Morpurgo recalled in another article: "As I listened to this boy telling the horse everything he'd done on the farm that day, I suddenly had the idea that of course the horse didn't understand every word, but that she knew it was important for her to stand there and be there for this child." Retell the story from Tophorn’s point of view. How did he come to be involved in the war? How did he feel about taking part and meeting Joey?

Steven Spielberg decided to make War Horse into a movie. Can you see why? Why do you think war movies are popular with audiences?

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On its first publication in 1982 the book was only translated into a 'handful' of languages. As a side effect of the interest in the film adaptation by Steven Spielberg, the publishers of the book have recently been "inundated" with requests for translation rights for the book to coincide with the film's release in late 2011. [20] The end of the war arrives suddenly; when the men are about to leave for home, Albert asks Major Martin about the fate of the horses. He learns that they will be auctioned off, likely to local butchers who will slaughter them for meat. Major Martin gives the men every penny of his salary to try to win Joey at auction. They are outbid by the butcher, but at the last minute another bid is received and Joey is sold to Emilie's grandfather. Emilie died after the horses left the farm, and the old man wants to keep Joey in her memory. When he hears Albert's story, the grandfather sells Joey to Albert for one penny, as long as Albert promises to keep Emilie's memory alive. Albert does so. Poor Joey and Albert get separated during WW1, both are distraught. This book will make you smile and cry.

Farm Boy (War Horse, book 2) by Michael Morpurgo". www.fantasticfiction.com . Retrieved 25 April 2019. The third inspiration for the book, was an old oil painting that belonged to Morpurgo's wife Clare: "It was a very frightening and alarming painting, not the sort you'd want to hang on a wall. It showed horses during the First World War charging into barbed wire fences. It haunted me." The painting - by artist F. W. Reed - is dated 1917, and depicts a British cavalry charge on German lines, with horses entangled in barbed wire. Morpurgo mentions a fictionalised version of this painting in his 'Author's Note' at the start of the book. In this version, the painting shows a red bay (horse) with a white cross on his forehead, and the painting bears the legend: "Joey. Painted by Captain James Nicholls, Autumn 1914." Morpurgo, Michael (1 January 2014). "First world war centenary is a year to honour the dead but not to glorify". The Guardian. Undaunted Author of ‘War Horse’ Reflects on Unlikely Hit," New York Times (US). 12 April 2011, retrieved 17 April 2011.

Life Imitating Art. The book starts by describing a painting of Joey that Captain Nicholls made, which is hanging in the Iddesleigh town hall. Many readers if the book have believed that this painting, which Morpurgo made up, was real and went in search of it. Finally, following the stage play and film adaptations, Morpurgo commissioned an old-fashioned painting of a horse matching Joey’s description to hang in the town hall for the benefit of his fans. Morpurgo met a World War I veteran in his local pub at Iddesleigh and learned that he had been in the Devon Yeomanry working with horses during the war. Morpurgo began thinking of how he could tell the story of the universal suffering of the Great War through the alternate perspective of a cavalry horse, but was unsure that he could do it. He also came across another villager, Captain Budgett, who had also been involved with the cavalry in WWI, and yet another who remembered the army coming to the village to buy horses. Morpurgo recognises the three men in the dedication section of the book, naming them as Albert Weeks, Wilfred Ellis and Captain Budgett.

Can you paint the picture of Joey that is described in the ‘Author’s Note’ at the start of the book? Some might say that Michael Morpurgo is the nation's storyteller. A titan of literature, children all over the planet love and devour his books. A grandfather explaining to his grandson how his difficult post-war childhood had led him into petty crime. After a summer working on the farm for Emilie's grandfather, the horses have to leave to follow the German army and pull artillery guns. Emilie is distraught at the loss of her horses. Topthorn is now ridden by Crazy Friedrich, a thoughtful man who has become very attached to him. As the horses are drinking from a stream, Topthorn stumbles and collapses. Joey realizes that he has lost his best friend. As Joey and Friedrich mourn Topthorn, the sound of shells exploding begins around them. Friedrich does not manage to get away and is killed a few paces from Topthorn. Joey stays with them for as long as possible, not wanting to be alone in the world, but the gunfire and shelling terrify him; he begins to run with no particular direction in mind. He runs all night, stumbling over craters and ditches until he feels barbed wire snag his leg. He rips himself free, but his leg begins to stiffen; as the sun rises, he hears excited voices on both sides of him. Joey has found himself trapped in No Man's Land between the British and German trenches. A man in a German uniform waves a white handkerchief and comes out off the trench on one side, and a British soldier follows suit. They agree to work together to free Joey; once they have done so, they flip a coin to decide who will take ownership of Joey. The British soldier wins, and Joey rejoins the British army. The two soldiers observe that if the war were left to them, they would be able to solve everything by communicating and trusting each other. Albert's father, troubled by his inability to keep his farm financially sound, drinks to excess weekly. He is normally a loving husband and father, but when he drinks he abuses his loved ones verbally, and mistreats Joey the horse.

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close Exclusive: War Horse Cast Announced". Empire. 17 June 2010 . Retrieved 17 June 2010. taking the lead (or the reins) is young actor Jeremy Irvine, who has earned his stripes with both the National Youth Theatre and the RSC.

Butcher, Emily (31 October 2011). "Morpurgo's myth revealed". National Army Museum . Retrieved 8 November 2011.

Once upon a life: Michael Morpurgo". The Observer. London. 11 July 2010 . Retrieved 4 February 2011. Joey is a young farm horse, sold to the army at the beginning of the First World War. Through his eyes the reader experiences the devastation of the Western Front, his capture by the Germans and his entrapment in No Man's Land. Albert's father could not afford to keep Joey, so he sends him to the Army without Albert knowing. When Albert found out, he was more upset than he had ever been before. Albert tried to join too, but he was a year too young. Captain Nicholls promised to take care of Joey and led him away. Choose a pet or another animal and write a story from its point of view. What does it think about its life? How does it feel? What adventures might it have? Taylor, Jerome (19 June 2010). "Europe's finest join up for 'War Horse' ". The Independent. London . Retrieved 27 February 2011.