Michael Morpurgo

A charming series of adventures for younger readers, featuring a family of all sorts of animals that live in the farmyard behind the tumble-down barn on Mudpuddle Farm! Two fantastic stories in one volume! Martians at Mudpuddle Farm: Have Martians landed on Mudpuddle Farm? Farmer Rafferty seems to think so. Now it's up to Albertine, Goose Queen, to work it out. Luckily she's the cleverest goose in the whole world, so if anyone knows what to do, she will! Mum's the Word: Something strange is going on at Mudpuddle Farm. Egbert the goat is not himself at all. Instead of grumbling, he's singing and dancing! And he's even greedier than usual!

ISBN: 9780007275137

How far would you go to find yourself? The lyrical, life-affirming new novel from the bestselling author of Private Peaceful There were dozens of us on the ship, all up on deck for the leaving of Liverpool, gulls wheeling and crying over our heads, calling good-bye! That is all I remember of England. When six-year-old orphan Arthur Hobhouse is shipped to Australia after WWII he loses his sister, his country and everything he knows. Overcoming enormous hardships with fellow orphan Marty, Arthur is finally saved by the extraordinary people he meets and by his talent for boat-design and sailing. Now he has built a special boat for his daughter Allie - a solo yacht designed to carry her to England in search of his long-lost sister. Will the threads of Arthur's life finally come together? I was there on the quayside to see Allie take her out for the first time, saw her dancing through the waves, and I knew I'd never built a finer boat.

ISBN: 9780007230587

A heart-warming tale of courage and warmth, set against the backdrop of the Second World War, about an abandoned village, a lifelong friendship and one very adventurous cat! 'Classic Morpurgo brilliance' - Publishing News. "Something's up. Something big too, very big. At school, in the village, whoever you meet, it's all anyone talks about. It's like a sudden curse has come down on us all. It makes me wonder if we'll ever see the sun again." It's 1943, and Lily Tregenze lives on a farm, in the idyllic seaside village of Slapton. Apart from her father being away, and the 'townie' evacuees at school, her life is scarcely touched by the war. Until one day, Lily and her family, along with 3000 other villagers, are told to move out of their homes - lock, stock and barrel. Soon, the whole area is out of bounds, as the Allied forces practise their landings for D-day, preparing to invade France. But Tips, Lily's adored cat, has other ideas - barbed wire and keep-out signs mean nothing to her, nor does the danger of guns and bombs. Frantic to find her, Lily makes friends with two young American soldiers, who promise to help her. But will she ever see her cat again? Lily decides to cross the wire into the danger zone to look for Tips herself! Now, many years later, as Michael is reading his Grandma Lily's diary, he learns about 'The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips' - and wonders how one adventurous cat could still affect their lives sixty years later.

From former Children's Laureate and award-winning author Michael Morpurgo comes, "Arthur High King of Britain", reissued with a beautiful new cover.Marooned on a sandbank, a boy faces certain death. With the sea closing in and the current about to drag him to a watery grave, his final wish is to see heaven.Waking in a strange bed, the boy meets an old man sitting by the fire with his dog. It is Arthur, the great warrior king of legend, and from his lips the boy hears of Camelot, chivalry, magic, evil and betrayal.

ISBN: 9781405239615

Billy was a champion soccer star, playing for Chelsea in the 1930s. But that was before war broke out! Billy the Kid is told through the voice of an 80 year old man, who looks back on his life as Chelsea's champion striker until the outbreak of war in 1939 and on through his subsequent life. Billy joins Chelsea as a football apprentice, rises through the reserves to become a real champion. His passion for football sees him through the war years -- even as a prisoner of war he organises a friendly against the Italians -- but, having been injured by a mine he cannot play for Chelsea on his return to England. Billy turns to vagrancy and alcohol and for years he wanders up and down the country. He re-settles in London in a derelict house and is befriended by a family who move him to a shed in their garden. He, in turn, helps their son with his football who in his turn becomes a Chelsea player. Billy becomes a Chelsea Pensioner and his 80th birthday is celebrated when Chelsea play at home. A novel for both children and adults which deals with some difficult issues.

