Classic Starts®: Black Beauty

by Anna Sewell, Karl James Mountford (illustrator)

Black Beauty is the classic horse story, a beautiful and touching tale told by the title character himself.
 
Set in Victorian London, it follows Black Beauty’s life and changing fortunes as he moves from owner to owner. As the horse encounters new experiences and new friends who reveal their own histories, the story quietly paints a fascinating portrait of how animals were treated during that era.
 

157 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 4, 2025

About the author

Anna Sewell was an English novelist who wrote the 1877 novel Black Beauty, her only published work. It is considered one of the top ten best-selling novels for children, although the author intended it for adults. Sewell died only five months after the publication of Black Beauty, but long enough to see her only novel become a success.

Reviews

[Janielle]

I never read this growing up, and I never realized how depressing this story is. That being said, I still feel it was worth reading. I'm glad I read this simplified version with my daughter instead of the real/unabridged version.