War Horse - Softcover

Morpurgo, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0749748508 ISBN 13: 9780749748500

Publisher: Egmont Books Ltd, 2002

Synopsis

Sold to a drunken farmer, Joey, a beautiful red-bay foal with a distinctive cross on his nose, finds a friend in the farmer's son, Albert. His father brutally demands Joey work or be sold, so Albert gently trains him to pull the plough. But it's not enough. When war breaks out, Albert's father, needy for money for his struggling farm, sells Joey to the army, where he, like the soldiers around him, must try to cope with the horrors of the First World War. Joey and another thoroughbred horse, Topthorn, lead in a terrible cavalry charge towards the machine guns of the enemy's lines. Joey is captured by the Germans and for while he is lovingly cared for by Emilie, a young French girl and her grandfather. But he and Topthorn must pull a heavy gun, battling through the mud until Topthorn dies of exhaustion. Joey wanders in no man's land, back towards the British trench, but despite a joyful reunion with Albert, Joey is not out of danger. First tetanus threatens his life, and even then Emilie's grandfather has to bid to save him from the butcher. The old man promised his granddaughter when she died he would find the horse she loved and buy him, but recognising Albert's love for Joey, he sells Joey back to Albert on condition he will love for him all his life - for the princely sum of one English penny.

About this title

About the Author:

Michael Morpurgo, former Children's Laureate of Britain, is the author of War Horse, called “Superb" by the New York Times 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 Devon, 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 in the countryside. You can find out more about him and his books at michaelmorpurgo.org.

From AudioFile:

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

About this edition

• Publisher: Egmont Books Ltd
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0749748508
• ISBN 13: 9780749748500
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 182