ISBN: 9780007105472

A sumptuous collection of beautifully illustrated stories and verse, published in aid of The Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts and to celebrate the Prince of Wales's 60th birthday In this special birthday book, we have collected new and previously published pieces by today's most acclaimed children's writers, and extracts from well-loved children's literature, all accompanied by stunning artwork from leading illustrators. This collection includes stories, poems, fiction and non-fiction extracts - all specially chosen around the theme of birthdays and all with introductions by authors and celebrities.Royalties will go to the Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts, which works closely with local and national arts providers (like theaters, orchestras, museums and galleries) and schools to provide high quality and sustained access to the arts for children who would otherwise not have this access. This anthology gathers together some of the best-known authors and illustrators writing and illustrating for children, including: Philip Ardagh; Peter Bailey; Nicola Bayley; Ian Beck; Patrick Benson; Anna Bhushan; Malorie Blackman; Quentin Blake; Valerie Bloom; Lewis Carroll; Emma Chichester Clark; Eoin Colfer; Susan Cooper; Frank Cottrell-Boyce; and, Kevin Crossley-Holland.Others include Roald Dahl, Alexis Deacon, Maura Dooley, Sara Fanelli, Anne Fine, Hannah Firmin, Catherine Fisher, Michael Foreman, John Foster, Jamila Gavin, David Gentleman, Emily Gravett, Anthony Horowitz, Norman Hunter, Eva Ibbotson, Bruce Ingman, John Lawrence, Mick Manning & Brita Granstrom, Geraldine McCaughrean, Roger McGough, Michael Morpurgo, Andrew Motion, E. Nesbit, Philip Pullman, Arthur Ransome, Chris Riddell, David Roberts, J. K. Rowling, Axel Scheffler, Nick Sharratt, Posy Simmonds, Joel Stewart, Noel Streatfeild, Eleanor Updale, Charlotte Voake, Jacqueline Wilson, Chris Wormell, and Kit Wright.

ISBN: 9780224083607

Joy and heartbreak combine in this bittersweet tale of a champion greyhound's journey through life -- and from owner to owner! "The sack wasn't just drifting gently along like everything else, it was turning of its own accord. There was definitely something inside it, struggling against the side of the plastic bag, kicking at it, squeaking and squealing in terror. He had no idea what it might be, only that it was alive and in danger of drowning." When Patrick saves a litter of greyhound puppies from the canal, he can't bear to hand them all over to the RSPCA. He pleads with his parents: couldn't he just keep one of them? But nothing will convince them and Patrick cries himself to sleep -- only to be woken by a greyhound puppy licking his face! Patrick christens his puppy Best Mate, and that's what he becomes. Patrick's favourite thing is to watch Best Mate running at full stretch on the heath, a speeding bullet, a cheetah-dog. Until one day Best Mate is kidnapped by a greyhound trainer, and begins a new life as a champion race dog. Suzie, the greyhound trainer's step-daughter, loves Best Mate on first sight and gives him a new name, Bright Eyes.But what will happen when he can't run any more?

A gentle and deeply moving story of a young girl and her bear, told with great charm by a master storyteller. High in the mountains, in a tiny village, an abandoned bear cub is adopted by a lonely orphan child. Soon they are inseparable, beloved by the whole village -- safe, until the arrival of a glamorous film crew who need a dancing bear!

ISBN: 9780006745112

Michael Morpurgo is a master storyteller, former Children's Laureate and multi-award winner. This is a fresh reissue of a much-loved story with a beautiful new cover. Turned away by his own son, Cessie's long-lost grandfather finds himself in the place he fears most - a nursing home called Shangri-La. Only Cessie loves him and is determined to help him escape and unravel the truth of his past - a past that comes to him only in glimpses - a lifeboat, a tin of condensed milk, and, a terrifying night on the beaches of Dunkirk in World War II.

ISBN: 9781405226707

Set on a farm in rural Devon, Farm Boy is a collection of Grandpa's reminiscences and stories touchingly told to his grandson. Superbly told by a master storyteller and stunningly illustrated by Michael Foreman -- an exquisite book.

A heart-warming, colour-illustrated novel about Kaspar the Savoy cat, from the award-winning author of Born to Run and The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips Kaspar the cat first came to the Savoy Hotel in a basket - Johnny Trott knows, because he was the one who carried him in. Johnny was a bell-boy, you see, and he carried all of Countess Kandinsky's things to her room. But Johnny didn't expect to end up with Kaspar on his hands forever, and nor did he count on making friends with Lizziebeth, a spirited American heiress. Pretty soon, events are set in motion that will take Johnny - and Kaspar - all around the world, surviving theft, shipwreck and rooftop rescues along the way. Because everything changes with a cat like Kaspar around. After all, he's Prince Kaspar Kandinsky, Prince of Cats, a Muscovite, a Londoner and a New Yorker, and as far as anyone knows, the only cat to survive the sinking of the Titanic!

ISBN: 9780007266999

Michael's parents buy a yacht, and take him off to sail round the world. Washed overboard in a fierce storm, Michael finds himself on the shore of a remote island - and soon discovers he's not alone. Kensuke, a former Japanese soldier, survived the war and the bombing of Hiroshima, but his family perished. As an extraordinary bond forms between the two, Kensuke faces a heart-breaking choice: can he give up the secluded life he's built for himself to help reunite Michael with his parents? Knowing the pain of losing his own family, Kensuke knows which way he has to decide...

Michael Morpurgo is a master storyteller, former Children's Laureate and multi-award winner. This is a fresh reissue of a much-loved story with a beautiful new cover. Escaping from China as the Japanese invade, Ashley and Uncle Sung embark on a perilous journey across the Himalayas. Then Ashley finds himself alone in the hostile mountains, battling for his life. He is just about to give up all hope, when he has a mysterious and terrifying encounter.

