This edition features illustrations by Cecil Aldin and an afterword by author and conservationist Lauren St. John. Black Beauty enjoys a carefree upbringing in a pleasant meadow with his mother, where his gentle first master trains him well - until he is reluctantly forced to sell him. Through a long and varied life, Black Beauty passes from one owner to the next; some treat him well, others are so cruel that they inflict lasting damage. Anna Sewell's biographical novel about a horse is one of the bestselling books of all time, and her depiction of Victorian society's harsh treatment of animals inspired significant changes to animal welfare in the both the UK and America.