The Black Pearl

The original work, The Black Pearl, was published in 1967 by Houghton Mifflin. (See top cover artwork.)  To purchase a hardcover edition of the 1967 book, click here. Para comprar La Perla Negra (en Espanol), mara aqui.

NEW! Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has published a NEW EDITION of The Black Pearl and you can purchase the paperback 2010 edition here.

A paperback edition was published by Dell Yearling. (See bottom cover artwork.) To purchase the paperback edition, click here.

The Black Pearl is also available on audio tape. The unabridged edition is narrated by Johnny Heller on two audiocassettes by Recorded Books, 1995.

The Black Pearl was also released as a major motion picture in 1978. The film starred Gilbert Roland, Carl Anderson, and Mario Custodio. A Royal Production Corporation picture. A William Cash/Saul Swimmer Production. Directed by Saul Swimmer.

Synopsis

When young Ramon finds a giant black pearl beneath the seas of Baja California, he angers the giant manta ray who guards it. Neither Ramon nor his father understand the danger that such a pearl can bring. Both the Manta Diablo and the Sevillano (another pearl diver) are determined to get their hands on the pearl, even if they must kill Ramon to do so.

From the Reviews

"Graceful, haunting tale of reason and superstition, about a young pearl diver, the great pearl he finds and the giant manta he angers." Recommended.

                         The New York Times

"The stark simplicity of the story and the deeper significance it holds in the triumph of good over evil add importance to the book, but even without that the book would be enjoyable as a rousing adventure tale with supernatural overtones and beautifully maintained tempo and suspense."