Michael Morpurgo

Stories for everyone


The Wreck of the Zanzibar

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Age: 9+

Published: August 2007

ISBN: 9781405233361

Format: Paperback

Life on the Scilly Isles in 1907 is bleak and full of hardship.  Laura’s twin brother, Billy, disappears and then a storm devastates everything.  It seems there is little hope…that is until the sailing ship the Zanzibar is wrecked on the island’s rocks and everything changes…

Awards:

  • Winner Whitbread Children’s Book Award
  • Shortlisted Smarties Prize
  • Winner Beefeater Children’s Novel
  • Shortlisted Carnegie Medal
  • Shortlisted Sheffield Children’s Book Award
  • Winner Federation Children’s Book Groups Award
  • Nominated IBBY Honour List

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Related Resources

The Wreck of the Zanzibar Lesson Activities

Thumbnail of The Wreck of the Zanzibar Lesson Activities

This set of lesson plans is loosely based on the Year 5 Literacy Framework and covers a range of core skills such as dictionary work and different writing styles. It can be used over a period of 3 weeks to form a unit of work. The suggested activities are in no particular order and not specific only to year 5 so can be used as and when, or as a guided reading activity. All the worksheets are designed to be photocopiable.

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Reviews

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bambi says:

it is a book for all ages michael must be proud

sara says:

its a great book my teacher read it to us last year but ofcourse we read a few chapters every day, but you just cant stop i purchased it myself and could not put the book down! tottaly recomend grin

Soumia Mohamed says:

This is the book my teacher read to us the other day and every one in my class wanted to read to the class and I really loved it.

umknown says:

This was a book I read in english class and I enjoyed it. The way they go from 1995 back in time to 1907 is a great affect.

MH says:

I read this book with a group of Year 8 students who were not that interested in English, or literature, or reading at all for that matter. We were all mesmerised by the simple yet poetic prose, captivated by the imagery and atmosphere and drawn right in to the desperately, innocent and ultimately uplifting tale that unfolded as we read on. A simply magical, almost unworldly book that transports the reader to another place, another time and another life.

misshoney says:

amazing book, i am a teacher and did a project on it at school, the kids loved it to bits!!! thank you Michael morpurgo.

jasmine123455432112345 says:

i remember last year we read the wreck of zanzibar and its kind of addictive. i couldnt wait untill we read the next bit and it is a book that is very enjoyable.i recommend to year 4 onwards.