Alison’s Riding Adventure
Blackie, 1958, illus Gilbert Dunlop

Reprinted Blackie, 1966, cover Harry Green

Fishing this time takes second place to riding as Alison and her brother Niall
solve a mystery about a missing Australian.

Sheila Stuart (1892-1974) was the pseudonym of Mary Gladys Baker.  She was brought up in Renfrewshire, where her father was a Minister in the Church of Scotland.  During World War One, she worked as a VAD, but most of her career was spent writing.  She worked as a journalist, and wrote short stories and serials for periodicals such as Scottish Field and The People’s Friend.  

The Alison series, about Alison and her brother Niall, is set in Sutherland in the Highlands of Scotland, an area Sheila Stuart knew well.  Out of the fifteen titles in the Alison series, two of them involve ponies; the other books (I haven’t read every one so can’t be completely accurate) mention them occasionally, but the books are more concerned with defeating members of “The Gang” and fishing.  

The two pony titles were re-published in their orange format by Blackie in the 1960s, so are relatively easy to find in that guise.  The original hardbacks are a bit trickier, but not impossible.  Some of the other titles in the series are very hard to find indeed.  Fidra Books are republishing some of Alison’s adventures, but I imagine will not do the pony titles as they are so readily available.

Many thanks to Fidra Books, Julie Makin and Lisa Catz for their help with the pictures.

Sources:

Fidra Books

The Alison Series

Alison’s Highland  Holiday
More Adventures of Alison
Alison’s Christmas Adventure
Well Done Alison!
Alison’s Easter Adventure

Alison’s Poaching Adventure
Alison’s Kidnapping Adventure

Alison’s Pony Adventure
Alison’s Island Adventure

Alison’s Spy Adventure
Alison and the Witch’s Cave
Alison’s Yacht Adventure

Alison’s Riding Adventure
Alison’s Cliff Adventure
Alison’s Caravan Adventure

Alison’s Pony Adventure
Blackie, 1953, illus Gilbert Dunlop

Reprinted Blackie, 1965, cover Harry Green