ISBN: 9781405226684

The last snows of winter are melting away and Little Albatross sits snug in the warmth of Mother Albatross' feathers. He grows bigger and stronger, until one day Mother and Father Albatross go fishing together, leaving Little Albatross alone for the first time. Will they return in time to save him from the killer bird who is watching, waiting...?

ISBN: 9780552546980

Michael Morpurgo is a master storyteller, former Children's Laureate and multi-award winner. This is a fresh reissue of a much-loved story with a beautiful new cover. This is another summer, another foster family. George has already made up his mind to run away, back to the children's home. None of the previous families have wanted him. Why should the Dyers be any different? But George begins to feel at ease with Tom Dyer and his sister Storme, even happy, and changes his mind. He could even feel at home with them - couldn't he?

ISBN: 9781405226691

A moving tale of secrets and survival bound together by the power of music, from a master storyteller. When Lesley is sent to Venice to interview world-renowned violinist Paulo Levi on his fiftieth birthday, she cannot believe her luck. She is told that she can ask him anything at all – except the Mozart question. But it is Paulo himself who decides that it is time for the truth to be told. And so follows the story of his parents as Jewish prisoners of war, forced to play Mozart violin concerti for the enemy; how they watched fellow Jews being led off to their deaths and knew that they were playing for their lives. As the story unfolds, the journalist begins to understand the full horror of war, and how one group of musicians survived using the only weapon they had music.

ISBN: 9781406312201

This is a fresh reissue of a much-loved story with a beautiful new cover. Things have been difficult for Harry since his mother remarried. With a new baby at home, and only trouble at school, life is unbearable. Ocky the chimp, escaped from the circus, offers Harry a chance for a new life. With his friend, Harry runs away from all the people who seem so hard on him. At first, life on the road is an adventure, but gradually everyone they trust betrays them. When their lives are in danger, who will help Harry and Ocky?

ISBN: 9781405226714

From former Children's Laureate and award-winning author Michael Morpurgo comes "The Sleeping Sword", reissued with a beautiful new cover. When Bun Bendle is struck blind he feels like he is drowning in blackness. But the discovery of an ancient tomb and a strangely familiar sword changes him forever.For Bun, a centuries-old power may lead to a bright future.

ISBN: 9781405239622

A fictional account of the day a whale swam up the Thames, in which the whale makes an environmental plea to the boy who first sees him. At sunrise, young Michael spots a whale on the shores of the Thames and thinks he must be dreaming. But the creature is real and it has a message for him – one that only an open-minded child can deliver to the rest of the world. The whale warns that the earth’s days are numbered and that humans must put right the damage they are doing, but how can Michael fulfil his promise to tell others when neither his teacher nor his classmates will believe his story? Within hours, the city and the wider world have learned of London’s remarkable visitor, and all eyes are on the whale’s struggle against the receding tide. Michael must now join his new friend in a race against time to reach the ocean, and hold fast to his promise in the race to save the world itself.

ISBN: 9781406306460

"Countdown" - Hugo wants a gerbil, but his dad says it's cruel to keep something in a cage. To prove him wrong, Hugo sets out to stay in a room by himself all day. But can he stand it, or will he crack? "My Brother Bernadette" - Bernard and Sara are off to the summer project. Only problem is, Bernard just wants to do the clothes design course. Big Dan starts calling him Bernardette, but he doesn't reckon on Bernard's skill with a needle and thread. "Snakes and Ladders" - At school, she's called 'Weedy Wendy' - but Wendy isn't afraid of Slinky, Grandad's snake. When she takes Slinky to school and he wriggles out of her school bag, Wendy will brave anything to rescue him.

ISBN: 9781405227117

From former Children's Laureate and award-winning author Michael Morpurgo comes "The White Horse of Zennor", reissued with a beautiful new cover.At the furthest edge of Britain where the sea gently washes over the land and myths brush against reality, lies Zennor. Set in a churchtown where men become beasts and ghosts roam freely, are haunting and unforgettable tales where magic lies around every corner.Watch for the white horse who comes thundering over the moor in the moonlight.

ISBN: 9781405239639

This is an exciting adventure and friendship story by a much-loved, award winning author. Gracie and her friend, Daniel have always been warned to stay away from the Birdman and his side of the island. But then, they find a message in the sand and discover the Birdman is not who they thought. They build up a lovely friendship with him, but when the children get stranded on Samson Island they don't know whether to believe the birdman's story that the island is cursed. Set on a remote island against the backdrop of World War I, this story will captivate and delight young readers.

ISBN: 9781405229258

Life on the Scilly Isles in 1907 is bleak and full of hardship. Laura's twin brother, Billy, disappears, and then a storm devastates everything. It seems there's little hope... that is until the Zanzibar is wrecked on the island's rocks and everything changes.

ISBN: 9781405233361