Date Finished: 25/09/2012
My Rating: 4.5/5
An entirely gorgeous book. If you've never read Black Beauty, then shame on you. Written in the first person (or perhaps the first horse, I'm not sure of the terminology when animals are concerned), Black Beauty tells the life story of a horse. Beginning in the field with his mother, this book covers the training that allows Beauty to become the trusted, well-mannered horse later in the book. It tells of how his first owners looked after him and his horsey friends well, and how the horses therefore respected their owners.
It then shows the differences between stables, owners, types of work. It is a lesson in treating all animals (and each other) well, as any nasty character is abusive and/or drunk. There is something in there about social standing, politics and religion. Sewell writes with such compassion for the good characters in her book that you can't help but find yourself completely absorbed in the story.
There are bits that will make you laugh and bits that will make you cry. Black Beauty is, I think, one of my all time favourite books.
So, who should read this book? Girls and boys of all ages should read this book, that's who. Anyone who loves (or even just likes) animals. Anyone whoever pretended to be a horse and galloped around the garden or up and down the street. It's just lovely.
Next book: Swallows and Amazons, Arthur Ransome
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