Sewell << SOO uhl >>, Anna (1820-1878), wrote Black Beauty (1877), a novel about a horse that becomes injured and suffers abuse from a series of owners. The book, which became extremely popular, is a moral tale about the cruel treatment of horses. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals promoted Black Beauty, thus contributing greatly to the book’s success.
Sewell was born on March 30, 1820, in Yarmouth, England, on the Isle of Wight. At the age of 14, she sprained both her ankles. The injury was probably treated incorrectly. As a result, Sewell became permanently disabled. She could stand or walk for only short periods. She was most mobile on horseback or driving a pony and carriage. Sewell was in poor health during the six years when she wrote Black Beauty, her only book. Mary Sewell—Anna’s mother and a children’s author—helped Anna by copying the manuscript. Anna Sewell died on April 25, 1878.
