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Billy & Blaze #9
Blaze and the Gray Spotted Pony
Billy's younger neighbor, Tommy, loves to ride Blaze. But he wants a pony of his own--a real one, not just another toy pony. Then one glorious day, with a little help from Billy and Blaze, Tommy finds the gray spotted pony of his dreams.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1968
About the author
C.W. Anderson
75 books71 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
C.W. Anderson - aka Clarence William Anderson
From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence...
Clarence William Anderson (1891–1971) was an author and illustrator of children's books. Known professionally as C.W. Anderson, Anderson had an interest in horses and drawing.
Anderson started his career by illustrating for other authors, but eventually began developing texts to accompany his realistic and lively black and white drawings. He is best known for his "Billy and Blaze" book series.
The adventures of Billy and Blaze would revolve around proper care of the horse, while teaching a lesson. Anderson would go to great lengths to give accurate information. He would even go on to write Heads Up, Heels Down as a training tool for young horse lovers. All of the stories Anderson wrote would be based on true stories or people that Anderson knew, only the plots were fiction.
By the end of Anderson's life, he had written and illustrated over thirty-five horse books, and also had created covers for the Saturday Evening Post.
C.W. Anderson - aka Clarence William Anderson
From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence...
Clarence William Anderson (1891–1971) was an author and illustrator of children's books. Known professionally as C.W. Anderson, Anderson had an interest in horses and drawing.
Anderson started his career by illustrating for other authors, but eventually began developing texts to accompany his realistic and lively black and white drawings. He is best known for his "Billy and Blaze" book series.
The adventures of Billy and Blaze would revolve around proper care of the horse, while teaching a lesson. Anderson would go to great lengths to give accurate information. He would even go on to write Heads Up, Heels Down as a training tool for young horse lovers. All of the stories Anderson wrote would be based on true stories or people that Anderson knew, only the plots were fiction.
By the end of Anderson's life, he had written and illustrated over thirty-five horse books, and also had created covers for the Saturday Evening Post.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 31, 2022
I’ve heard of these books but I couldn’t honestly say that they were high on my priority list. I guess it’s a good thing I stumbled upon them at a thrift store recently!
Wow! These are great books for beginning readers - such a notable difference from the vast majority of slop you see published these days. The stories are simple, but not dumb. And oh my dear, the illustrations are some of the best I’ve ever seen! Both horse lovers and horse non-enthusiasts (ha, ha) will thoroughly adore this series!
Add these to your purchase list!
Ages: 4 - 9
Wow! These are great books for beginning readers - such a notable difference from the vast majority of slop you see published these days. The stories are simple, but not dumb. And oh my dear, the illustrations are some of the best I’ve ever seen! Both horse lovers and horse non-enthusiasts (ha, ha) will thoroughly adore this series!
Add these to your purchase list!
Ages: 4 - 9
August 18, 2023
One of the easier books in the series, so good for an earlier reader.
Tommy is a friend and neighbor of Billy. Tommy has many toy horses but dreams of a real horse of his own like Blaze, Billy’s pony. He has seen a small gray spotted pony which would be a perfect for him. He hopes his parents will get it for his birthday and they do.
Nice as a dream-come-true story. I would like to see more about horse care and responsibility in these books, but I suppose that is the ‘mom’ in me.
Tommy is a friend and neighbor of Billy. Tommy has many toy horses but dreams of a real horse of his own like Blaze, Billy’s pony. He has seen a small gray spotted pony which would be a perfect for him. He hopes his parents will get it for his birthday and they do.
Nice as a dream-come-true story. I would like to see more about horse care and responsibility in these books, but I suppose that is the ‘mom’ in me.
October 18, 2013
I wonder if CW Anderson is single-handedly responsible for the "kids wanting ponies for birthdays" meme that has spanned generations. Not only does our main protagonist get a pony for this birthday. But his friend does too. There is part of me that longs to be the fathers in these stories. How fun it would be to come home and find my five year-old building a make-shift stable in the back yard. Even better would be that my reaction is to think "Aha! I should go buy a pony for him." In reality, I have come home to find my son building all sorts of animal habitats in our back yard. I have yet to go flag down a truck pulling a horse trailer and offer to buy his pony. I'm afraid, for now, my kids will have to accept this book as a substitute for their father's cruel indifference to their pleads for ponies. What magical place do these kids live in where their fathers can get ponies as easily as action figures? These men aren't farmers either. They appear to live in a suburbia where they can commute to their workplace yet also ride horses for miles without seeing civilization. This book is definitely a wish-fulfillment fantasy, but is it for me or for the kids?
