Page Cooper (1891-1958)

American author born in West Virginia in 1891. Her full name was Anice Page Cooper, but she mainly wrote as Page Cooper. A prodigious writer, she penned many books for both adults and children, including fiction, non-fiction and biography. Her horse-themed books include a biography of the great racehorse Man O'War, and five children's pony stories. She has also edited a book of short stories illustrated by Paul Brown.

As well as an author she was also a book reviewer, editor, poet and keen gardener.

Horse & Pony Books:

PAT'S HARMONY
(WORLD [USA] 1952)
ILUSTRATED BY OLIVER GRIMLEY
SUMMARY: Show jumping story. Can Pat make a jumper out of the weak and sickly Harmony?

THUNDER
(WORLD [USA] 1954)
ILUSTRATED BY EDWARD SHENTON
SUMMARY: Story of the friendship between Spud and Pete, a black and a white boy, and Thunder, the horse they hope to train as a racehorse.

AMIGO, CIRCUS HORSE
(WORLD [USA] 1955)
ILUSTRATED BY HENRY PITZ
EDITIONS PICTURED: 1st edition, Famous Horse Stories edition
Reprinted by Grosset & Dunlap as part of their Famous Horse Stories series
SUMMARY: Teenage Franz rides Lippizaner horses in a circus, but longs to train the palomino Amigo.

SILVER SPURS TO MONTEREY
(WORLD [USA] 1956)
ILUSTRATED BY HERMAN D. GIESEN
SUMMARY: Historical horse story. Tom Larkin is the first American boy born in the state of California. He tames the wild buckskin General and hopes to win a pair of Spanish silver spurs.

RED TARTAR
(WORLD [USA] 1957)
ILUSTRATED BY WESLEY DENNIS
SUMMARY: Racing themed story. Can the colt Red Tartar, great grandson of the legendary Man o'War save the fortunes of Randy and his grandfather? They pin their hopes on Red becoming a top racehorse. Unfortunately an unscrupulous neighbour who wants the horse for himself has other ideas...

Collector's Info:
All are fairly easy to find in America, with the possible exception of Red Tartar which is a bit rarer than the others. There were no British editions published, and the books are rarely seen in the UK.

Short Story Collections Edited by the Author:

GREAT HORSE STORIES
aka THE BIG BOOK OF HORSE STORIES (Berkley edition)
(DOUBLEDAY [USA] 1946)
ILUSTRATED BY PAUL BROWN
Reprinted a number of times by Berkley in paperback when it was re-titled.
SUMMARY: Collection of short stories and excerpts from horse-themed novels by a number of authors including Will James, John Taintor-Foote and Rudyard Kipling.
For full list of stories and excerpts please visit my  American Horse Stories page.

Collector's Info:
Fairly easy to find in the USA and usually reasonably priced. A lot harder elsewhere.