Black Beauty

by Louise Colln (Adapter), Micheal Fisher (Illustrator), Anna Sewell

Black Beauty is a horse with a timeless story to tell. His happy days, sorrows, pain, and joys fill the pages of one of the most treasured classics of all time.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Animals, Horses, Childrens, Middle Grade, Historical Fiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published November 24, 1877

Reviews

[Ginna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh! Beauty!!❤️I read this with the girls and there were many feelings, the sign of a great read. Taking one star away because I asked them if they liked it and L said “yes but it had many sad parts.”

[Michaela Norwich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it was a fabulous book. It brings insight on the perspective on the life of a horse. There are considerate and malicious people that own Black Beauty. Black Beauty has to adjust to the circumstances and live with the owners that bought her in the novel. She encourages the reader to rise above the struggles in their lives to make the best of bad situations.

[Alenka of Bohemia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it difficult to rate children books, because I can no longer see the world (and literature) through their eyes. That said when a book is a good one, then it should not matter for whom it was written. Black Beauty I found a pleasant story with very touching moments, but at the same time there were moments when I grew a bit bored.

[Banana Chicken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story! Now I really want to read the original!

[Nix_Whisper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just as good as the first and previous times I have read it.

While shorter than the original (I'll read it someday) this novel follows the horse Black Beauty as he learns the life of horses, works various jobs, and is sold back and forth. Additionally, he faces many life-threatening experiences because not all of his owners are kind. At the end, however, Black Beauty is able to end his life in a place of happiness where he is surrounded by a home that he loves and one that loves him.

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I need to remember that, in general, I don't love adaptations like this. One exception is Little Pilgrim's Progress by Helen Taylor. I just had this version of Black Beauty on my shelf, so we grabbed it for a quick read-aloud. Most sentences started with I, It or The... just very simple and low-level language. It would be fine to pass to a new reader, if they were interested. Annie and I want to check out the original. I would hope it contained the horse's stories in more lovely writing!

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

My children did not engage with this story like I thought they would. I thought the condensed version would make them like it more but they found it to be a bit boring. Might try the full version when they are a bit older.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite classics.

[Kali O'Toole · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book as a child.

[Lillie P · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic. I just re-read it for the first time in several years; this time with my daughters.

[Julie Hull · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy to read a condensed version..full version may have been too detailed during the hurts that happened.

[Shana Landry · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very good children's book. Easy to read and interesting to keep kids hooked.

[Kristen Lester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Cover: I thought this was a beautiful classy book cover. *STAR*

Author: Anna Sewell an awesome with perspectives in ways you would not else normally imagine. *STAR*

Story: This is a great story told from the perspective of a horse and the life it lives. *STAR*

Characters: This story is loaded with characters and the characteristics that you need to care for and love a horse. *STAR*

Cleanliness: There was nothing bad in this book *STAR*

Overall Review: I hate that Anna Sewell wrote this story on her death bed. I think she did a wonderful job in writing this story and would have loved to read more from her. This book just screams perspective to me because it's told from the view of a horse and you just wouldn't think about that and what a horse thinks normally so it was a really fun and interesting read.

[Samantha Seidel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had always wanted to read Black Beauty and I thought I had found it when I bought this at a garage sale. In actuality, it's a condensed version of the original story that uses some of the well known lines from the original. Lots of pictures too.

Overall, it's a great book. Makes me hunger for the full-length original, but the description and story are all there and in an easy to read format. Definitely good for a quick read or recap.

[sherwin]

"Get to know about the thing you are afraid of. It will often turn out to not be as scary as you thought."

Bought this one from Booksale. Loved the illustrations. This and that Shakespeare junior classic editions are the best things I spend my money on. Once I have enough money I'll buy the original version of this, for that one is longer and I think a much better read. But for now I'll think of this book as a masterpiece.

[Brandon De Horta · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read it cause my daughter loved it and wanted me to read. To be fair it’s not my cup of tea, I found it boring, and hardly engaging. But I can understand how my 9 year old loved it. It puts you in the horses perspective and gives an interesting take on horses and how they were treated depending on their masters.

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never read the story of Black Beauty but I loved the movie when I was a child. It's been so long that I didn't even remember what happened in the movie. Reading this children's book was a nice, quick way to get through the basic story.

[Sarah Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Black Beauty (an abridged version) over the past few weeks with my eight year old as her first-ever chapter book, and we both really enjoyed it. The author was ahead of her time campaigning against animal cruelty, it seems, and it's a great story for animal lovers.

[Sabrina Sicilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story Black Beauty is my favorite book as a kid. It about horse try so hard to behave very well no matter situation going on in his life. It is mixed emotional and cruel to animals. That very we the people make sure we give love and care too this animal always

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am going through the various junior classic versions for all my childhood favorites with my children. I forgot just how many wonderful lessons and talking points there are in this book. I have had many great discussions about love and the kinds of magic and power it has.

[liv · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an alright book, Black beauty teaches lessons that we can see and also it tells us not to hurt animals, a nice message that I think everyone should abide by. It was very...blunt? All sentences seemed to end in periods and it’s very short book, just a short story to tell. A nice short read.

[Joy Gerbode · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful edition of a timeless tale of a horse ... and his life. Wonderful illustrations make this a true collector's edition ... and the story is a wonderful adaptation of the original work!

[Bernadette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rereading the book just makes you think of the abuse the animals endure!!!

[Curtis Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always loved horses. This is a wonderful story.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was such a good book! I couldn't stop reading it!!

[Kadi Grace Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is well wrote! It is in the point of view of the horse itself. I love horses!

[Mellanie C]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13118477

[Rehaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very emotional book, loved it.

[Mireille Abbots-Vergnaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book that follows the story of black beauty.

[Umaima Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in LOVE with this book. The writer told the story so perfectly and amazingly that it really warmed my heart. What I love the most about this book is that it is the perspective of a horse.