Frances Frost (1905-1959)

American author and poet. Born in St. Albans, Vermont in 1905. Sometimes known as Frances Mary Frost. She wrote a few volumes of poems, a number of children's novels and also some adult novels. Her poems won a number of awards but she is perhaps better known as an author. Her most popular adult novel Yoke of Stars was a bestseller, and her Windy Foot series, a charmingly named series of children's stories featuring a family and their Shetland pony. Sadly, she died of cancer,quite young, aged only 54.

Her son was the well known American poet Paul Blackburn.

There is no website devoted to the author but there is a lovely site dedicated to her Windy Foot series (see link).

Windy Foot Series:
A well-loved and old-fashioned family, farm and pony series, featuring the oddly named Shetland pony Windy Foot.

1) WINDY FOOT AT THE COUNTRY FAIR
FIRST EDITION McGRAW HILL [USA] 1947
ILLUSTRATED BY LEE TOWNSEND
Reprinted a number of times in hardback by the original publishers.
Also published by the Junior Literary Guild in 1947
EDITION PICTURED: First edition, reprint.
SUMMARY: Toby Clark is given the dapple grey Shetland Windy Foot for his birthday. He decides to train the pony for the races at the County Fair. At the fair he meets Mr. Burnham, who races trotters and his daughter Tish, with whom he immediately becomes friends. The two children have lots of fun at the fair and together aim to thwart their underhand rival Lem.

2) SLEIGH BELLS FOR WINDY FOOT
FIRST EDITION McGRAW HILL [USA] 1948
ILLUSTRATED BY LEE TOWNSEND
Reprinted in hardback by the original publishers.
EDITION PICTURED: First edition, 1967 reprint.
SUMMARY: It's a white Christmas and the Clark family are expecting Tish and her father to stay for the holidays. Toby decides to make a sleigh for Windy Foot to pull so they can take Tish out on a sleigh ride.

3) MAPLE SUGAR FOR WINDY FOOT
FIRST EDITION McGRAW HILL [USA] 1950
ILLUSTRATED BY LEE TOWNSEND
Reprinted in hardback by the original publishers.
EDITION PICTURED: First edition
SUMMARY: The farm is a hive of activity as the maple sugar season is upon them. They plan a big party to celebrate it's completion, but then a flood threatens the valley.

4) FIREWORKS FOR WINDY FOOT
FIRST EDITION McGRAW HILL [USA] 1956
ILLUSTRATED BY LEE TOWNSEND
Reprinted  in hardback by the original publishers.
Rare.
EDITION PICTURED: First edition without dustwrapper..
SUMMARY: Toby now has a new pony, the palomino Golden Hind II, but although he has officially given Windy Foot to his younger sister Betsy, he still loves the Shetland pony best. The children are all participating in a big Fourth of July pageant. But troubles threaten to mar their fun.

Collector's Info:
In their native USA, all of these are reasonably easy to find except for Fireworks for Windy Foot  which is rare and can be expensive. All of them are hard to find outside of their native America.

Other Horse & Pony Books:

THE LITTLE DONKEY
(Adapted by Frances Frost from the story by Oleg Zinger and Ilse Windmuller)
FIRST EDITION McGRAW HILL [USA] 1959
ILLUSTRATED BY OLEG ZINGER
SUMMARY: Picture book. A little donkey proves his worth on the farm where he lives.

Collector's Info:
Perhaps slightly rarer than most of the Windy Hill books, but not too impossible to find in the USA. A lot harder elsewhere, however.