Linda Benson

American author of children's and young adult novels. From an early age Ms. Benson loved both animals and books and spent hours devouring all the classic pony stories from her local library. As an adult, she continued the love affair with books by becoming a writer herself. Animals too still occupied her adult life; she has worked in a number of jobs with animals and horses including zookeeper, veterinary assistant and race track groom, and now lives with a variety of cats, dogs and donkeys. Not surprisingly animals are an important element in her books and she particularly likes to emphasise the bond between animals and humans. Horses too are featured prominently in two of her novels.

More information can be found on the author's website and blog.

Horse & Pony Books:

THE HORSE JAR
(MONDO [USA] 2009)
ILLUSTRATED BY SUSAN SPELLMAN
Also a Spanish edition.
SUMMARY: Annie has been dreaming of owning her own horse for years and has saved all her spare money so she can one day buy her dream pony. But when her goal is finally in sight events conspire against her and she is faced with a decision which could cost her everything she has worked for.

THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES
(MUSA 2012)
SUMMARY: A fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans now live in clans and must hunt and forage for food. They use dogs for hunting and to pull carts. Twelve year old Sahara however has dreams of a different sort of animal, beautiful fleet creatures which humans can actually ride upon, but which she has never seen before. When the clan stumble across a herd of horses, she realises that the animals from her dream are real, and when an old wise woman gives her a book about horse training she understands that horses could be important to people. But young hot-headed hunter Dojo urges the clan to hunt the horses for meat and the other people ridicule Sahara's notions that horses can be trained and can form a close bond with humans. Can Sahara save the horses and persuade her people that they are far more than just a wild animal to be hunted for food? What is the secret of her dreams and will the answer help her?
PONYMAD RATING: 4 HORSESHOES
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Collector's Info:
The Girl Who Remembered Horses is most easily found as an e-book, especially in the UK. Paperback editions can also be found in the USA but are hard to find in the UK. The Horse Jar can be found in the USA, although is harder to find than the author's later pony book. Unfortunately it is very hard to find outside of America, although there is a Spanish language edition.