Thelwell's Penelope Rides Again

The artist Norman Thelwell published his first pony cartoon in
1953, and quite by accident, his name became synonymous with images of little
girls and fat hairy ponies. The "Thelwell pony" quickly became the
most-often referenced source of horse-humor the world over, and today, as we
prepare to celebrate the centennial of the artist's life in 2023, his
caricatures remain as popular as ever. Thelwell's 34 books have sold over 2
million copies in the United Kingdom alone, and his cartoons are found on a
diverse array of merchandise, from puzzles and stationery, to socks and bed
sheets.

Upon discovering his comic niche in the equestrian world, a
subject for which--although an outsider without personal horse experience--he
became best-known, Thelwell developed a cartoon strip about a particular horse-crazy
young lady and her wicked pony called "Penelope and Kipper." This became a
book called Penelope, first published in 1972 and now found bound with
other favorites in the popular collection Pony Panorama. Seventeen years
later, a second series of adventures found its way to print in Penelope
Rides Again. Thelwell's plucky, pint-sized equestrian was back in the
saddle (or, more frequently, out of it) as she braved both showgrounds and
countryside with the still-devilish Kipper.

Many years have passed since Penelope Rides Again was last widely
available in print. Given that these highly recognizable characters helped
marry the Thelwell name to horses and the equestrian experience the world over,
a special 100^th Anniversary Edition seems fitting. With Penelope's
help, readers of all ages will learn to pick themselves up after a fall, no
matter how hard...and laugh about it.