Black Beauty

A horse is a horse of course unless of course the horse is Black Beauty. Animal-loving children have been devoted to Black Beauty throughout this century, and no doubt will continue through the next. Although Anna Sewell's classic paints a clear picture of turn-of-the-century London, its message is universal and timeless: animals will serve humans well if they are treated with consideration and kindness.

Black Beauty tells the story of the horse's own long and varied life, from a well-born colt in a pleasant meadow to an elegant carriage horse for a gentleman to a painfully overworked cab horse. Throughout, Sewell rails--in a gentle, 19th-century way--against animal maltreatment. Young readers will follow Black Beauty's fortunes, good and bad, with gentle masters as well as cruel. Children can easily make the leap from horse-human relationships to human-human relationships, and begin to understand how their own consideration of others may be a benefit to all. (Ages 9 to 12) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

In this abridgement of Sewell's classic story, McKinley has managed nicely to retain Beauty's unique voice as well as the most-remembered stories, while making the text more accessible to younger readers. Jeffers's fine ink illustrations will satisfy even the most demanding of horse-lovers with her ability to capture each horse's personality. This version brings back the sharpness of the cruelty towards Beauty and his companions, and McKinley has rightfully retained the pain and the ugliness of some of the incidents. Children will still weep at the death of Ginger, and Jeffers's portrayal of the barn fire is quite frightening. It's an elegant edition, which will linger with readers until they are ready to tackle the original. (All ages

Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Grade 2-5 Sewell's classic tale of ahorse's fortunes and adversities has been a favorite since it was written over 100 years ago. Now McKinley offers a new abridgment which, while honing the original almost to spareness, loses none of the beauty of Sewell's poetic prose. Although some of the less important incidents and descriptive passages have necessarily been omitted, there is still every essential element of the plot here to delight readers as Black Beauty's story unfolds. But it is Jeffers' illustrations (pen-and-ink with watercolor wash) that bring this book to a level above the ordinary. Intensely yet sensitively wrought, there is a fine attention to detail, down to veins and quivering nostrils. The horses are never allowed to descend to the anthropomorphic tone of the text, and although Jeffers' human portrayals suffer by comparison with their equine counterparts, they are nonetheless keenly done. Given the demand for simpler versions of children's classics, this one won't stay on the shelf long; it is wonderful as a read-aloud, or for independent readers. Kathleen Brachmann, Highland Park Public Library, Ill.

Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From a life of comfort to one of labor, the famous horse, Black Beauty, encounters both good and bad people while revealing how animals suffer as much from thoughtlessness as from malice. This classic makes the transition from the written to the spoken word with flair and is as varied and interesting as the characters themselves. Lambert uses a forceful and well-paced narrative style, and his vocal characterizations are just right. This well-crafted audio presentation tells Black Beauty's story in all its splendor. M.R. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

A handsome foal with promising beginnings is passed from owner to owner and soon learns the particular cruelties of hard masters and the rich in this horse story. The audio version, narrated by Martin Jarvis, abridges and brings alive the high points of Sewell's classic. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

When I was a child I loved animals, especially horses. Yet I couldnt resist teasing them, even being cruel to them. BLACK BEAUTY was one of my favorite books, and I read it over and over again. It helped me realize that animals should be treated with compassion. -- Marian Flandrick Bray, author of horse stories, including Flight of the Swan in the anthology HERDS OF THUNDER, MANES OF GOLD --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.