Michael Morpurgo is one of the most prolific writers
around. He began writing stories as a primary schoolteacher 40 years ago and
has since written more than 120 books. I remember my two children excitedly
discovering The Butterfly Lion, a
tale that so enthralled them that they proceeded to whizz through every other
Morpurgo book they could lay their hands on.
Morpurgo, who was children’s laureate from 2003 to 2005,
has the knack of writing books that catapult you into a different world. And
none more so than his latest novel, A
Medal for Leroy.
Partly inspired by Morpurgo’s own life and partly by
the life of Walter Tull, the only black soldier to serve in the British Army
during the First World War, A Medal for
Leroy is a poignant story, movingly told.
As Morpurgo explains: “Walter Tull was the inspiration
for Leroy in my story. This extraordinary young man had grown up in an
orphanage in London, had played football for Spurs, then joined up with his
pals when war began in 1914.
“He was incredibly brave in the field of battle and
deserved a medal for gallantry. He never received one. He died leading his men
into attack in 1918. He has no known grave. Many of the issues raised in this
book spring from the life and death of this brave young man. This is why the
book is dedicated to his memory.”
A Medal for Leroy, charmingly illustrated by Michael Foreman, is the story of Michael, a little boy living in London with
his French mother after the Second World War.
Michael’s father died a hero before he was born, shot down in a dogfight
over the Channel in 1940. But Michael has one of his medals
and occasionally visits his two aged aunts, Auntie Pish and Auntie Snowdrop, to
scatter snowdrops on the sea in his memory.
After Auntie Snowdrop's death, Michael discovers a
writing pad tucked behind a photograph of his father. It's filled with his aunt's writing and contains family secrets that have remained hidden for years. “I knew even as I began to read – and I have no idea how I knew – that my
life would be changed forever," says Michael, "that after I’d read this I would never be the
same person again.”
Morpurgo has had a stupendous year. First the
movies of War Horse and Private Peaceful (weepies, both of them) hit the big screen, and now he has written
this fine new novel. Suitable for children aged nine and over, it is compelling
and thought-provoking. Vintage Morpurgo.
Thanks to HarperCollins, I have two copies of A Medal for Leroy to give away. All you
have to do is leave a comment about your favourite children's book at
the end of this post.
This giveaway
is open to readers with UK postal addresses only.
Plus, as a special Christmas promotion, you can buy A Medal for Leroy and get Little Manfred free. Find out more here.
Plus, as a special Christmas promotion, you can buy A Medal for Leroy and get Little Manfred free. Find out more here.
A Medal for Leroy by Michael Morpurgo (HarperCollins, £12.99)
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