Last Updated on May 6, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. Word Count: 106

National Velvet is a stirring reminder that one does not have to wait until maturity to arrive at greatness; one need not be held back by gender or lack of money. Velvet Brown's story is a timeless account of an individual rising above the conventional views that hold people back from realizing their dreams.

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The first-time reader of the book will be happily surprised to see that, like many literary classics, it is written for all ages. It is a young people's story only in that the plot focuses on a teen-ager; the adult world, however, provides the perspective through which the younger world is seen.