Black Beauty

"Black Beauty" is another book that my father introduced me to when I was about 10.  Being horse crazy then, <still am!>  it was a perfect pick.
"Black Beauty" was a ground breaking story in a number of ways. To start with, it was the first novel ever written from the point of view of an animal. But second and more importantly, it opened people's eyes to the abuse that many horses faced in Victorian England.
"Black Beauty" tells the story from the point of view of a horse, as he goes from a foal , <baby horse>   into his senior years.  Some of his times are happy and some are horrendous, but through it all he retains his sweet disposition and his love of humanity.
The book was  written by Anna Sewell. Anna Sewell was a Quaker, raised in London. As a child, she fell and injured her ankles so badly that she was never able to walk or stand for long periods for the rest of her life. To help her in her mobility, her parents gave her a cart and pony.  She was able to travel many places and see many things that she would have otherwise missed.
One thing she saw in her day to day travels was how people treated their horses. Because of the mistreatments she witnessed, she decided to write a story from the horse's point of view. She wanted to educate the people and perhaps change their attitudes. With her mother's help, Anna wrote "Black Beauty'.  It was published just months before her death in 1878.
The first chapter opens up with this:  "While I was young I lived upon my mother’s milk, as I could not eat grass. In the daytime I ran by her side, and at night I lay down close by her. When it was hot we used to stand by the pond in the shade of the trees, and when it was cold we had a nice warm shed near the grove.

“I hope you will grow up gentle and good, and never learn bad ways; do your work with a good will, lift your feet up well when you trot, and never bite or kick even in play." I have never forgotten my mother’s advice; I knew she was a wise old horse, and our master thought a great deal of her."
Although this book was written for adults, it's simplicity makes it a good read for children too.  I wouldn't recommend it for children under 10, because some of what happens to poor old Black Beauty is traumatic, and a younger child may not handle it was well as an older one. Despite that, I recommend it for any animal lover, because the story really is beautiful.
Trot out to your local library or bookstore and pick up a copy of Black Beauty today!