Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse is a children's novel by Ursula Moray Williams

Ursula Moray Williams

Ursula Moray Williams was an English children's author of nearly 70 books for children. Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse, written while expecting her first child, remained in print throughout her life from its publication in 1939.Her classic stories often involved brave creatures who...

. It was her most successful book, being frequently reprinted after its first publication in 1938. It was most recently published in 2011 by Macmillan Publishers

Macmillan Publishers

Macmillan Publishers Ltd, also known as The Macmillan Group, is a privately held international publishing company owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than thirty others.-History:...

, who also included it in the Kingfisher Modern Classics series. Early editions of the novel were illustrated by Joyce Lankester Brisley

Joyce Lankester Brisley

- Biography :Joyce Lankester Brisley was an English writer. She is most noted for her Milly-Molly-Mandy series, which were first printed in 1925 by the Christian Science Monitor. She both wrote and illustrated her books. Joyce Lankester Brisley had two sisters who were also illustrators:...

. Later illustrators include Peggy Fortnum

Peggy Fortnum

Peggy Fortnum, born Margaret Emily Noel Fortnum is an English illustrator. She was born in Harrow, Middlesex. She worked as an art teacher, painter, and textile designer before becoming a full-time book illustrator. She has illustrated nearly sixty-five books to date. Fortnum resides in Essex,...

 and Paul Howard

Paul Howard (illustrator)

Paul Howard is a children's illustrator. He provided the illustrations for The Bravest Ever Bear, written by Allan Ahlberg, which won a Blue Peter Book Award...

.

Plot introduction

The book contains 19 chapters. The little wooden horse is a toy

Toy

A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...

 horse originally intended to be sold by his maker Uncle Peder. His only desire is to stay with and serve his maker but when the latter is forced out of business by the availability of cheaper mass produced

Mass production

Mass production is the production of large amounts of standardized products, including and especially on assembly lines...

toys he becomes ill through poverty. The little wooden horse then sets out into the world to make himself a fortune for the two of them to live in peace. Through a combination of misfortune and exploitation the little wooden horse is forced to travel a great distance and earn and lose his fortune through each of the chapters. Eventually he does hold onto a fortune, but returning home he finds his maker has disappeared. Eventually they are reunited through a chance and highly emotional meeting.