Walter Farley

Jane Badger Books

Walter Farley (1941-1989)

Walter Farley had his early experience of horses from his uncle, who trained horses. He wrote his first book, The Black Stallion, while he was still a student, and was told not to expect to make any money from children’s books. That he was still writing over 40 years later perhaps proves that he did. The Black Stallion series was published in paperback in the UK by Knight; initally with just a few titles, but later Knight published the whole series. After the film appeared, a paperback version with stills from the film was published.

Walter Farley wrote two main series: the Black Stallion, which ran to 19 titles, and the Island Stallion, which connects with the Black Stallion series. Little Black is a charming series for younger readers, and Man o’ War, non fiction, is about the famous racehorse. After Walter Farley died, his son, Steven, continued the Black Stallion series, and has also written another connector series Young Black Stallion.

Below is a list of Walter Farley’s books, and on other pages, you’ll find a synopsis of each story, and as many covers of the Black Stallion series as I have been able to find. Many thanks to Susan Bourgeau, Fiona Williams, Danyele T Foster and Debbie Patrick for providing cover shots, and especially to Fran Fignar for her sterling work with the synopses.

Sources and more information:

Walter Farley has an official website. It has a biography of the author, and short synopses of all his books. The books have been the basis of several films, and the site gives you plenty of information about those as well.

Sources
The Children’s Book of Series Fiction, NCC

The Black Stallion Series
The Black Stallion, 1941
The Black Stallion Returns, 1945
Son of the Black Stallion, 1947
The Island Stallion, 1948
The Black Stallion and Satan, 1949
The Blood Bay Colt, 1950
(also as The Black Stallion’s Blood Bay Colt)
The Island Stallion’s Fury, 1951
The Black Stallion’s Filly, 1952
The Black Stallion Revolts, 1953
The Black Stallion’s Sulky Colt, 1954
The Island Stallion Races, 1955
The Black Stallion’s Courage, 1956
The Black Stallion’s Mystery, 1957
The Horse Tamer, 1958
The Black Stallion and Flame, 1960
The Black Stallion Challenged! 1964
The Black Stallion’s Ghost, 1969
The Black Stallion and the Girl, 1971
(UK: The Black Stallion and the Stranger)
The Black Stallion Legend, 1983
The Young Black Stallion, 1989
By Stephen Farley:
The Black Stallion’s Steeplechaser, 1997
The Black Stallion’s Shadow, 2000
The Black Stallion and the Shape Shifter, 2009

Little Black Series
Little Black, a Pony, 1961
Little Black Goes to the Circus, 1963
The Little Black Pony Races, 1968

Others
The Big Black Horse, 1953
The Horse That Swam Away, 1965
How to Stay out of Trouble with your Horse, 1981
Man O’War, 1962
The Great Dane Thor (a dog story)
Larry & The Undersea Raider, 1944

Collecting the books

All the books were originally published as first editions in America. First editions can be expensive, but there were so many reprints it is not hard to find reasonably priced hardbacks with dustjackets if you are prepared to settle for a later edition.

The paperbacks are still in print, but earlier editions are all very easy to find, and cheap to buy both here and in America. The most sought after American series is the one with cover art by Ruth Sanderson, and in the UK is probably the 1970s series by Knight, though even this you can pick up very reasonably indeed.

The one title not printed in hardback was Steven Farley’s The Black Stallion’s Steeplechaser, and this is expensive.

The first few titles have recently been published as facsimile hardbacks with dustjackets, and these are also easy to find.

Left

The 50th Anniversary edition of
The Bladk Stallion