Upon its publication in 1877, Black Beauty was an instant success. It is a heartwarming tale told from the perspective of a horse named Black Beauty whose courage and perseverance sustain him as he travels from one owner to the next, often experiencing cruelty and mistreatment. Anna Sewell was born in 1820 in Yarmouth, England. An accident in her early teens prevented her from ever walking upright again, but she was still able to ride her horses. She wrote Black Beauty as a call to treat animals, and especially horses, with respect and understanding.
