Leonor Gaspar Gaspar itibaren Novoselyshche, Lviv Oblast, Ukrayna itibaren Novoselyshche, Lviv Oblast, Ukrayna

Really tough subject and hard to read at times. But I found that the exploration of the mindsets of the characters poignant. This book made me think in many ways.

this one concentrates on my favorite tales of the city character

I brought this to Jamaica thinking I might use it as a read aloud with my tutoring student (a second grader). Once I read it, however, I realized that it wouldn’t suit Nicky right now. (An Amazon review recommends this book for 9 – 12 year olds.) My pleasure was undiluted: I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I didn’t know that this was Anna Sewell’s only novel. Her story is interesting. Due to either an improperly treated sprained ankle at age 14 or a degenerative bone disease, she was unable to walk normally. Because of this she relied on horses more than her own two feet; she was shocked at the cruel and neglectful treatment she witnessed – by owners and caretakers alike. When she was 51, she was told she had eighteen months to live. “She was certainly very weak, but she was determined, before she died, to write a book ‘to induce kindness, sympathy and an understanding treatment of horses’. Five years later, she was still working on Black Beauty, her only book. By this time, she was so weak that not only could she not get out of bed, she could write only a few lines at a time; it was up to her mother to make a fair copy of Anna’s penciled writing.” (from note about the author) Black Beauty narrates this story; it moves chronologically from her earliest days to her death. She describes each of her many homes and masters as well as her friends (horses and people). We learn about mistreatment of horses from Beauty as well as from accounts of her horse friends’ experiences. This reads as a gentle morality tale. Anna Sewall reminds her readers of the importance of respect, kindness and thoughtfulness in the treatment of horses and people as well. The storyline is engrossing, the language clear, and so very British: One day when John and I had been out on some business of our master’s, and were returning gently on a long straight road, at some distance we saw a boy trying to leap a pony over a gate; the pony would not take the leap, and the boy cut him with the whip, but he only turned off on one side; he whipped him again, but the pony turned off on the other side. Then the boy got off and gave him a hard thrashing, and knocked him about the head; then he got up again and tried to make him leap the gate, kicking him all the time shamefully but still the pony refused. When we were nearly at the spot, the pony put down his head and threw up his heels and sent the boy neatly over into a broad quickset hedge, and with the rein dangling from his head, he set off home at a full gallop. John quite laughed out loud. ‘Served him right,’ he said. (p. 64 beginning of Chapter 13) At the end of this chapter John says, “. . .there is no religion without love, and people may talk as much as they like about their religion, but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to man and beast, it is all a sham – all a sham.” (p. 68 end of Chapter 13) As I was rereading snippets of the book for this review, I realize that I look forward to reading this book aloud and discussing the many issues it raises with my young reader friend – when that time comes.