more than others. As well as this series, he also wrote a younger readers picture book about a farm horse.

Today his young adult works are perhaps the most admired for being far ahead of their time in their subject matter and pyschological depth, written many years before the term 'young adult book' was coined. His books were also admired for the artwork by J. Kiddell-Monroe, the illustrations unusual in the fact that they are woodcuts and have a striking and stark black and white simplicity which is quite different is style to most children's book illustrations.

The Warner Family Series
Holiday adventure/mystery series with added ponies, some have more horse content than others.

1) PONIES AND POACHERS
FIRST EDITION BODLEY HEAD 1947
ILLUSTRATED BY J. KIDDELL-MONROE
Reprinted in paperback by Detzer Press in 2011
EDITION PICTURED: First edition, paperback edition.
SUMMARY: The Warner family, Joan, Alan and Christopher love ponies and adventures. Joan has fallen in love with a beautiful black mare who is a wonderful jumper but is loth to sell her beloved old pony Puck.

2) THE CRUISE ON THE MAIDEN CASTLE
FIRST EDITION BODLEY HEAD 1948
FIRST USA EDITION MACMILLAN 1949
ILLUSTRATED BY J. KIDDELL-MONROE
American edition published in hardback by Macmillan in 1949.
EDITION PICTURED: American edition.
SUMMARY: Less horse content than the other books as the children embark on an adventure on a canal. 

3) TREASURE FOR THREE
FIRST EDITION BODLEY HEAD 1949
FIRST USA EDITION MACMILLAN 1950
ILLUSTRATED BY J. KIDDELL-MONROE
American edition published in hardback by Macmillan in 1950.
EDITION PICTURED: First edition.
SUMMARY: The children attempt to raise money for a horse and animal sanctuary and rescue an ill-treated horse. They blunder their way through many a mishap, including burning down a cottage(!) in trying to reach their goal.

4) CRAZY CASTLE
FIRST EDITION BODLEY HEAD 1951
FIRST USA EDITION MACMILLAN 1952
ILLUSTRATED BY J. KIDDELL-MONROE
American edition published in hardback by Macmillan in 1952.
Rare.
EDITION PICTURED: First edition.
SUMMARY: The children, with the help of a young sports reporter, attempt to track down a missing horse.

5) BURGLARS AND BANDICOOTS
FIRST EDITION BODLEY HEAD 1952
FIRST USA EDITION MACMILLAN 1952
ILLUSTRATED BY J. KIDDELL-MONROE
Also a Children's Book Club edition.
American edition published in hardback by Macmillan in 1952.
EDITION PICTURED: Book Club edition.
SUMMARY: The children get involved with a stolen jade horse. Not sure how much actual horse content there is in this one.

Collector's info:
Apart from the first book in series all of these were published in the USA as well as the UK. Crazy Castle is rare and can be quite hard to find. The others are not common but easier to track down in both UK and USA. Ironically some are actually harder to find in the UK than in America! Ponies and Poachers was reprinted fairly recently in paperback and this edition is still in print as of December 2014. However older copies of this title are usually cheaper to buy!

Other Horse and Pony Books:

BLAZE OF BROADFELLOW FARM
(BODLEY HEAD 1956)
ILLUSTRATED BY KIFF & WILMORE
EDITION PICTURED: 1st edition.
Rare.
SUMMARY: Younger readers picture book with full colour pictures throughout. The life of a working horse is seen through the eyes of two children.

Collector's info:
Hard to find, although may not be expensive.