REVIEW: Black Beauty (Anna Sewell)

Book: Black Beauty

Author: Anna Sewell

Premise: As a young horse, Black Beauty is well-loved and happy. But when his owner is forced to sell him, his life changes drastically. He has many new owners, some kinder than others. Whether pulling an elegant carriage or a ramshackle cab, Black Beauty tries to live as best he can.

This was a children's classic detailing the life of a horse, as told by the horse. The chapters are super short so it's easy to rattle through. It was interesting to see the different reasons people had horses in the Victorian period and the various horse-related fashions. We see a mixture of kind and cruel owners. But I liked how the author showed it's not a black and white case when people mistreated their horses. For example, some characters were forced to overwork their horses to meet the demands of their own masters and to feed their families. For a small book, it tells a good story and provides lessons to be learned.