Colorado Parks & Wildlife Research Library

"Black Beauty is a perennial children's favourite, one which has never been out of print since its publication in 1877. It is a moralistic tale of the life of the horse related in the form of an autobiography, describing the world through the eyes of the creature. In taking this anthropomorphic approach, the author Anna Sewell broke new literary ground and her effective storytelling ability makes it very easy for the reader to accept the premise that...

Faithfully based on Anne Sewell's classic novel, this beloved horse story is told by its hero, the gallant Beauty, whose joyous and heartbreaking life takes him from idyllic days on a country squire's estate to London's hard, cobblestoned streets, through decades of owners both kindly and harsh.

Anna Sewell's 'Black Beauty' was an immediate success on its publication in 1877, and has gone on to sell an estimated 50 million copies. Black Beauty is a horse with a fine black coat, a white foot and a silver star on his forehead. Seen through his eyes, the story tells of his idyllic upbringing and the hardship and cruelty he suffers subsequently, before finding security and happiness in a new home.