Michel Faure

It is a classic and deservedly so in so many ways. Once, when life was a bit slower, people traveled the world on ships. And the ships stopped at many ports, and at one of those ports young Alec Ramsey sees a magnificent black stallion that can barely be contained by his handlers. Somehow, he manages to come onboard the ship where a specially-built stall is constructed for him, and Alec manages to befriend him with a cube of sugar, a bit of apple, and the adventure begins.

What captured me as show more a young, horse-mad girl, at a time when horse pastures were being "zoned" out of existence in and around Atlanta, was the solitude that Alec had with his horse on the desert island. I was so very glad that the movie captured the look and the feel of living there, only the two of them, learning to trust one another, and eventually Alec climbs on The Black's back for that marvelous ride around the island, feeling joy in existence and possibilities.

What I noticed now was the publication date: 1941. This book was written before the US entered World War II, horses were still kept near people's homes, and the return Alec makes to his home is not quite as jarring as it once was. The training that Alec goes through with Henry is intense (how on earth did Alec stay awake in class??) but again, there is that sense that *this* is the most wonderful of horses ever and adds a bit of apprenticeship to the magic of The Black Stallion. show less

On his way back from India visiting his uncle, Alec is present when a wild, black, Arabian stallion is brought on the ship. Admiring the magnificent horse, Alec does his best to become friends, trying to go by the Black's stall and give him gifts of apples and sugar. Then the Drake goes down in a storm, and Alec and the Black both end up on a desert island, needing each other to survive.

I devoured horse books as a kid, and this was one of my favorite series. In fact, I seem to have merged show more some of them together in my head - I was all ready for the horse races that come later, and forgot that this one starts as a survival story. Classic children's books can be hit or miss, but this one holds up pretty well. While it may have some details that would need to be explained to kids (blotting a paper after taking a test, for example), there's still a lot of adventure and excitement to keep the pages turning. And when Alec gets home and starts training the horse, there are lots of details for the kids like I was that want to know all about horses and riding. show less

Admit it, someone says "horse adventure" and this is one of the very first images that comes to mind: a beautiful Arabian standing on a beach, the wind blowing his mane, and a shipwrecked boy beside him. Anyone who has ever read this book or seen the movie has been so caught up in that "horse adventure" that it has become a part of their lives in some way or another, even deep in the subconscious mind.

This book isn't considered a classic for nothing. Though the writing is simple, the plot is show more mildly outrageous, and things fall into place a little too easily, the whole of the package is somehow pure perfection. The story perfectly feeds off of the deep desires of so many who want to wake up one day and have a horse of their own just fall into their lap. Any young reader who picks up this book is certain to try and read it all in one sitting and will most probably deepen their love of horses.

As an adult, rereading this book transports me to a time when the racetracks of America were open and alive. I can exist in a time when people talked as much about what horse was the best as they now wonder who will be the National Champion at basketball. Reading the lives of Alec and Henry, taking in the words that so perfectly describe the action and sound of a racetrack, and experiencing the call of the race as if it were live on the radio, are all elements of this book that jump quickly to life inside the hearts of so many, capturing a time gone by and making this story one that will keep readers forever young. show less

I never went through a "horse" stage, which I understand many girls go through---I preferred stories about ghosts, vampires, black cats holed up behind brick walls, and teenagers with telekinesis---so this was one of the many books I missed when I was the target audience. My daughter reads animal stories like I used to read horror stories, so The Black Stallion eventually made it onto her reading list.

While this book gives the reader the sense that there were no women in the early 20th show more century except a couple of wives who mostly kept fearfully tucked inside their homes trying to keep their menfolk from getting into mischief, it was better than I expected it to be. I vaguely remember seeing the movie when I was a kid, but I mostly just remember it being dark and kind of boring. As a result, I was surprised at just how engaging the book is.

We read it as a read-aloud, and every time I finished a chapter, both of the kids would give me the, "Awww! Just one more chapter? Pleeease?" even if it wasn't bedtime. We all especially enjoyed the last chapter. It was quite intense, although that might be due in part to the fact that I read it while impersonating a horse race announcer.

A couple of minor points that left me pondering:

1) Alec's parents pay a surprisingly small amount of attention to his whereabouts. That kid leaves the house at all hours and they not only don't notice, when they learn about it, they don't even seem bothered by it. Of course, he is a teenager and he did survive a shipwreck and several weeks on a desert island where he managed to befriend a wild horse in his free time, but I still have trouble imagining giving my kids such free rein (so to speak).

2) His school day ended at 12:30 p.m. Was this common in the 1930's and 40's? Because it seems like it would be a lot easier for kids to fit in homework and extracurriculars and still get adequate sleep if their school day ended at lunchtime. How did they get all of their learning done in just a few hours? Were the classes smaller? Were the students more disciplined? Did they just learn less stuff?

At any rate, the book was fun to read, and both of my kids enjoyed it. I wonder if we'll be picking up Farley's other Black Stallion books? And I wonder if those will shed any light on the four-hour school-day mystery? show less