Alec visits his uncle in India. If you can't get there, and it's not convenient to get shipwrecked on an island with a wild stallion or to travel to a horse stable or race track in New York, make do. Check a local directory for a stable open to the public; ask for a tour of the facilities, a lesson in horse grooming or training or a ride.
The Black Stallion Literacy Foundation sponsors school-based programs for first graders and for fourth and fifth graders as well as community programs for after-school and for summer camps. Help bring the program to your school or community by contacting the foundation or support the group's efforts to motivate and inspire children to read.
As a child, Walter Farley never owned a horse. "The Black Stallion" was his first book: he started it when he was in high school and finished it when he was at Columbia University; he was 26 when Random House published it. He traveled the world, wrote 21 "Stallion" books and became a great advocate for children's literacy. And that's just a sampling of information available about this beloved American author.
Walter Farley's original book was made into the feature-length movie "The Black Stallion" (directed by Carroll Ballard) in 1979. The sequel, "The Black Stallion Returns" (directed by Robert Dalva), was released in 1983. In 2004, a prequel called "The Young Black Stallion" was directed by Simon Wincer; this project included the screenwriter and producer of the original "Black Stallion" movie.