Primrose Cumming | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1915 Isle of Thanet, Kent, U.K. |
| Died | 2004 (aged 88–89) |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | British |
| Genre | Pony books |
| Years active | 1934–1969 |
| Notable works | Silver Snaffles |
Primrose Cumming (1915–2004) was a British children's book author.
Her writing career spanned over 30 years, and produced some fine examples of the pony book genre, combining accurate observation of human and equine with a certain wry humour. In her most sought-after title Silver Snaffles, Tattles is brilliantly observed: by turns tetchy and patient, he is the archetypal family pony who has long-sufferingly taught generations of children to ride; in contrast, Smug, the evil pony in Silver Eagle Carries On has a mind strictly her own:
“Smug, of course, had no intention of jumping anything, but she held upon the right course until the last second, when she adroitly stepped to one side.”[1]
Primrose Cumming was equally good at human characters: the Silver Eagle Riding School series has Josephine, the brilliant, but irritating middle sister, alternately a torment and an inspiration to her elder sister Mary.[1] Tabby and Martin Mead in The Wednesday Pony dream their lives away wishing their pony Jingo was a show hack, a racehorse or simply a Dream Pony before realising that they would have to go a very long way before finding a better pony than the one they have.[1]