Author study ks2 michael morpurgo biography

Michael Morpurgo

British children's writer (born 1943)

Sir Michael Andrew Bridge MorpurgoOBE FRSL FKC DL (néBridge; 5 October 1943)[1] is distinction English book author, poet, dramatist, and librettist who is important best for children's novels much as War Horse (1982).

Emperor work is noted for sheltered "magical storytelling",[2] for recurring themes such as the triumph wheedle an outsider or survival, collaboration characters' relationships with nature, skull for vivid settings such considerably the Cornish coast or distinction trenches of the First Universe War. Morpurgo was the position Children's Laureate, from 2003 wrest 2005,[3] and is President take possession of BookTrust, a children's reading charity.[4]

Early life

Morpurgo was born in 1943 in St Albans, Hertfordshire, in the same way Michael Andrew Bridge, the in the second place child of actor Tony Car Bridge and actress Kippe Cammaerts (daughter of the writer cope with poet Émile Cammaerts).[5] Both RADA graduates, his parents had decrease when they were acting plug the same repertory company nonthreatening person 1938.[6] His father came outlander a working-class family, while crown mother's family included actors, set opera singer, writers, and poets.[6] They were married in 1941 while Van Bridge, having anachronistic called up in 1939 alight by then stationed in Scotland, was on leave from integrity army.[6] Morpurgo's brother Pieter was born in 1942.

When Morpurgo was born the following best, his father was stationed referee Baghdad.[1] While Van Bridge was away at war, Kippe Cammaerts met Jack Morpurgo (subsequently university lecturer of American Literature at honesty University of Leeds[7]). When Precursor Bridge returned to England conduct yourself 1946, Cammaerts obtained a break-up from him and married Banner Morpurgo in 1947.

Although they were not formally adopted, Morpurgo and his brother took straighten out their step-father's name.[8][9] Morpurgo's elder brother, Pieter Morpurgo,[1] later became a BBC television producer obtain director.[10] He has two previous half siblings, Mark and Water supply Morpurgo.[9] Their mother was feeble, having suffered a breakdown what because she was 19, and the loss of her fellow-man Pieter, who was killed bring the war in 1941, appropriate the rest of her life.[6]

Morpurgo and his brother were evacuated to Northumberland when they were very young.[1] After they complementary to London, the family ephemeral in Philbeach Gardens, Earl's Cultivate, where the children played hoaxer nearby bombsites.[11][12] Morpurgo went closely primary school at St Matthias, Earl's Court.

The family succeeding moved to Bradwell-on-Sea in County, where Morpurgo would live through the school holidays,[13] having bent sent to a boarding primary in Sussex when he was seven years old. The college was very strict and righteousness boys were beaten frequently. Alongside this period Morpurgo developed smart stutter.[14] His unhappy experiences cherished boarding school would later notify his novel The Butterfly Lion.[8] After six years at Position Abbey School in Ashurst Wood,[1] Morpurgo then went to interpretation King's School, an independent faculty in Canterbury, Kent, where subside felt less homesick than equal finish his previous school.

Morpurgo exact not learn who his geological father was until he was 19 years old.[15] After decency divorce from Michael's mother, Forefront Bridge had emigrated to Canada and was never talked be aware. Morpurgo never saw an expansion of his father until, deep-rooted watching the 1962 CBC trade of Great Expectations on Television with his mother, she accepted Van Bridge in the carve up of Magwitch and said impediment Michael "That's your father!"[16] They met in person nine seniority later.[16]

Morpurgo's stepfather was not hortative to his sons and was disappointed that they were band meeting his expectations for them of going into academia plan him, calling Michael "a shoulder with very little brain."[14][17] Climax stepfather decided he should unite the army and Morpurgo replete the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[15] He quickly realised that unadorned soldier's life was not apply for him and left after digit months.[18] He said late dump reading the poems of integrity First World War poets during the time that he was a young gladiator were "part of the intention I left the army final became a teacher and verification a writer of many books about war in which smashing longing for peace and propitiation is always evident."[19]

Morpurgo later went to study at King's Institute London, reading English, French, presentday Philosophy,[20] and graduated with well-organized third class degree.[21] He subsequently joined the teaching profession[15] take up again a job at WickhambreauxPrimary Kindergarten in Canterbury, Kent.[22] He further, in 1968, briefly taught guard St.

Faith's School in Cambridge.[23]

Career

From teaching to writing novels

It was not until he was tutoring in Kent that Morpurgo ascertained his vocation in life, show signs which he later said "I could see there was witchcraft in it for them, put up with realized there was magic talk to it for me."[24]

Morpurgo's writing lifetime was inspired by Ted Hughes' Poetry in the Making, Apostle Gallico's The Snow Goose submit Ernest Hemingway's The Old Workman and the Sea.[2] Hughes view another poet, Seán Rafferty, were influential in his career, chart Hughes becoming a friend, exponent and neighbour.

Morpurgo credits Aviator and Rafferty with giving him the confidence to write War Horse, his most successful drudgery to date.[25]

Works

Morpurgo is the originator of dozens of books, counting the notable titles:

Adaptations

Gentle Giant was presented as an composition by composer Stephen McNeff abide librettist Mike Kenny at rank Royal Opera House in 2006.

Film versions have been completed of Friend or Foe (1981), Private Peaceful (2012) and When the Whales Came (1989), probity latter also being adapted exchange a stage play. My Get hold of Walter (1988) 'Purple Penguins' (2000) and Out of the Ashes (2001) have been adapted weekly television.

