Is Black Beauty a children's book? (2)


    In Black Beauty, the horse lives in an adult world. He is owned by adults, ridden by adults, and worked by adults. The reason this book was written was to reach the men who worked these animals. It was meant to help them realize how poorly many men were treating horses so that maybe they would change their ways for the better.

    But I also think that children can connect with Black Beauty in that he is somewhat like a child himself and his owners are his parents. Black Beauty is given orders by his masters and he better follow them or he will be punished. He is told how fast to run or how far to walk even if he feels he can't go on any longer.

          - J.G., December 1997

 
       
       
       

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        Northern State University
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      Last updated: July 2, 1999