Tag: Michael Morpurgo

Shadow by Michael Morpurgo (J Historical Fiction)

“She may be a dog, but I think she is more like a friend than a dog, like a friendly shadow that does not want to leave us. You never lose your shadow.”

Shadow

Michael Morpurgo (J Historical Fiction)

Aman and his family lived in the beautiful and peaceful valley of Bamiyan. When Russian fighters came followed by the Taliban, Afghanistan was no longer the safe home that Aman and his people once knew. Forced to flee his homeland, Aman and his mother make the perilous journey to England through Kabul, Kandahar, Iran, Turkey, and across the English Channel. Through it all, he was given comfort, joy, and hope through a Springer Spaniel that he named Shadow. Now, six years later, Aman and his mother face deportation and it’s up to his classmate Matt and his grandfather to find a way to keep Aman in England. With time running out, will Aman lose his new home just like he lost Shadow?

Michael Morpurgo is the reason why historical fiction is my favorite genre. His strong characters take center stage while historical facts and pivotal details provide a colorful backdrop to a compelling and heart-pounding story. Morpurgo sheds light on a region where the police are just as dangerous as the area warlords and local militias; and he shows readers that money can’t guarantee safety and trusted allies are easily corrupted by force or bribery. It is a dangerous world and Aman discovers this all too soon at the young age of eight.  

Morpurgo also introduces readers to Yarl’s Wood—a place where Aman and his mother are kept prior to their scheduled deportation. Opened in 2001, the facility is in Bedfordshire, UK and is the main removal center for up to 405 individuals. A second wing added in 2002 increased capacity to 900. Shadow details the horrific conditions of the facility including poor living conditions, children being separated from their parents, and a lack of access to legal representation. According to a recent online article by the BBC (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-66121098), the facility now houses only men and although conditions seem to be improving, officials admit that there is still more work to be done.

Shadow is told from three points of view: Aman, Matt, and Matt’s grandfather. For the most part, Aman is our main narrator and through his lens we experience courage and hope of the strongest measure. This book is recommended for readers ages 10 to 14 and contains passages dealing with physical abuse, death, and animal cruelty. Opting for the higher end of the age range might be a safe choice for sensitive readers although all will benefit from the accurate account of a region and people in turmoil while navigating the emotions that this raw, immersive, and captivating story provides.

Shadow reminds us to never underestimate the human spirit or the impact that a loyal and brave companion has on our own capacity to trust and endure the seemingly unbearable. During one of their more difficult times, Aman’s mother said to him, “She may be a dog, but I think she is more like a friend than a dog, like a friendly shadow that does not want to leave us. You never lose your shadow.”

Rating: 5/5

* Book cover image attributed to: www.abebooks.com

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An Elephant in the Garden – Michael Morpurgo (YA Historical Fiction)

An Elephant in the Garden

An Elephant in the Garden    

Michael Morpurgo (Young Adult Historical Fiction)

Lizzie is eighty-two years old and is idly spending her days in a nursing home.  But today is February 13th and on this particular day, she has a story to tell.  It’s a rather sad story because on this day, in 1945, the bombers flew over Dresden, Germany and set the city on fire.  Lizzie, her brother, and her mother are forced to flee their home.  The Red Army is coming from the east and the allied forces—the Americans and British—are coming from the west.  They would go west, but they would not be going alone.  They would be bringing Marlene, a four-year-old elephant that Lizzie’s mother rescued from the zoo.  It would be this wonderful, gentle companion that would keep their spirits up, open unexpected doors, and ultimately save their lives.

Michael Morpurgo proves once again what a gifted and compassionate storyteller he is.  An Elephant in the Garden is a beautifully told and compelling story that transports the reader into war-torn Germany as thousands of refugees struggle for survival during World War II. His characters leap off the page and we are there to share in their daily quest for food, shelter, and obscurity from the encroaching Russian soldiers.  In his Author’s Note, Morpurgo writes that his story was inspired by an actual female zookeeper who saved one young elephant from certain death.  The zoo’s director had given orders that all animals were to be killed rather than risk their release into the town should the city fall under attack.  If you Google “Belgium, Zoo, Elephant, WWII”, you can see actual photographs and the story which inspired this heartwarming book.

At my library, this book is shelved in the young adult section; however, I think children as young as nine would appreciate and benefit from this story.  Stories about war are often dark and bleak, but the overall message of courage, resilience, friendship, and hope spans across all age groups and garners mutual appeal.

When Lizzie was conveying a moment in her youth, she recalled an instance when she was talking to Marlene, desperate to find some comfort and understanding from her silent friend.  She said, “For an answer she wafted her ears gently at me, and groaned deep inside herself.  It was enough to tell me that she had listened, and understood, and that she did not judge me.  I learned something that day from Marlene, about friendship, and I have never forgotten it.  To be a true friend, you have to be a good listener, and I discovered that day that Marlene was the truest of friends.”  Morpurgo reminds us that true friends not only listen with their ears, but also with their hearts and sometimes the best friends need not offer words in return, but simply just offer themselves.

Rating: 5/5

* Book cover image attributed to www.amazon.com 

 

 

 

A Medal for Leroy by Michael Morpurgo (J Historical Fiction)

A Medal for Leroy

A Medal for Leroy   

Michael Morpurgo (Juvenile Historical Fiction)

Michael has no father, brothers, or sisters.  Just his mother, Maman, and two aunts:  Auntie Pish and Auntie Snowdrop.  It is 1940s London and right after the war.  Michael’s friends call him “Poodle” because of his frizzy hair and French ancestry.  But Michael doesn’t mind much.  In fact, he likes being different, being special.  Regarding his father, Michael knows only what his mother has told him:  his father’s name was Roy, he was a Spitfire pilot, and he was killed in the war.  But when Michael’s aunt passes away, she leaves behind a clue that will not only shed light on his past, but also finally reveal who he is.

A Medal for Leroy was inspired by the true story of Walter Tull, the first black person to serve as an officer in the British Army.  Like his fictional counterpart in this story (Michael’s grandfather, Leroy), Tull grew up in an orphanage, played soccer, served heroically in battle, and has no known grave.  Both Tull and Leroy deserved a medal for bravery, but were denied because of the color of their skin.  Morpurgo is a master storyteller (author of the spectacular novel War Horse) and provides his characters with a surprising amount of depth given that his book is only 130 pages.  He delicately tackles the ugliness of racial intolerance and inequality while showing young readers the value of having dignity in the face of disgrace and showing love without reservations or conditions.

In a world that still seems divided by so many factors, it is worth looking at the words that Michael’s aunt, who served as a nurse during the First World War, wrote to Michael: “It was while I was with those poor wounded soldiers that I first understood, Michael, that when all’s said and done, it’s what we all want and need most: to love and to be loved.”  Words lovingly passed along to a beloved nephew that would serve us all to remember today and always.

Rating: 4/5

* Book cover image attributed to www.goodreads.com