LoveReading4Kids Says
LoveReading4Kids Says
This new Wordsworth Collector’s Edition of Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty will make a glorious gift for young horse-lovers. It’s a true thoroughbred that really does stand the test of time. First published in 1877, its themes of kindness, empathy and animal welfare were ahead of its day and still resonate today. Moreover, the tale tugs at the heartstrings as the plot gallops along at gripping pace.
With its durable hardback format, striking cover and gold foil trimmings, this edition will certainly add beauty to any home or school bookshelf, and will be treasured for years to come.
The Wordsworth Collector's Editions make wonderful presents for children; you can find more in the series here.
Joanne Owen
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About
Black Beauty Synopsis
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 a horse is recounting the exploits in the narrative.
The gentle thoroughbred, Black Beauty, is raised with care and is treated well until a vicious groom injures him. The damaged horse is then sold to various masters at whose hands he experiences cruelty and neglect. After many unpleasant episodes, including one where he becomes a painfully overworked cab horse in London, Black Beauty finally canters towards a happy ending.
Although Anna Sewell's classic is set firmly in the Victorian period, its message is universal and timeless: animals will serve humans well if they are treated with consideration and kindness. There have been many film and television adaptations of the story, but it is only the novel that captures the authentic voice of the central character.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781840227871 |
| Publication date: |
7th September 2018 |
| Author: |
Anna Sewell |
| Publisher: |
Wordsworth Editions Ltd |
| Format: |
Hardback |
| Pagination: |
282 pages |
| Series: |
Collector's Editions |
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Author
About Anna Sewell
Anna Sewell was born on March 30th 1820, in Norfolk in England and was crippled while still very young. As such, she spent much time on horse-drawn carriages that allowed her some freedom of movement, and she developed as a result a great concern for the proper treatment of animals. Sewell's mother was a successful writer for children and Sewell spent time editing the texts and becoming acquainted with writing.
Sewell wrote only one book: the famous and enduringly popular Black Beauty (1877). She lived as an invalid for most of her existence, and Black Beauty - the tale of a mistreated horse with a happy ending - was written entirely in the last decade of her life when she was confined to her house. The story came from the horse's mouth, literally, as the horse spoke of extremes of joy and suffering. It was perhaps this humanising of the beast that made it such as success both as a book and as a catalyst for change in people's attitudes towards animals.
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