Reviews

In this abridgement of Sewell's classic story, McKinley has managed nicely to retain Beauty's unique voice as well as the most-remembered stories, while making the text more accessible to younger readers. Jeffers's fine ink illustrations will satisfy even the most demanding of horse-lovers with her ability to capture each horse's personality. This version brings back the sharpness of the cruelty towards Beauty and his companions, and McKinley has rightfully retained the pain and the ugliness of some of the incidents. Children will still weep at the death of Ginger, and Jeffers's portrayal of the barn fire is quite frightening. It's an elegant edition, which will linger with readers until they are ready to tackle the original. (All ages

PreS-Gr 3-In this abridgement of Anna Sewell's 19th century English classic, British actress Juliet Stevenson's outstanding narration is highlighted by her rendition of the regional dialects of various human characters and her sympathetic portrayal of Beauty's voice. Music as well as realistic sound effects of foxhunts, railway trains, Victorian city streets and the terror of a stable fire enhance the audio performance and enrich its historical perspective. The accompanying book blends both the story and factual information about Beauty's life and times. Sidebars inform readers about breeds of horses and their roles in pre-automobile society, their stables and tack, various types of carriages, and life in country houses and in London. Photographs and Victor Ambrus' energetic illustrations describe a world in which horses were used for work rather than simply for pleasure. Children will admire Beauty's noble nature as he is sold from master to master, some of them gentle and some of them harsh, and they will empathize with Ginger's hardships and tragic end. This new version is an excellent addition to public or school library collections.-Maura Martin Smith, Somerset Elementary School, Shawnee Mission, KS Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.