The Black Stallion

The Black Stallion

Author: Walter Farley

ISBN: 0679813497

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers, 1991

Age: 9-12

Genre: Adventure

Summary: Young Alec Ramsey first saw the Black Stallion when his ship docked at a small Arabian port on the Red Sea while returning to America from India.  The giant horse was rearing high into the air, and his front legs struck out viciously at the men trying to get him aboard the ship.  Alec suddenly realized that he was looking at a stallion unbroken and untamed.  At this point little did Alec dream that the mighty black horse was destined to play a vital part in his young life, and that a strange understanding would grown between them and lead them through many incredible adventures, from the nightmare of a shipwreck to the triumph of a great race in America. 

Read A-likes: The Black Stallion Returns; Son of the Black Stallion; The Island Stallion; and Black Stallion and Satan.

Personal Thoughts: This book fanned the spark of love I had for horses, and it remains one of my all time favorites.  I dreamed many a time that I would find a horse just like the Black Stallion.  This book has remained one of the most popular horse books in literature, followed closely by Black Beauty.  The story of endurance and friendship is unbeatable, and teaches some very good lessons.