What a great joy to have Michael Morpurgo with us at Mainstreet last night to celebrate publication of his heartfelt retelling of Black Beauty (stunningly illustrated by Tom de Freston).

The evening was part pin-drop quiet as Michael read (and sang) to us, and part raucous fun as he chatted to the packed room of fans.

Michael has often said that it was Black Beauty that showed him how he might tell the story of War Horse through the eyes of a horse that witnesses the horror of war from both sides:



“Black Beauty has been much loved as a story ever since Anna Sewell wrote it a very long time ago. Much loved, but these days, rarely read. The story is known mostly from film these days. All that is different about Black Beauty is when it was written, the language in particular, and the story seems dated and hard for children to read these days. I wanted to put that right, and I hope I’ve done so in this retelling, so well illustrated by Tom de Freston. I hope Anna Sewell would approve.” – Michael Morpurgo

This is a retelling that champions kindness, compassion and humanity, and is a rallying cry for the rights of animals. Anna Sewell was herself an important pioneer for animal rights and welfare and her novel was a seminal work in the animal welfare movement and raised public awareness about the mistreatment of horses in Victorian Britain.

This event was held at the Mainstreet Trading Company in the barn and can only be accessed by stairs. Please read our accessibility guide for more information.