The Black Stallion / Walter Farley

3.5 out of 5 stars

Published originally in 1941, this book is about a young boy, Alec Ramsay who finds a wild black stallion at a small Arabian port on the Red Sea. Between the black stallion and young boy, a strange understanding grew that you lead them through untold dangers as they journeyed to America. Nor could Alec understand that his adventures with the black stallion would capture the interest of an entire nation.

***Wanda’s Summer Carnival of Children’s Literature***

Wow, talk about fantasy! And yet this is the book which ignited my passion for reading. Totally unrealistic and it was totally captivating to an 11 year old, horse-crazy girl. This is the book which started my life-long habit of identifying with male characters, because I wanted to be Alec Ramsey. I am also truly lucky to have had an indulgent father who purchased my first pony, Nippy, at an auction sale for $50. (We left home with a truck full of pigs and returned home with a Shetland pony). Nippy & I came to have a very close relationship, which I no doubt modelled on Alex & the Black. Fortunately for me, Nippy was much more like old Napoleon in this tale than like the wild black stallion.

It was a treat to re-read this novel and to remember my total adoration of this series, despite the fact that it really doesn’t turn my crank anymore as an adult. Still, like a first love, I will always have fond memories of The Black Stallion.