The Difficult Summer.

Bracken Farm Stables #2

by Gillian Baxter

After a fire at the stables, Bobby and groom Heath have to cope alone.

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

Gillian Baxter was a British writer of children's books. Her books were mainly pony books about horses, although one book, The Knightsgate Players, was about acting. Baxter also wrote under her married name " Gillian Hirst".

Reviews

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice follow up to 'Jump to the Stars', that I had a lot of fun reading. Things were much more dramatic in this book, with a rather devastating opening chapter that leaves Bobby and Heath struggling to keep Bracken Stables running, with Guy severely injured and confined to hospital.

I really enjoyed this, but am intrigued to see a reviewer here mention that the Dragon paperbacks of Gillian Baxter's books are abridged. These are the copies I have, so I think I will be keeping an eye out for different editions, so I can reread the stories in their entirety. I'll be quite interested in making a comparison once I have the different versions. I'm unsure if all of the Dragon paperbacks are abridged, or just this particular series. It seems a shame either way -- I dislike abridged books, especially when it doesn't say so on the book.
Another odd thing about my copy is on the blurb it says, 'To add to Bobby's problems, her beloved mare Shelta has been brutally maltreated by her vain and silly guardian, Helen Camberwell. Will she ever return to her former brilliance as a showjumper?'
When I read this, immediately after finishing the first book, I was very confused, as this had just been answered in the final chapter. Why would Shelta regress more than a year after the situation? Surely Bobby wouldn't let Helen near her again? As it turns out, this isn't a plot point in the book at all! The story itself made sense and Shelta continued to be brilliant, but that still leaves me puzzled as to why it was included on the back cover.

I think I will try and find the final book as published in this particular format, as well as a collection of originals, as I am now quite keen to know what's missing!

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this years ago and had not read the first book. A girl who works at a riding and livery stables finds that due to staff and owner injuries and absences, the summer ahead will be long and difficult. She is out of school and responsible but still a young adult person.

Anyone who likes horses will enjoy this English countryside tale of managing the money and caring for horses, though it might be better if you knew all the characters from the first book. That one was called Jump To The Stars and is about a young adult girl showjumper. Gillian Baxter wrote it while still a teenager. I've just got the third in the series, called The Perfect Horse.

[Fiona Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is probably my favourite of the Bracken Hill trilogy. It may not be suitable for younger pony book readers, as there is a tragedy involving the deaths of a number of horses. There is also the tiniest hint of romance, so suspect this book is more suitable for teens or older pre-teens. One comment I would make to anyone who is looking to buy a copy of this book - avoid the Dragon paperbacks, as they have been severely abridged. I own an original hardcover, and the cuts are considerable. This goes for any of the other Gillian Baxter books published by Dragon as well.

Update - this book has been republished in paperback with the full original text by Jane Badger Books. It also has the original cover illustration as well as the internal illustrations. They are a much better choice for anyone looking to buy a copy than the older abridged paperbacks.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second Bobby book - I actually liked this better than the first! Very entertaining and fun horse characters!

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this book in the bookshelf of my local pub. And what a lovely girly horsebook it is - bliss!! Full of horsey jargon.