Black Beauty

Black Beauty

The Greatest Horse Story Ever Told

About the Book

The story of noble Black Beauty is one of the most popular children's books of all time.

In this sensitive children's adaptation, Beauty movingly describes the friends, people and places - good and bad - that he encounters in the course of his dramatic life as he is passed from master to master.

Anna Sewell wrote her book in the late 19th century as an attempt to improve the conditions of the working horse. It remains a unique document of a time when horses were the main means of transport and a heartfelt message against cruelty to animals. While primarily teaching about animal rights, it also looks at how to treat people with kindness, sympathy, and respect.

In this audiobook, a beautiful soundscape transports readers to the heart of each scene. Beauty's narrative is complemented by hundreds of facts about cab horses and carriage horses in town and country and the practicalities of their treatment and ill-treatment.

This powerful audiobook and its fascinating context can be enjoyed and understood by a new generation of animal lovers.

Narrated by the formidable Juliet Stevenson, who has over read 140 audiobooks, she brings the characters of Black Beauty to life.

© 1887; 1997 Anna Sewell; Caryn Jenner © 2000 DK Audio
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DK Readers Level 4 Series

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About the Author

Anna Sewell
Anna Sewell was born in 1820 in Norfolk, England. Her only book, Black Beauty: The Autobiography of a Horse, was published in 1877. Sewell died in 1878.  More by Anna Sewell
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About the Author

Juliet Stevenson
Juliet Stevenson was awarded the CBE for her work in drama and received the Laurence Olivier Award for best actress. Stevenson’s film credits include Truly Madly DeeplyMona Lisa SmileBeing Julia, and Bend It Like Beckham. More by Juliet Stevenson
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About the Author

Caryn Jenner
Caryn Jenner writes and edits a variety of books for children of all ages, including both fiction and nonfiction. For DK Publishing, she has written Eyewitness Workbook: Earth, as well as several titles in the DK Readers series. Her picture book, Starting School, was one of the eight books longlisted for the UK’s 2012 School Library Association Information Book Award in the Under 7 age group. Caryn also teaches English to speakers of other languages and volunteers at a local school. She grew up in the United States but has made her home in the UK for many years. More by Caryn Jenner
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