Janet Lambert
Janet Lambert was an Army wife, and began her writing career by writing stories for
her daughter. Before her marriage, she worked as an actress and playwright with
a repertory company touring the US. After her marriage during World War I to Captain
Kent Lambert, her acting career was curtailed. She wrote widely; with most of her
stories
being about girls and their families on military bases around the country.
Although some of her other books have horses in them, and characters who appear
in different series, only one set, the Dria Meredith trilogy, are truly horse books.
The first two books are set on Dria’s grandmother’s farm in Virginia, where she
first meets her horse Star Dream. The third, High Hurdles, sees Dria at her senior
year in High School, with Star Dream entered for the National Horse Show.
The current publishers of the series, Image Cascade, in their description of the second book, Summer for Seven, say “the group of teens have great fun at Lane Acres as they run the washing machine, help with household chores, plant and weed a garden and sell their produce...” which to my jaundiced eye, sounds more like a scene from fantasy and certainly not like any teenager I know, but maybe it really was all different back then.
None of the Dria Meredith books were published in the UK, but they are still in print in America (for which please see the link below). The series was printed originally by E P Dutton, and was later reprinted by Grosset & Dunlap, though sometimes with different cover art. None of the books are hard to find.
Many thanks to Susan Bourgeau for providing the information and pictures for this section.
Finding the books: all Janet Lambert’s books have been reprinted by Image Cascade. First editions of her titles can be expensive.
Links and Sources
The Dria Meredith series is in print again: Image Cascade have published
it. Details can be found here.
Janet Lambert discussion group
Janet Lambert’s books -
Star Dream
E P Dutton, New York,1951, cover art uncredited, 190 pp.
Reprinted by Grosset & Dunlap,
New York
Reprinted in pb by Image Cascade
Dria is sent to stay with relatives, and expects she will have a dreadful summer
until she discovers the family
have horses: though they are soon to be sold.
Summer for Seven
E P Dutton, New York, 1952, cover art uncredited, 190 pp.
Reprinted by Grosset & Dunlap,
New York
Reprinted in pb by Image Cascade
Dria and six of her friends are summering at her grandmother’s. Dria is schooling
Star Dream while her
friends are keeping house.
High Hurdles
E P Dutton, New York, 1955, cover art uncredited, 191 pp.
Reprinted by Grosset & Dunlap,
New York
Reprinted in pb by Image Cascade
Dria has entered senior year, and is going to edit the school newspaper. Then her
grandmother changes her
plans when she asks her to school Star Dream and go to New
York for the National Horse Show.
Everygirls Horse Stories
Grossett & Dunlap, New York, 1956, illus Richard H Burhans
Tall as the Stars appeared in Everygirls’ Horse Stories and
The American Girl Book of Horse Stories
Random House 1963, illus Sam Savitt
Short stories:
Dria Meredith
Star Dream
Summer for Seven
High Hurdles
Just Jenifer
E P Dutton & Company Inc, New York, 1945, cover art Roberta Paflin. 187 pp.
Image Cascade, paperback
Jennifer is one of nine brothers and sisters, and when their housekeeper suddenly
leaves, they move to a beach front
house. Their soldier father is serving overseas
in the war, and the family send for his cavalry horse Royal, so they
can use him
for running errands. This book is the first of the nine book Jordon series, which
tells each sibling’s
story: all of them are raised by Jennifer.
One for the Money
E P Dutton & Co, New York, 1946, 188 pp.
Grosset & Dunlap “Locket” edition, 188 pp.
Image Cascade, paperback
Third in the Candy Kane series, in which Candy becomes involved in the career of
a racehorse. He is owned by an
elderly man who cannot afford to train him, and whose
son is in the Army. Candy offers to help, but her boyfriend,
when he returns from
the war, is jealous. The resulting quarrel jeopardises the horse’s chances.
Bibliography -
Star Spangled Summer
E P Dutton & Company Inc, New York, 1941, illus Sandra James. 281 pp.
Image Cascade, paperback
First in the Penny Parrish series of six books. Wealthy but lonely Carol Houghton
visits her friend, Penny Parish,
on an Army cavalry post in Kansas. Penny’s brother
David shows her the horses, including Lucky Souvenir, his
father’s jumper, whom David
will be showing. They get ready for the upcoming show, but do plenty more: a
scavenger
hunt, a moonlight picnic, and a dance. The relationship between Carol and her father
isn’t good: Penny
tries to improve it.
