Dear Readers and Riders: The Beloved Books, Faithful Fans, and Hidden Private Life of Marguerite Henry

Fans of Marguerite Henry’s books will discover much information about her professional life in this volume. Relying on letters, articles, interviews with those who knew Henry well, and Henry’s own newsletter “Dear Readers and Riders,” Teague provides a well-researched and enlightening account of the author. After a brief glimpse into Henry’s early life, Teague dives into her most famous works. Chapters, including “Misty of Chincoteague,” “King of the Wind,” and “Brighty of the Grand Canyon,” focus on Henry’s inspiration, research, and writing of these perennially favorite titles. Many of her stories were fictionalized, and frequently sanitized, accounts of actual animals. Henry meticulously researched all her subjects by employing the library, observing animals, cultivating relationships with people connected to the animals, and visiting the places her characters inhabited. Little of Henry’s personal life is covered; more attention is paid to Henry’s professional relationships, primarily with one of her principal illustrators, Wesley Dennis. Many photographs of the author, some of the animals that inspired her, and actual letters received and sent are interspersed throughout. This is an excellent book for Henry’s fans and those doing research on her, but demand will be limited. Readers with an interest in how a writer puts together narratives about animals will also find this work illuminating.