Out of the Ashes

By Michael Morpurgo, Read by Sophie Aldred

READ BY SOPHIE ALDRED
On January 1st 2001, Becky Morley begins to write her diary. By March 12th, her world has changed for ever…

When Becky Morley begins keeping her diary in January, foot and mouth disease is just an item on the news, something happening hundreds of miles from her family’s farm in Devon. But now the nightmare is a few fields away and local flocks are being destroyed. Will the Morleys’ animals be next? Will their cattle, their sows and piglets escape the cull? And what about Little Josh, Becky’s hand-reared lamb? The waiting and hoping is the most agonising experience of Becky’s life…

Out of the Ashes is a powerful and moving fictional account of true events by award-winning author, Michael Morpurgo.

Format: Audio cassette (A Format)
Ageband: 8 to 13
Release Date: 05 Nov 2001
Pages: None
ISBN: 978-0-00-713888-3
Michael Morpurgo OBE is one of Britain\'s best-loved writers for children, and has sold more than 35 million books around the world. He has written more than 150 novels and won many prizes, including the Smarties Prize, the Whitbread Award and the Blue Peter Book Award, while several of his books have been adapted for stage and screen, including the global theatrical phenomenon War Horse. Michael was Children’s Laureate from 2003 to 2005, and founded the charity Farms for City Children with his wife, Clare. He was knighted in 2018 for services to literature and charity.

”About the book, from Amazon:'This book is a very very good read for people affected or unaffected by Foot and Mouth. It helps give an insight from a childs perspective into how foot and mouth affected farmers and their families.” -

”'Michael Morpurgo has managed to distil so much of the pain and anguish that has been inflicted on farming communities throughout the UK by Fooot and Mouth Disease … the simplicity and authenticity of the writing is quite breathtaking.” -

”'Well done Michael Morpurgo for conveying what so many of us have felt over the last months and been so lamentably unable to express to others. Please read it!” -

”'I feel that Michael Morpurgo has enabled the reader to empathise with the plight of the farmer in these harrowing and distressing times. Once again, Morpurgo is not afraid to deal with death and other difficult topics in his childrens' books.” -

Related Articles

Princess Anne visits Nethercott House to celebrate Farms for City Children’s 40th Anniversary

On Tuesday 17th January, HRH, The Princess Royal, visited Nethercott House to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Farms for City Children. Having arrived by helicopter, Princess Anne was greeted by the Lord Lieutenant and founders of the charity, Michael and Clare Morpurgo.   Princess Anne visited the piggery, the forest… Read More

Farms for City Children Celebrates its 40th Anniversary

Farms for City Children celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, and proceeds from Michael Morpurgo’s new book “Didn’t we have a lovely time?” will help give even more urban children a chance to experience a real farm. Chief Executive Dr Tessa Stone writes about this unique endeavour. Farms for City Children… Read More