Berlie Doherty

Prolific award-winning British novelist, playwright and poet. Born in Liverpool in 1943. She was interested in writing and poetry from an early age, having poems and stories published as a child. As an adult, after a career as a teacher and social worker, she became a full-time novelist of mainly children's books. Two of her children's novels have won the Carnegie Medal.

Ms. Doherty told me she learnt to ride in order to write Spellhorn, a unicorn story. After this book, equines also appeared in more of her work: two picture books which feature a horse and a donkey respectively, a children's novel in which a pony makes an appearance, plus a ghostly tale about a spooky horse.

As well as writing children's books, she has also published works of poetry and written plays for radio and TV, including two adaptations of her own novels. She now lives in the Peak District, which has provided the setting for some of her more recent novels.

Berlie Doherty has her own website.

Many thanks to the author for providing additional information used on this page.

Horse & Pony Books:

SPELLHORN
(HAMISH HAMILTON 1989)
Reprinted in paperback by Lions in 1999 and by Harper Collins in 2002 and again in 2010.
Also a Spanish edition entitled 'Encantacornio'.
Still in print.
SUMMARY: Fantasy unicorn story. Blind girl Laura forms a special connection to a unicorn when she climbs on its back. She learns she must help the unicorns reach the safety of the Bright Wilderness.

SNOWY
(HARPER COLLINS 1992)
ILLUSTRATED BY KEITH BOWEN
Reprinted as a Lions paperback.
American edition published by Dial in 1993.
Also a Welsh language version.
SUMMARY: Picture book about young Rachel who lives on a barge. The barge is pulled by a horse called Snowy, but when the girl wants to take Snowy to her school's "take a pet to class" her mother tells her that Snowy is a worker not a pet and doesn't allow her.

WILLA AND OLD MISS ANNIE
(WALKER 1994)
ILLUSTRATED BY KIM LEWIS
Reprinted a number of times as a paperback by Walker.
SUMMARY: Loosely categorized as a pony story only!
Younger children's novel. Willa is shy and lonely in her new home. She is at first frightened by the witch-like Old Miss Annie, but soon becomes her friend when she realises the old woman shares her love of animals. Miss Annie tells her three animal tales about an orphaned fox, a forgotten pony and a lonely goat.

COCONUT COMES TO SCHOOL
(HARPER COLLINS 2003)
ILLUSTRATED BY IVAN BATES
Reprinted as a Lions paperback
Still in print
SUMMARY: Younger children's picture book donkey story. When Coconut the donkey keeps visiting the local school and disrupting the class, Mr. Clapper the teacher is annoyed. He doesn't like Coconut and devises a plan to get rid of the pesky donkey. Little does he know that he may need the help of Coconut himself!

NIGHTMARE: TWO GHOSTLY TALES
(COLLINS EDUCATIONAL PB 2009)
Still in print.
SUMMARY: Contains two spooky stories, the first of which features a ghost horse.

Collector's info:
All easy to find in the UK, especially Spellhorn which has been reprinted a number of times, and if bought second-hand the books are usually low cost. Spellhorn and Coconut Comes to School and Nightmare are all still in print and can be bought new. The books are also easily found in the USA, where some are also in print. There is a Welsh language version of Snowy, possibly also of the others. There is also a Spanish language edition of Spellhorn.