Black Beauty

By Anna Sewell

Subjects: Great britain, history, fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Horses, fiction, Fiction, Children's fiction, Classic Literature

Description: One of the most beloved animal characters of all time comes to life in Black Beauty. Although originally dismissed as a trite children’s novel because it is written in the voice of a horse, the novel brings to consciousness the abuses endured by horses in late 1800s England. In fact, Anna Sewell’s effort to write a fantasy novel that would teach the proper treatment of horses ultimately led to its success when the Animal Humane Education Society founder George T. Angell promoted the novel in the United States. Even though the cruel practices Sewell wrote against were outmoded long ago – the bearing rein went out of style as a direct outcome of the novel popularity – the spirit that Beauty represents – gentleness, kindness and humanity – will never be outdated.