The Black Stallion [Library Binding]

Walter Farley (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Series: Black Stallion

First published in 1941, Walter Farley's  best-selling novel for young readers is the triumphant tale of a boy and a wild horse. From Alec Ramsay and the Black's first meeting on an ill-fated ship to their adventures on a desert island and their eventual rescue, this beloved story will hold the rapt attention of readers new and old.  

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Black Stallion is about the most famous fictional horse of the century." --The New York Times


From the Paperback edition.

From the Inside Flap

First published in 1941, Walter Farley's  best-selling novel for young readers is the triumphant tale of a boy and a wild horse. From Alec Ramsay and the Black's first meeting on an ill-fated ship to their adventures on a desert island and their eventual rescue, this beloved story will hold the rapt attention of readers new and old.  

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Library Binding: 192 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394906012
• ISBN-13: 978-0394906010
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (110 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No horse-loving child should miss this classic!, September 8, 2004

By 

Monika "equestrienne_23" (Davis, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Black Stallion (Paperback)

As a horse lover from a very young age, this is one of those books that was read to me when I was little, which I later read on my own more than once, and of which I still have fond memories today. The first of Walter Farley's twenty-one books, written while the author was in high school and published in 1941, before he graduated from college, "The Black Stallion" has become a staple in children's literature. It tells the story of Alec Ramsay and his partnership with a remarkable horse, referred to only as the Black. While returning from a trip to India, Alec's ship is wrecked in a storm, leaving he and the Black as the only survivors, washed up on a small, deserted island. For nineteen days they must survive in that desolate place, and in this time a strong bond is formed between the boy and the wild Arab horse.

Once Alec and the Black are rescued by a passing ship, the story takes a different turn. Back in New York, Alec asks a neighbor if he might stable the Black in the old barn on his property. As it turns out, Henry Dailey is a former racehorse trainer, and he immediately recognizes the Black's potential for speed. Thus, man and boy pair up in order to train the spirited horse, hoping to harness his energy and turn him into a competitive runner. At this time the racing world is all abuzz about an upcoming match race between two champion horses, each touted as the best racer in the country, but who have never run against each other. But when the Black shows more talent than Dailey would ever have thought possible, he begins to think that this wild, unpedigreed stallion just might have what it takes to beat them both...

The story is a bit far-fetched and idealistic, but it nevertheless makes for one whopping adventure. Farley was an avid horseman and he puts his knowledge to good use here. His descriptions of the proud, fiery Black bring the wild horse magnificently to life before our eyes. The prose is simple and fast-paced, with one event leading rapidly into another, but it still maintains a richness and depth that allows the reader to develop a strong attachment to the main characters. You can really feel the bond between boy and horse, and you can't help but care about them. "The Black Stallion" is an absolute must-read for any young horse lover. The book has a timeless quality to it, and retains every bit of its magic even for modern readers.

After penning "The Black Stallion," Farley went on to write twenty more horse stories, most centered around further adventures of Alec, the Black, and the characters that surround them (the exception being "Man O'War," which is an account of that famous racehorse's life). I have read every one of these additional books, some more than once, and would recommend them to anyone that has read and enjoyed this first book. I don't know of a single die-hard horse lover that hasn't read at least the first few books in the series, and many adult equestrians cite Farley's books as being what got them interested in horses to begin with.

"The Black Stallion" was also turned into a decent movie starring child actor Kelly Reno in 1979. Fans of the book are advised to check it out, but I strongly recommend against skipping the book in favor of the movie. The movie is good, but it is not entirely true to the original story, and doesn't quite capture the full texture of Farley's creation. The book, as always, is the place to start. It is simply written, and so should be easy for elementary-aged readers to handle. For younger children, the book makes an excellent read-aloud story. It is reasonably short. As an adult reader, I am able to get through it in a couple of hours. One final word of advice: As another reviewer mentioned, if at all possible, try to look for an older copy, with cover art by Pamela Patrick. The art of John Rowe on this new edition's cover just doesn't quite capture the spirit of the original.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless..., January 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Black Stallion (Hardcover)

Walter Farley started writing the story which became "The Black Stallion" while he was still in high school. I think I was eight or nine years old when I first read it. I still read the series from time to time, and time has only made me appreciate Farley's fine writing skills all the more. Especially the final chapter about the match race between Sun Raider, Cyclone, and the Black - I can actually HEAR the track announcer's "It's the mystery horse!" in my mind. Mr. Farley had the unique ability to express emotions through the written word - it still gives me tingles.

Only one beef I have - why, oh why, did they decide to re-do the illustrations? I still have my dogeared Scholastic Books paperback with the original illustrations. The original illustrator made the Black truly look like "the wildest of all wild creatures".

This book should be in every child's library!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Black Stallion is one of the classics for children, February 3, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Black Stallion (Paperback)

Others have expressed these thoughts but I must chime in and support them. This is a great book for children. I first read it when I was nine and my sister and I re-read the entire series many times. There are women working the backstretch on race tracks who say that it all started with Walter Farley.

The movie, though gorgeous to look at, is an insipid version of the story--minus the sexiness, danger, and complexity of relationships. (In the movie the director neatly kills off the father and makes the hero much younger to remove all that troubling complexity!) Many years ago in Seattle I attended a screening of this film and had an opportunity to politely explain my feelings to the director, Francis Ford Coppola. Basically he said something like getting rid of all the talking made the film more mythic. Oh well: to some extent I can see his point. Films are difficult to make and have their own requirements--but why don't they make up their own stories instead of taking so much license with good books?

As at least one reader's review has commented, the decision to redo the illustrations for the early Black Stallion books was misguided. The originals have a wildness and excitement to them that later editions lost. If your child really likes these books, finding an old edition with those drawings would be a wonderful gift.

Like all good books for children, The Black Stallion contains undercurrents of troubling feeling and presents strategies for working those out, or at least living with them. Don't we all have something wild living in our back yard that occasionally jumps the fence? This notion was exciting to me as an adventurous little girl --and as a nearly 50-year-old who is still crazy for horses, it still works for me.

--A reader and parent from Olympia, Washington