Messages from Michael

Morpurgo’s 80th sees celebratory year of publishing

17th May 2023

HarperCollins Children’s Books (HCCB) and Farshore have unveiled a year-long celebratory publishing plan marking the 80th birthday of author Michael Morpurgo with almost 50 titles scheduled and new author branding designed by his granddaughter Alice, illustrations by Dapo Adeola and an introduction from Benedict Cumberbatch. To celebrate the landmark… Read More

Interview with Michael Morpurgo #Armistice100

7th Nov 2018

Ahead of Armistice Day, we will be sharing clips from an interview with Michael in which he talks about the wartime events that inspired his books and how important it is for children to learn about the devastating effects of war through literature. We’ll be sharing all of the clips… Read More

A Message to Libraries from Michael #NationalLibrariesWeek

11th Oct 2018

A Message to Libraries from Michael Morpurgo for #NationalLibraryWeek:… Read More

A Message from Michael for #WorldTeachersDay

5th Oct 2018

Today is #WorldTeachersDay, and to celebrate, we have recorded a very special message from Michael Morpurgo. Read More

Michael Morpurgo marks the start of Black History Month

1st Oct 2018

To mark the start of Black History Month, Michael talks about Walter Tull, the first black officer in the British Army and one of the first black footballers in the Football League. Walter was the inspiration behind Michael’s book A Medal for Leroy and, in this clip, he talks more… Read More

Michael Morpurgo: My family fought for peace, not for Brexit

10th May 2018

The War Horse author remembers the uncles who inspired his latest book, In the Mouth of the Wolf, and who taught him that peace must come before prosperity. Read more in Michael’s article for the Guardian here.   … Read More

The Play’s the Thing – Michael Morpurgo on War Horse

28th Feb 2018

The play’s the thing. Over these last ten years and more I have often been asked: “How do you explain the phenomenon that War Horse has become?” It’s not too difficult to answer – after all, I have had a while to think it through. It’s the play. As the… Read More

The power of stories: Michael Morpurgo’s full Book Trust lecture

22nd Sep 2016

Reaching far wider than the London Guildhall audience, Michael Morpurgo’s thought-provoking talk urged parents, teachers and librarians to foster a love of stories in children, rather than focusing on literacy. Below is his inaugural Book Trust Lecture in full; please read and share widely, and keep singing the song. — September 21st… Read More

“The Joy Comes First, The Literacy Comes After” – Michael Morpurgo speaks to TeachWire

25th Jul 2016

The renowned storyteller discusses the recent Somme centenary, shares his thoughts on the EU Referendum – and explains why he believes primary literacy has ‘dropped into a black hole…’ To read the interview in full, click here… Read More

Such Stuff: Michael Morpurgo reflects on his favourite photograph

5th Jul 2016

In an excerpt published by the Daily Express, Michael Morpurgo recalls how he was inspired to write War Horse after meeting a captain who told his trusty steed all his wartime hopes and fears.   To read the excerpt from Such Stuff in full, click here… Read More

Michael Morpurgo: a piece of prose, reflecting on Battle of the Somme

4th Jul 2016

Acclaimed author and playwright Michael Morpurgo, who wrote Private Peaceful, the story of a young soldier’s life on the frontline in WWI, and War Horse, travelled to the Somme with ITV News. He has written a piece of prose exclusively for ITV News to mark 100 years to the day… Read More

Michael Morpurgo: The Somme should be a lesson to us all

2nd Jul 2016

Michael Morpurgo has written many, many books. But for this former Children’s Laureate, it is the ones he has written about war, most notably of course War Horse, and Private Peaceful, with which his name is most synonymous. And so he accompanied ITV News as they visited the cemeteries that stretch… Read More