War Horse

by Michael Morpurgo

Overview

A new paperback with a gorgeous cover from the upcoming movie!

In 1914, Joey, a beautiful bay-red foal with a distinctive cross on his nose, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western Front. With his officer, he charges toward the enemy, witnessing the horror of the battles in France. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey's courage touches the soldiers around him and he is able to find warmth and hope. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer's son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545403351
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	11/01/2011
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Michael Morpurgo, former Children's Laureate of Britain, is the author of War Horse, called "Superb" by the NYT Book Review, and now a major motion picture. His other prize-winning books include Kensuke's Kingdom, Private Peaceful, and The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips. Michael lives in England, with his wife, Clare. Together, they founded the charity Farms for City Children, which gives children from urban areas an opportunity to spend a week working on a farm. Learn more at michaelmorpurgo.org.

Editorial Reviews

Although a first-person animal narrator asks a lot of the reader, Joey's voice—unsentimental and brave under fire—amplifies the emotional impact of the story…The historical details in this short book powerfully ground it in its moment, but a timeless question drives the story: Will the two friends, Joey and Albert, ever see each other again?
—The New York Times

Regina Marler

"Superb." -- New York Times Book Review "... the novel [has an] antiwar message, and the terse details speak eloquently about peace." -- Booklist

From the Publisher

Gr 5–8—Since he was a young colt, Joey has been loved and cared for by Alber, a young English farm boy. At the beginning of Wold War I, Albert's father sells Joey to a captain in the cavalry. The boy is devastated and promises Joey that someday he will find him. Joey experiences army life and the disastrous consequences of a cavalry charge into machine guns. He is captured as a prisoner of war and becomes a hospital cart transport horse for the German army. The he's used by the German soldiers to pull gun carts through the muddy trenches. Joey bolts after his friend Topflight dies. He ends up in no-man's land between the trenches. By a coin toss, he becomes again the property of the English. Joey is taken to a veterinary hospital where he is reunited with Albert. As the soldiers from both sides of the conflict share their thoughts and feelings with Joey, listeners get unique and perceptive views of World War I. John Keating's' different accents are pitch perfect as he draws listeners into the story (Scholastic, 1982) by Michael Morpurgo. An excellent choice for fans of historical fiction.—Samantha Larsen Hastings, Riverton Library, UT

School Library Journal

John Keating establishes a convincing narrator with his portrayal of Joey, an English farm horse. Keating delivers this story’s differing points of view, making it easy to distinguish between the equine observer and the humans in his world. All too soon, Joey leaves his loving farm boy, Albert, to soldier through the horrors of WWI. Like the classic horse hero Black Beauty, Joey has a string of human owners. Keating characterizes each with credible emotions, accents, and age qualities. Through his portrayals, listeners understand the uniqueness of Joey’s masters, whether Welsh or German. Hearing their distinctly different stories and voices enables listeners to see the humans’ commonality. Each one hates war and bears love and admiration for the courage of this noble steed. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2010 - AudioFile