Black Beauty

by Anna Sewell

(Ages 9-12, Gr. 4-7) An **animal rights classic** that's also an engaging read, **BLACK BEAUTY follows the life of an ebony horse from birth to old age**, and from pasture to the cobblestone streets of **19th century England** This morality tale and **animal "autobiography"** gives a sweet and kind horse **a voice that's relatable yet unsentimental.**. Black Beauty's life begins on the grounds of an aristocratic English family. The **young horse learns early lessons from his mother like how not to bite or kick even in play** before circumstances force his sale to a new master; it's the first of several such sales/moves for the horse. As **his life intersects with different human owners, caretakers, and neighbors**, Black Beauty **experiences different kinds of care and abuse**, and he observes the **differing attitudes of humans toward horses.** Peppered throughout the novel are the **moral lessons** that the author, **Anna Sewell **who is the author**, wants to impart to her readers:…