A Morgan for Melinda by Doris Gates (1980)
Born on November 26, 1901, Doris Gates grew up in Mountain View, California on a ranch with all sorts of animals. She attended Fresno State Teachers College, Los Angeles Library School, and Western Reserve University. Ms. Gates worked as a children's librarian at the Fresno County Library from 1930 to 1940. Her book, Blue Willow, won a Newbery Honor award in 1941.
Synopsis:
Melinda Ross doesn't like horses, but her Dad does, and her deceased brother did. Melinda's dad wants to get her a horse, but she is scared. She feels she has to, to make up to her parents for losing her brother. Her Dad finds her an unbroken Morgan named Aranaway Ethan. Her Dad trains the horse for Melinda. (This is one of the few books I have ever come across where the rider rides Saddleseat.)
An old lady named Missy ends up boarding her Morgan, Oakhill's Merry Jo, with the family. Missy helps show Melinda that riding is not scary. "That which you fear will come to pass." The family grows close to Missy. After a big Morgan show, Missy passes away, leaving her horse to Melinda.
Not the best synopsis, but it is a good book! :)
Apparently there is a sequel to A Morgan for Melinda, called A Filly for Melinda. I never knew that! Now I will have to find it! :)
Books by Doris Gates:
Blue Willow
Sensible Kate
Little Vic
A fair wind for Troy
Two Queens of Heaven: Aphrodite and Demeter (Greek Myths)
Lord of the sky: Zeus
The Golden God: Apollo (Greek Myths)
Mightiest of mortals, Heracles
The Warrior Goddess: Athena (Greek Myths)
A Morgan for Melinda
The cat and Mrs. Cary
The elderberry bush
Becky and the Bandit
Sarah's idea
North Fork
Trouble for Jerry
May I Come In?
Filly for Melinda
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