Children's · Classics
Black Beauty
Bestseller: about 50 million copies (estimate)A horse tells his own life story, from a kind country home through a series of owners, some gentle and some cruel. The book was written to encourage kinder treatment of working animals.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 1877
- Pace
- Slow
- Length
- Short
- Pages
- 68
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you want a classic told by an animal and mind being moved by how animals were treated.
Skip this if scenes of animal suffering and overwork are too upsetting.
The feel
Content warnings
Quick answers about Black Beauty
- What is Black Beauty about?
- A horse tells his own life story, from a kind country home through a series of owners, some gentle and some cruel. The book was written to encourage kinder treatment of working animals.
- Who should read Black Beauty?
- Read it if you want a classic told by an animal and mind being moved by how animals were treated. Skip it if scenes of animal suffering and overwork are too upsetting.
- How long and how fast is Black Beauty?
- It is a slow-paced, short read of about 68 pages, first published in 1877.
- Does Black Beauty have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Animal death, Abuse, Violence.
- Can I borrow Black Beauty for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends Black Beauty; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after Black Beauty?
- Readers who liked it often move on to Watership Down, Charlotte's Web, The Wind in the Willows.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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