Messages from Michael

A message from Michael Morpurgo, on the centenary of the Battle of the Somme

At 7:30am on the 1st July 2016, thousands of British, Commonwealth and French forces went ‘over the top’, signalling the beginning of the most tragic campaign in British military history. On this one day, a hundred years ago,  nearly 20,000 men lost their lives, with many tens of thousands more… Read More

Stop thrusting morals down children’s throats as it stops them thinking for themselves, warns author Michael Morpurgo

Writers must not force moral messages down children’s throats in their books because it could stop them thinking for themselves, the former children’s laureate Michael Morpurgo has said at Chalke Valley History Festival. If you’re talking about passing on a moral, do I want you to believe this because I believe it?… Read More

Michael Morpurgo: why we should remember the first world war

Speaking to The Guardian Children’s book site back in 2014, Michael Morpurgo explores how the first world war still looms large in our imagination. He also describes what it’s like to watch War Horse performed in a theatre once frequented by Hitler, how he’s not a hero,… Read More

The EU was the most positive political project in my lifetime

Following the results of the referendum, Michael Morpurgo has written a piece for The Guardian, reflecting on his experience of being within the EU. ‘…the world seems more fragile [at] the moment than I have ever known it’ To read on, click here [Photo credit: Kevin Lake, 2016]… Read More

Michael Morpurgo: “Devon is an extraordinary place”

Michael Morpurgo has been speaking to Visit Devon about just why the county is so special to him. From inspiring his literary work, to his beloved charity, Farms For City Children, the author explains just why it is so important that today’s children get away from the concrete… Read More

May the horse be with you

Monday, 22nd February 2016 I am not sure when the first seeds of War Horse were sown in my mind. That I was predisposed to be deeply concerned with war and the consequences of war there can be no doubt. I was born into a world of war. My earliest… Read More

My inspiration for Listen to the Moon

  This story probably would never have come about if it wasn’t for my wife Clare. Let me explain. When she was little she had chicken pox and like they did in those days, she was put in another room in the house to recuperate. She was bored one day… Read More

WHOLE EARTH?

Michael Morpurgo gave a fascinating lecture to students and staff, as he opened the ‘Whole Earth?’ Exhibition at Canterbury Christ Church University on Friday 25th September. The exhibition, which contains over 60 metres of compelling images and text, is based on the premise that the future belongs to today’s young… Read More

A letter from Michael

I am looking forward hugely to the year ahead. In May we are going to the Hay Festival where I’ll be doing two performances of one of my concerts and talking about ‘Listen to the Moon’. In September one my favourite short stories ‘My Father is a Polar Bear’ is… Read More

How the sinking of the Lusitania inspired my new book

Michael Morpurgo shares photographs he has taken in the Isles of Scilly, the landscape of his latest book with The Guardian Listen to the Moon is Michael Morpurgo’s stunning new WW1 novel and tells the story of a young girl found floating in the ocean on a grand piano,… Read More

How I adapted Private Peaceful for the stage and screen – in pictures

Simon Reade tells the story of how and why he turned Michael Morpurgo’s moving first world war novel about an ordinary young soldier into a stage play, a film and a radio play. It all started with a ‘Eureka moment’ in the bath… Read the full article at theguardian.com… Read More

Michael Morpurgo addresses the ‘Pity of War’

Michael Morpurgo’s strong opinions on the most fitting way to commemorate the First World War’s 100th anniversary were outlined in his talk tonight at Wiltshire’s Bowood House on the theme, ‘War Horse and the Pity of War: Writing about the First World War’. Addressing a gathering of 100 guests in… Read More