Michael Morpurgo (born, 5th October 1943) is an English author, and poet best known for his children’s novels. Children’s Laureate from 2003 to 2006, Morpurgo brings to life, history and adversity in a kind way that is easy for children to understand, tackling themes such as World War I, World War II, and the Middle East conflict.
An unhappy schooling in various boarding schools stayed with the author, inspiring The Butterfly Lion, but it would take him a while to come to writing. Morpurgo was a teacher first, teaching in primary schools in Kent before finally settling to writing, and becoming one of the best known children’s authors of our day.
Many of his books, including War Horse and Private Peaceful, have gone to movie, and notably War Horse is also a major stage production after the popularity of both the book and movie. While Morpurgo may be best known for writing for children, his novels transcend the ages and have universal appeal.
Prolific from 1974 to today, Morpurgo’s work encompasses roughly 300 works in 1,000 plus publications, across 25 languages, and more than 55,000 library holdings. If you haven’t read any of his works yet, here are some of our favourite quotes to give you a taster.
Stories make you think and dream; books make you want to ask questions.
From I Believe in Unicorns
That’s what sailing is, a dance, and your partner is the sea. And with the sea you never take liberties. You ask her, you don’t tell her. You have to remember always that she’s the leader, not you. You and your boat are dancing to her tune.
From Alone on a Wide, Wide Sea
Any problem can be solved between people if only they can trust each other
From War Horse
If I learned anything in this life, I’ve learned that you can’t cling on.
From Alone on a Wide, Wide Sea
He never reckoned much to schooling and that. He said you could learn most what was worth knowing from keeping your eyes and ears peeled. Best way of learning, he always said, was doing.
From Farm Boy
It’s no good wishing for the impossible. Don’t wish. Remember. Remembrances are real.
From Private Peaceful
For me, the greater part of writing is daydreaming, dreaming the dream of my story until it hatches out-the writing down of it I always find hard. But I love finishing it, then holding the book in my hand and sharing my dream with my readers.
And on writing
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