Harlan Thompson aka Stephen Holt (1894-1987)

American author. Born in 1894 in Brewster and attended the University of California. Became a successful children's author and was president of P.E.N. in the 1950s. His books were mainly horse/ranching stories of the 'wild stallion helped by boy' scenario. However they are superior to many in this genre, some of them winning awards. As well as writing as Harlan Thompson he also wrote under the name of Stephen Holt.

Horse & Pony Books as Harlan Thompson:

STAR ROAN
FIRST EDITION  DOUBLEDAY  [USA] 1952
ILLUSTRATED BY MILLARD SHEETS
Reprinted in hardback by original publishers.
EDITIONS PICTURED: First edition?
SUMMARY: Historical ranch type horse story. When his father is killed by poachers whilst delivering some bridles, young Ramon Yorba  must take on adult responsibilities. He becomes embroiled in a fight to get the deed to land falsely claimed by a no-good rancher. Then the beautiful mare El Ruano is brought into Ramon's life by a storm swept ship from Spain.
PONYMAD RATING: 3 HORSESHOES


SPOOK THE MUSTANG
FIURST EDITION DOUBLEDAY [USA] 1956
Reprinted in hardback by Grosset & Dunlap as part of their Famous Horse Stories Series
EDITIONS PICTURED: First edition, Famous Horse Stories edition.
SUMMARY: Dave and his parents arrive at a Californian ranch to find the owner and his stock missing. Can Dave solve the mystery with the help of a horse he has saved from a mountain lion?


OUTCAST, STALLION OF HAWAII
FIRST EDITION DOUBLEDAY [USA] 1957
EDITION PUCTURED: First edition
SUMMARY: Set on a ranch in Hawaii. Palomino stallion Pirate has become an outcast after an accident which killed his young rider Des and left the horse with an injured hoof. Young Bart has been brought up by a vet,  Doc Holiday, when left as a baby at his door. Doc sends Bart to stay with Helen and Dick, parents of Des in an effort to stem their grief at the loss of their son. Bart is determined to rescue Pirate by making a shoe for the injured foot.

Collector's Info:
Most of these are rarely seen in the UK. Spook the Mustang is easy to find in the USA. The other two are a little rarer but still fairly easy to find in America, although perhaps slightly less common than the titles under the Stephen Holt name.

Horse & Pony Stories as Stephen Holt:

WILD PALOMINO: STALLION OF THE PRAIRIES
FIRST EDITION LONGMANS [USA] 1946
ILLUSTRATED BY W. C. NIMS
Reprinted in hardback by Grosset & Dunlap as part of their Famous Horse Stories Series
Reprinted in paperback by Scholastic
EDITIONS PICTURED: First edition, Famous Horse Stories edition, Scholastic paperback.
SUMMARY: Des wants to capture the wild palomino Rocket so that he can become the ranch stallion and save the ranch's fortunes. But someone else wants Rocket for themselves...

PRAIRIE COLT
FIRST EDITION LONGMANS [USA] 1947
ILLUSTRATED BY WESLEY DENNIS
Reprinted in hardback by Grosset & Dunlap as part of their Famous Horse Stories Series
Reprinted in paperback by Scholastic
EDITIONS PICTURED: First  edition, Famous Horse Stories edition, Scholastic paperback.
SUMMARY: Leif finds his family fortunes are to rest upon two twin colts. Rainboy and Big Red. Whilst Leif is hopeful that Rainboy can win an upcoming race, Big Red however seems to be a failure….or is he?

PHANTOM ROAN
FIRST EDITION LONGMANS [USA] 1949
ILLUSTRATED BY PERS CROWELL
Reprinted in hardback by Grosset & Dunlap as part of their Famous Horse Stories Series
Reprinted in paperback in 2 different editions by Scholastic
EDITIONS PICTURED: First edition, Famous Horse Stories edition, Scholastic paperbacks.
SUMMARY: Set in Canada and USA. After a tragedy, Glenn is heartbroken until an injured roan outlaw horse needs his help.

THE WHISTLING STALLION
FIRST EDITION LONGMANS [USA] 1951
ILLUSTRATED BY PERS CROWELL
Reprinted in hardback by Grosset & Dunlap as part of their Famous Horse Stories Series
Available in the USA as a print on demand title published by LLC.
EDITION PICTURED: Famous Horse Stories edition
SUMMARY: Roy attempts to save his family's ranch, but is hampered by a terrible blizzard.

STORMY
FIRST EDITION LONGMANS [USA] 1955
ILLUSTRATED BY PERS CROWELL
EDITION PICTURED: First edition
SUMMARY: When Hugh returns to the family ranch he realises that the ranch's success may depend on the pinto roping horse Stormy.

Collector's Info:
For some reason most of the author's titles written under the name of Stephen Holt had more printings than the Harlan Thompson titles and also had paperback printings. The Phantom Roan is the title most easy to find and is indeed the only one commonly seen in the UK. (mainly the paperback edition). The others are fairly easy to get hold of in the USA, especially the Grosset & Dunlap Famous Horse Stories editions. The first edition of Whistling Stallion is however quite hard to find and Stormy is sometimes a bit more elusive than the others too, due no doubt to the fact it was never reprinted.