October 15, 2020
Onvan : Blaze and the Gray Spotted Pony - Nevisande : C.W. Anderson - ISBN : 068981741X - ISBN13 : 9780689817410 - Dar 32 Safhe - Saal e Chap : 1968
July 27, 2017
Another little boy dreaming of a pony of his own gets a great gift on his birthday. Blaze and Dusty become friends.This book didn't tell the name of the pony, but I read it in "Blaze Shows the Way". These books are a nice escape. I know they will be easy for my daughter to read, but I love the kindness and goodness that is demonstrated throughout. What a nice dose of goodness she will get as she reads these!
May 21, 2015
Billy has a horse named Blaze. Tommy wants a pony and keeps getting fake ones for gifts. He sees a gray spotted one and tells everyone that is the one he wants. He goes to Billy's house to learn how to take care of horses so in case he ever gets one. He finally gets one and it is a real one this time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2019
9/15/19 Naomi read to Julia and me.
August 22, 2011
Billy and Blaze are unique books. They are picture books, but the themes and illustrations are not just for children. These are simply written, beautifully illustrated books that show a strong happy boy who takes good care of his horse and neighbors. The entire series is a treasure trove.
January 28, 2008
The first series I ever read! I love these books most of all!
February 4, 2009
AWESOME book from my childhood...brings back the best memories- because of this book I HAD to have a gray spotted pony...ironically that is what I found- my old friend Luke.
August 9, 2012
This one is our favorite Billy and Blze book.
October 19, 2012
See my reviews at http://www.littlebooksontheprairie.wo...!
October 4, 2012
A boy named Tommy is horse crazy and Blaze and Billy and Tommy's father buys a pony for his birthday. C.
October 28, 2012
Good collection.
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December 28, 2013AR Quiz No. 17510 EN Fiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 3.2 - AR Pts: 0.5
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 3.2 - AR Pts: 0.5
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP
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January 4, 2015570L
September 17, 2016
This series was by far one of my favourites as a kid!
December 23, 2022
Review first published on my blog,
Dragon Bite Books
.
Anderson’s illustrations are gorgeous, particularly his illustrations of the horses and ponies in this book. That Anderson is an artist first and an author second seems obvious to me. There is nothing spectacular about the story—it is a story of a wish fulfilled—there are some inconsistencies that throw me out of the story a bit, and I genuinely think that the title is missing a necessary comma to clarify the pony’s color (gray—that is a white coat over black skin—with leopard pattern spots by the illustrations and text’s descriptions).
Tommy is a young boy who wants a pony and who spends what time he can with his neighbor Billy and Billy’s pony Blaze. While out on a walk with the pair, they come across a gray, spotted pony in a nearby paddock. Tommy, who returns the pony’s whinny, is instantly in love with this pony. Tommy’s parents decide to buy him a pony of his own, and with Billy’s help, begin their search, but they can’t find any pony that seems perfect (Billy seems not to remember where they saw the pony matching the description Tommy gives his parents, even though this is a showy, uniquely-colored pony—or perhaps he assumes that this pony will not be for sale)—until by chance they cross paths with the gray, spotted pony, and of course, he is for sale. So Tommy gets his heart horse and gets to spend even more time with Billy and Blaze.
Anderson’s illustrations are gorgeous, particularly his illustrations of the horses and ponies in this book. That Anderson is an artist first and an author second seems obvious to me. There is nothing spectacular about the story—it is a story of a wish fulfilled—there are some inconsistencies that throw me out of the story a bit, and I genuinely think that the title is missing a necessary comma to clarify the pony’s color (gray—that is a white coat over black skin—with leopard pattern spots by the illustrations and text’s descriptions).
Tommy is a young boy who wants a pony and who spends what time he can with his neighbor Billy and Billy’s pony Blaze. While out on a walk with the pair, they come across a gray, spotted pony in a nearby paddock. Tommy, who returns the pony’s whinny, is instantly in love with this pony. Tommy’s parents decide to buy him a pony of his own, and with Billy’s help, begin their search, but they can’t find any pony that seems perfect (Billy seems not to remember where they saw the pony matching the description Tommy gives his parents, even though this is a showy, uniquely-colored pony—or perhaps he assumes that this pony will not be for sale)—until by chance they cross paths with the gray, spotted pony, and of course, he is for sale. So Tommy gets his heart horse and gets to spend even more time with Billy and Blaze.
