"Black Beauty had a fine, soft black coat, one white foot and silver star on his forehead. This story of a horse's adventures, disappointments and joys is perhaps the most famous animal story of all time. Tens of millions of copies have been sold, and it remains as popular now as when it was first published over a century ago."

I haven't read this book yet, although it's sitting on my bookshelf for several years already. The movie is so very sad, so I suppose the book will be just the same... but I'll be reading it shortly because I've promised to send it to another bookcrosser.

I've finished this small book today and I can say it's not so sad as I had imagined. Black Beauty tells his story... about all the different places he lived, about his kind and less kind masters, about the work he had to do, about his friends. And I am glad to say this story has a happy ending!

The message of this book is very clear: be kind to all living creatures, be good to animals and treat them the way you would like to be treated. And I totally agree with that!

p188: "we have no right to distress any of God's creatures without a very good reason; we call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words."

I'm sending this off to fellow bookcrosser Griete, as part of a trade, this Tuesday (May 17th).

Arrived today, thanks!

A very pleasant read, though the moralistic side was sometimes a bit obvious. But it was written in 1877 and was therefore ahead of its time concerning animal welfare, I'd say.

Came home yesterday to find this in my mailbox, thanks so much Griete! I read this as a child, and look forward to reading again, and hopefully my girls will want to read it also!