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An Elephant in the Garden poster

Edinburgh Fringe – An Elephant in the Garden

About the show: Lizzie, her mother and an elephant from the zoo flee the Dresden firebombing in the Second World War. Escaping the Allies from the West – and the Russians from the East – this extraordinary trio of refugees meet: an RAF officer who has bailed out of his… Read More
Private Peaceful Promotional Poster

Edinburgh Fringe – Private Peaceful

About the show: ‘Private Peaceful at the theatre is a moving experience that not only tells the story of a young soldier’s final day in World War One, but perhaps more importantly conveys the strength of human spirit’ (Michael Morpurgo). ‘The horrors of war and the joyfulness of life are… Read More

Michael at the memorial of Thomas Samuel Henry Peacefull

Michael Morpurgo’s novel Private Peaceful was partly inspired by the memorial of a young soldier that he saw in the Bedford House Cemetery in Ypres, Flanders.  A few years after the book first published, Maxine Keeble  was researching her family tree and thought that there might be a connection. She… Read More

Michael Morpurgo’s Unsung Heroes Book Tour Announced!

From 6th November, we will be sharing the reviews of three parent bloggers who have been reading some of Michael’s most moving stories set in war time: An Eagle in the Snow, A Medal for Leroy and Private Peaceful. All of the books were inspired by real life stories, events… Read More
Actor in Private Peaceful at the Pick Me Up theatre

Private Peaceful | Pick Me Up Theatre

From 14 – 18 March 2017 a one-man stage adaptation of Private Peaceful will be performed at the John Cooper Studio Theatre, York. Private Peaceful tells the story of a young First World War soldier as he recalls his childhood memories while waiting for dawn on the Western Front. George Stagnell plays… Read More

Michael Morpurgo at ReadingZone Live!

Today, Michael Morpurgo is taking part in Reading Zone Live to talk about Private Peaceful and the commemoration of the Battle of the Somme. The ReadingZone Live programme is a collaboration with London Grid for Learning when authors visit schools and young people have the opportunity to ask… Read More

Michael Morpurgo – In Conversation

On Wednesday 22nd June 2016, Michael Morpurgo was In Conversation with Gaby Roslin. TV and radio star Gaby hosted the award-winning author in the beautiful, candle-lit St James’ Church in Piccadilly, London. Given that it was the run-up to the Battle of the Somme centenary, the pair talked a lot… Read More

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

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
Borders Book Festival

Borders Book Festival

Michael Morpurgo recently attended the Borders Book Festival, discussing his haunting novel, Private Peaceful, as the special commemorative edition is released in the lead up to the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.    … Read More