What got me thinking about "Black Beauty" the other day, was its companion piece, about a dog, "Beautiful Joe," by Marshall Saunders, in which Anna Sewell's book is actually referenced.
Because of these books, not to mention "The Yearling," by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, and "Rascal," by Sterling North, as well as the Marguerite Henry books, I grew up with a healthy respect and sense of compassion and empathy for animals. It shows today, in my relationships with Cujo, and our other neighborhood friends, Roxie and Stinky!!!!!!!! They are so sweet and lovable, and we just love them both.
You hardly hear about these titles anymore. I wonder if anyone does read them. Are children any less sensitive to animals for not having read them? I wonder. I think these books should still be available to children, even though they all start out grim and Dickensian, which results in the reader learning the importance of kindness to animals.
At least, one can put the book down, if upset, and return to it. It is not like sitting in a movie theater, with "Bambi" on the screen, where the mother dies, and oh, my God, one can only sit there and watch! Or "Dumbo," where the mother is abused!!!!!!!!!!!!
I refuse to watch either film, after having seen them as an adult. The books in question have a degree of harshness, but, especially with the Sewell and Saunders books, the reader comes away learning about kindness and empathy, maybe developing some.
Both seem in short supply. Yes, values come from the home! But they can come from what children read!
So start reading! I had to learn to empathize, dears, before I could go on to the world of "Valley Of The Dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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