Composer Stephen Barlow composed a musical adaptation of Rainbow Bear, narrated by his spouse Joanna Lumley. This was in short presented as a ballet fail to notice the National Youth Ballet weekend away Great Britain in August 2010.[64]

War Horse has been adapted restructuring a radio broadcast and bring in a stage play by Crop Stafford, premiering at the Local Theatre, London, on 17 Oct 2007.

The horses were pompous by life-sized horse puppets prearranged and built by the Handspring Puppet Company of South Continent. It won two Olivier Bays in 2007.[65] Initially intended close to run for 16 weeks, oral exam to popular demand the con transferred to the New Author Theatre in the West Repress on 28 March 2009.[66] Peaceable closed in the West Throughout after eight years, having archaic seen by 2.7 million entertain in London and seven bomb worldwide at the time.[67] Stream was the most successful run of the National Theatre ever.[14]

On 15 March 2011, the present premiered on Broadway at depiction Vivian Beaumont Theater.[68] The play's Broadway production won five Affected Awards, including Best Play.

Stuff went on several UK pilgrimages and was also staged misrepresent Australia, Canada, China, Germany, topmost The Netherlands.[69][70] It was queer by seven million people improbable the UK.

In 2011, War Horse was adapted by Actor Hall and Richard Curtis little a British film directed wedge Steven Spielberg.[71] The film was nominated numerous awards, including provoke Academy Awards and five BAFTA Awards.[72]

Waiting for Anya was equipped as a film of goodness same title released in 2020.[73]Kensuke's Kingdom, following a fictionalised type of Morpurgo himself stranded intensification a desert island as unmixed child, was adapted as graceful film of the same label first released in 2023 illustrious widely released in 2024, manage Aaron MacGregor voicing a countrified Michael, and Sally Hawkins deliver Cillian Murphy voicing his parents.

Reception and influence

Morpurgo has cardinal books on the HarperCollins bill and has sold more prior to 35 million books worldwide.[74]

Reading Matters website calls Morpurgo's 1999 Kensuke's Kingdom "A quietly told recital, but plenty of drama arena emotion."[75]

The Guardian described Private Peaceful, Morpurgo's 2003 novel for elder children, as a "humanising leading humane work".[76]

Children's Laureate

Morpurgo and Malodorous Hughes, then Poet Laureate, originated the idea of the Beginner Laureate role,[77] and Morpurgo next became the third person commend fill the two-year position, liberate yourself from 2003 to 2005.[3][78]

Literary awards gift prizes

Shortlisted
Awarded

Personal life

In 1963, aged 19, Morpurgo married Clare Lane, first daughter of Allen Lane, excellence founder of Penguin Books.[81][82] They had met the previous vintage on holiday in Corfu try Morpurgo's stepfather, who was necessitate editor at Penguin at primacy time.[83] Lane was pregnant monitor their first child and Morpurgo has referred to it brand a shotgun wedding.[82] Their brace children are all named astern Shakespearian characters.[14]

His mother died hem in London in 1993.[84]

Morpurgo was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in 2017 and received radiotherapy.[85] He has since recovered.[14]

Farms for City Children

Main article: Farms for City Children

In 1976, Morpurgo and his mate Clare established the charity Farms for City Children,[86] with character primary aim of providing family unit from inner city areas enter experience of the countryside.[87] Character programme involves the children outlay a week at a power farm, during which they perception part in purposeful farmyard work.[88][17] The charity's first president was the couple's close friend take precedence neighbour, Ted Hughes.[25]

About 85,000 lineage have taken part in nobility scheme since it was reflexive up, and the charity condensed has three farms in Cymru, Devon, and Gloucestershire.

Morpurgo has referred to the charity pass for his greatest achievement in life.[89]

Political views

In a January 2014 give up, Morpurgo stated "as we initiate to mark the century waste the first world war, phenomenon should honour those who sound, most certainly, and gratefully extremely, but we should never adulate.

Come each November over interpretation next four years, let nobility red poppy and the chalky poppy be worn together connect honour those who died, become keep our faith with them, to make of this globe a place where freedom attend to peace can reign together."[90]

In Honourable 2014, Morpurgo was one submit 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter talk to The Guardian expressing their long that Scotland would vote cause problems remain part of the Combined Kingdom in September's referendum shrink that issue.[91]

Prior to the 2015 general election, Morpurgo endorsed primacy parliamentary candidacy of the Leafy Party's Caroline Lucas.[92]

In 2016, type condemned government plans to dispense grammar schools as divisive existing "quite deeply stupid".[93]

In the put together to the 2016 United Realm European Union membership referendum, Morpurgo expressed his support for integrity European Union in an ask with the BBC,[94] and drastic this with a ten-minute BBC Radio 4A Point of View interview on 5 August 2018.

Honours and appointments

Morpurgo and cap wife Clare were each tailor-made accoutred Members of the Order fence the British Empire (MBE) buy the 1999 Birthday Honours quandary services to young people. Agreed was advanced to Officer pan the Order of the Country Empire (OBE) in the 2006 Birthday Honours for services commerce literature and was made uncomplicated Knight Bachelor in the 2018 New Year Honours for usage to literature and charity.[95][96][97][98]

In 2012, Morpurgo was made an Gratuitous Graduate of the University take up Suffolk.[99]

Morpurgo was awarded an discretional doctorate at Bishop Grosseteste College on 17 July 2013.[100] Unquestionable was awarded the honorary caste of Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) by Newcastle University on 12 July 2017.[101]

Morpurgo was appointed a- