Helen Griffiths

Also writes as Helen Santos. British and Spanish citizen. Born in London in 1939. Married a Spaniard and latterly lived in Spain. Has worked in various jobs, including as a teacher of English in Madrid. As with many pony book writers she penned her first book when very young, only about 14 or 15 years old, although she herself has admitted that her first novels lack a certain maturity.

Her books are almost all about animals, with dogs and cats featuring as well as horses. The theme of them is usually the (often unhappy) lot of animals in a human world, with one human character tending to form a bond with the animal portrayed. The books are fairly uncompromising and often have scenes of animal cruelty. They have been labelled as 'sad' or even 'grim' books. But the author attempts to defend her work, explaining that her intent is "to show animals free from the sentimental light they are so often portrayed in fiction. I have not tried to write sad books as I have been accused of doing"

However, although the books indeed make sad and uncomfortable reading at times, they do usually have a happier ending.

Many of her later books have a Spanish background and in them she has attempted to portray the Spanish attitude to animals which she is quick to point out is not cruelty but rather indifference.

Her horse related novels tend to be about wild animals rather than the more traditional pony club setting. They are for the most part graced by the excellent illustrations of Victor Ambrus.

(Sources: 20th Century Children's Literature, 3rd ed)

Gaviota Series:
A Two-part historical series set against the backdrop of the 1930s Spanish Civil War, in the world of rejoneo, the sport of mounted bull-fighting. Focuses on a mare called Gaviota and later her colt. Because of the bull-fighting theme these books may not be to everyone's taste.

1) THE LAST SUMMER
(HUTCHINSON 1979)
ILLUSTRATED BY VICTOR AMBRUS
Published in the USA by Holiday House in 1979.
SUMMARY: Whilst events take place which will culminate in the beginning of a civil war, Eduardo befriends an aging bull-fighting mare called Gaviota.

2) DANCING HORSES
(HUTCHINSON 1981)
Published in the USA by Holiday House in 1981.
SUMMARY: As the Civil War comes to a close, Francisco gets a job looking after the old mare Gaviota. He comes to love her golden colt Gavilan, who hates people, and dreams of the day they will become stars of the bullring.

Collectors Info:
Both published in the UK and USA. The first book in the series is fairly easy to find in both these places, and also available in Australia. Both editions of Dancing Horses are rarer, with the UK one being the hardest to find.

Other Horse & Pony Books:

HORSE IN THE CLOUDS
(HUTCHINSON 1957)
ILLUSTRATED BY EDWARD OSMOND
Reprinted by the Children's Book Club.
Published in the USA by Holt in 1958 with different illustrations by Pers Crowell
EDITIONS PICTURED: Children's Book Club edition.
SUMMARY: The story of Pampa, a wild stallion of the Pampas who was prevented of becoming the greatest racehorse of the Argentine by a boy's jealousy

THE WILD HEART
(HUTCHINSON 1963)
ILLUSTRATED BY VICTOR AMBRUS
Reprinted in paperback a few times by Puffin under the Peacock Books imprint.
Published in the USA by Doubleday in 1963.
EDITIONS PICTURED: 1st edition, Peacock Books paperback.
SUMMARY: La Bruha, an ugly but swift mare born on the Pampas is left orphaned at a young age and becomes a loner. Her superb speed means she is coveted by many who want to catch and tame her. After a gruelling hunt one day she escapes her pursuers by finding sanctuary in a church. There she forms a bond with a foundling boy who has been brought up by the local priest. Can he help to keep her free?
PONYMAD RATING: 3 HORSESHOES

THE WILD HORSE OF SANTANDER
(HUTCHINSON 1966)
ILLUSTRATED BY VICTOR AMBRUS
Reprinted in paperback by Knight.
Published in the USA by Doubleday in 1963.
EDITIONS PICTURED: 1st edition.
SUMMARY: Joaquin, a young blind Spanish boy is given a foal called Linda as a pet and the two grow up together, forming a close bond in which the boy eventually learns to ride the horse without saddle or bridle. But then the boy leaves for an eye operation and the bond is broken.

STALLION OF THE SANDS
(HUTCHINSON 1968)
ILLUSTRATED BY VICTOR AMBRUS
Reprinted in paperback by Knight.
Published in the USA by Lothrop in 1970.
EDITIONS PICTURED: USA edition, Knight paperback edition.
SUMMARY: The story of an albino stallion set in the Pampas of the Argentine. Young Aurelio, searching for his missing father, decides to also look for the stallion.

FEDERICO
(HUTCHINSON 1974)
ILLUSTRATED BY SHIRLEY HUGHES
Also a German edition.
I don't think this title was ever published in the USA.
EDITIONS PICTURED: 1st edition, German language edition.
SUMMARY: Aimed at a slightly younger readership than the other books. Donkey story set on the Spanish island of Mallorca. Antonio falls in love with a baby donkey and soon he and Federico are best pals.

BLACKFACE STALLION
(HUTCHINSON 1980)
ILLUSTRATED BY VICTOR AMBRUS
Published in the USA by Holiday House in 1980
Also a German edition.
EDITIONS PICTURED: 1st edition, German language edition.
SUMMARY: The life story of Blackface, a wild stallion living in the deserts of northern Mexico. His mother is a palomino mare who has been stranded in the desert by an accident and joins a wild herd. His father is a magnificent bay stallion who is descended from the Spanish ponies brought to Mexico from Spain by the explorer Cortez. As the foal grows up to be a stallion himself, he soon finds that gaining and keeping a herd of his own can be a struggle. 

Collectors Info:
All the books, with the possible exception of Federico, were published both in the UK and the USA and can be found without too much trouble in both of these places. Some titles, such as Blackface Stallion and Federico are a little more elusive than others, but none are really rare. In the UK the paperback editions are the easiest to find. Some of the first editions can be harder to track down. There were no paperback editions published in the USA, however the hardbacks are not at all rare.
Some of the titles were also published in German. These are quite easy to find.