Books for a boy who likes Black Beauty?

[PeterPan]

My ds is ear-reading Black Beauty right now (that's reading with an audible book, he's dyslexic), and he says he enjoys it because of the horse.  Any suggestions on what other horse books my ds would enjoy?  They can cross genres too, like into fantasy or whatever.  I just assumed Black Beauty had a sequel and it doesn't.  Is The Black Stallion sort of similar or totally different?  Other suggestions?  

 

He's just shy of 7, btw.  Gifted with a bunch of SLDs, so he's all over the place. 

[tm919]

The Black Stallion is ok, not on the level of Black Beauty at all -- but as a child I loved it! I went through a "horse book" phase at that age and loved Marguerite Henry books (e.g., King of the Wind).

[kiana]

Pretty much any Marguerite Henry book but be aware that the Mustang: Spirit of the West book involves some pretty sad stuff about horse slaughtering. Black Gold also had a pretty sad ending.

 

The Black Stallion books are fine but get quite formulaic after a while. The first several are great. Walter Farley wrote some other books as well -- The Horse Tamer is pretty cool.

 

The books by Will James involve a lot of horses -- the two I have are Flint Spears and Smoky the Cowhorse.

 

My Friend Flicka and Thunderhead would also be pretty cool. I think the third one in the series is a little more mature and I never liked it until I hit puberty.

 

The Horse and His Boy was my favorite of the Narnia series just because of the horse.

 

The Billy and Blaze books might also suit.

 

If he likes horse books, how about dog books? The ____ Red books by Jim Kjelgaard were nice books involve a boy, his dog, and some wilderness survival.

 

The collie series by Albert Payson Terhune are also very enjoyable. Not really the best quality literature but really convey a love of the dogs. Bruce has some pretty crude anti-German stereotypes -- remember that it was written by an American during the first world war, and discuss accordingly. I can't think of another with those stereotypes but I might be misremembering as it has been a while.

 

If I think of more I'll come back. I really loved books about animals as a child. :)

[Ellie]

The Black Stallion isn't nearly as well written as Black Beauty, but it does have the advantage of being a series. ;-) And if your ds likes those, he'd also like the Island Stallion series.

 

He might enjoy Lassie Come-Home. Oh, and the Incredible Journey.

 

 

[pitterpatter]

DD really liked Black Beauty too. Do you think he likes it because it's about a horse or from the perspective of a horse? DD liked it for the latter reason. If it's the same for him, perhaps look for other books from the perspective of animals, but not in an anthropomorphic way.

[Chrysalis Academy]

I don't have a lot to add to Kiana's great list, but I definitely suggest a Margeurite Henry binge. The Misty series, of course, but King of the Wind was one of my favorites.  Black Stallion is good too.  I had the entire series as a kid but agree they get formulaic after awhile.

 

If he does branch out into dog books, I suggest *avoiding* Algonquin: The Story of a Great Dog.  the beginning scene was so horrific it is still seared into my memory more than 30 years later.  I cried for hours.

[alisoncooks]

I remember loving The White Stallion of Lipizza. (sp?)

Not sure about age level for it.

[alisoncooks]

dp

[Ellie]

I don't have a lot to add to Kiana's great list, but I definitely suggest a Margeurite Henry binge. The Misty series, of course, but King of the Wind was one of my favorites.

 

King of the Wind is the first horse book I remember reading. :-)

[Laura Corin]

I loved the Silver Brumby series - set in Australia.  I can't remember how well written they were, but I enjoyed them.

[abba12]

Another vote for the silver brumby, a great aussie series

[Laura Corin]

I forgot to mention: both my boys liked The Little White Horse, although some people think of it as being a girls' book.

[Ellie]

I forgot to mention: both my boys liked The Little White Horse, although some people think of it as being a girls' book.

 

I big pink puffy heart that book. I have a first edition from England, which I found in a junk store for $5. Score!

[Chris in VA]

Blitz: The Story of A Horse is not great literature, but it's a wonderful story, very similar to BB because it's different owners of a horse.

It was one of my favorites as a child and I recommend it!

 

My Friend Flicka and Thunderhead would be difficult for a 6yo (even gifted), but great later. Green Grass of Wyoming is the last one in the series. One of my very fav series ever.

 

I have almost all the Black Stallion series. :blush:  My TOI as a young aspie was horses, so...I have a LOT of horse books.

The first one is probably the best for a young child, but they all involve horse racing and the descriptions can be hard to follow unless you watch racing on TV and know the lingo.

 

When he's older, National Velvet should be on your list. It is my all-time fav.

 

You could definitely do the Misty series now. They are well-written and beautifully illustrated.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Blitz-Story-Horse-Burlingame-Beatty/dp/B000Z35UUM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442698241&sr=8-1&keywords=Blitz+the+story+of+a+horse

[Ellie]

Blitz: The Story of A Horse is not great literature, but it's a wonderful story, very similar to BB because it's different owners of a horse.

It was one of my favorites as a child and I recommend it!

 

My Friend Flicka and Thunderhead would be difficult for a 6yo (even gifted), but great later. Green Grass of Wyoming is the last one in the series. One of my very fav series ever.

 

I have almost all the Black Stallion series. :blush:  My TOI as a young aspie was horses, so...I have a LOT of horse books.

The first one is probably the best for a young child, but they all involve horse racing and the descriptions can be hard to follow unless you watch racing on TV and know the lingo.

 

When he's older, National Velvet should be on your list. It is my all-time fav.

 

You could definitely do the Misty series now. They are well-written and beautifully illustrated.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Blitz-Story-Horse-Burlingame-Beatty/dp/B000Z35UUM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442698241&sr=8-1&keywords=Blitz+the+story+of+a+horse

 

I was so disconcerted when I first read National Velvet, because there is so little in common with the book except for a girl and horses, lol.

 

I have My Friend Flicka et al. Haven't read them in awhile, but I always enjoyed them. 

 

Have not heard of Blitz. I must go look it up. :-)

[Emerald Stoker]

I've not read these, but there are many off-the-beaten-track horse books here: http://www.fidrabooks.com/publishing/shop.shtml

 

My kids loved Eilís Dillon's Island of Horses. http://www.nyrb.com/products/the-island-of-horses?variant=1094934649

[rose]

These aren't horse stories but they're similar themes. We liked Bambi (the book is WAY different than the movie) and Call of the Wild. They're both animal books that personify the animals and consider their suffering at the hands of humans.

[Chris in VA]

I was so disconcerted when I first read National Velvet, because there is so little in common with the book except for a girl and horses, lol.

 

I have My Friend Flicka et al. Haven't read them in awhile, but I always enjoyed them. 

 

Have not heard of Blitz. I must go look it up. :-)

 

My dad was raised in England, in Liverpool. I bought a copy of NV at a library discard sale--I think it's a first edition (or maybe close!). I just love that book--the homelife of an English butcher's family, the descriptions, the language, and the plot--oh my. The mother is such a rich character, and it is just the best. book.

 

I think Blitz is a Scholastic book--it's a quick, light read, but it's probably just the ticket for a 6-10 yo. Don't go in hoping for great writing. LOL...