Black Beauty by Anna Sewell is an intreeging read and contains some very somber subject matter and themes. The story is about the life of a beautiful black horse called Beauty. The story is written in the first person from the horses point of view and offers an interesting inside into Victorian times when horses were an integral part of society but were often abused and mistreated. The book documents the life of Beauty in his own words as he is passed from owner to owner. He tells of the kind and the cruel owners he encountered along the way.
The subject matter is very dark and often vivid but is an enjoyable read as you can't help but empathise with Beauty in his struggles. I would recommend this book for year 4 and up as a book children could read individually. Last week was anti-bullying week and I believe that this book could be used in class as part of the anti-bullying lessons. I.e. put yourself in someone elses shoes and see how you feel!