January 23, 2022
I accidentally clicked to file this into my 'poetry' shelf, rather than my 'picture book' shelf, but then stopped to think about it. I think an argument could be made that this is poetry. It's the poetry of childhood. The last line of this book is bursting with irony, joy, and impishness. It is an excellent last line. A superb culmination of the entire book as well as a universal summation of how a child thinks in a mere 5 words. Lovely.
This one is not really about Billy and Blaze, it's about Tommy who lives down the street and has always wanted a pony. The art is sensitive, and the story is just perfect. Loved it.
Story: Narrative
Art: Phenomenal
Price: $7.99
This one is not really about Billy and Blaze, it's about Tommy who lives down the street and has always wanted a pony. The art is sensitive, and the story is just perfect. Loved it.
Story: Narrative
Art: Phenomenal
Price: $7.99
December 30, 2021
I loved this book and read it when I was a kid. I was bitten by the horse bug
too. I found it in my book collection and read it to my niece. She fell in love
with it too. I enjoyed the story but, mainly liked the fact of one unselfish boy
helping another younger boy than himself. I won't go any further than this, you
need to get the book and read it.
Debra H.
too. I found it in my book collection and read it to my niece. She fell in love
with it too. I enjoyed the story but, mainly liked the fact of one unselfish boy
helping another younger boy than himself. I won't go any further than this, you
need to get the book and read it.
Debra H.
February 18, 2026
This fit the bill for what I look for in children’s books: squeaky, clean, and well written.
The storyline wasn’t as exciting as Blaze and the forest fire, and interesting enough, the illustrations weren’t quite as magnificent - though still very nice. Still probably 4.5 stars. Maybe this would be better for 4/5-year-olds, but my 7-year-old still liked it.
The storyline wasn’t as exciting as Blaze and the forest fire, and interesting enough, the illustrations weren’t quite as magnificent - though still very nice. Still probably 4.5 stars. Maybe this would be better for 4/5-year-olds, but my 7-year-old still liked it.
January 11, 2025
The Billy and Blaze series is great for little kids who love adventure and nature. When we finished the series, my seven year old said “We are DEFINITELY reading those again.” They are treasures that you won’t find on any of the modern children’s book lists.
December 20, 2020
I read this series as a kid, but I don't remember reading this one. I loved it, and I'm glad I discovered it as an adult!
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April 30, 2023Read this to a kindergarten class. They seemed to enjoy the story.
April 29, 2025
This book series just keep getting better and better! a delightful set of picture books for confident beginning readers who may happen to have a love for horses.
July 12, 2024
This was my favorite in the Billy and Blaze series. There is not only the touching friendship between Billy and his young friend Tommy, but that model horses are shown. One even looks to be a Breyer Two-Bits (Quarter Horse Gelding.) It's those little extras that makes it nose out the rest of the pack at the wire.
As a kid, I was enchanted by this book and so longed to be Tommy, even when it was clear that I had grown too tall for a Shetland pony. My parents could have gotten me a pony, but instead opted to send me to an expensive and completely useless Christian school. Books, toys and the few pets I was allowed to have helped ease a cold and lonely childhood.
Anyway, this was a lovely story about dreams coming true. Of course, the dream didn't come through by magic. It's because of the special relationship between Billy and Blaze, and their care for their friend.
A few years ago, I bought a replacement copy for most of the Billy and Blaze books, including this one. I keep a few books in a special bag. If there's a fire, I can grab the bag and run. The Billy and Blaze books are in there. No Bibles.
As a kid, I was enchanted by this book and so longed to be Tommy, even when it was clear that I had grown too tall for a Shetland pony. My parents could have gotten me a pony, but instead opted to send me to an expensive and completely useless Christian school. Books, toys and the few pets I was allowed to have helped ease a cold and lonely childhood.
Anyway, this was a lovely story about dreams coming true. Of course, the dream didn't come through by magic. It's because of the special relationship between Billy and Blaze, and their care for their friend.
A few years ago, I bought a replacement copy for most of the Billy and Blaze books, including this one. I keep a few books in a special bag. If there's a fire, I can grab the bag and run. The Billy and Blaze books are in there. No Bibles.
February 11, 2013
I don't know why but every single Blaze book makes me tear up. They are absolutely darling.
January 31, 2015
Classic!
July 27, 2023
I loved this series as a child and my son loves it too!
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March 7, 2016Book 9 in the series
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews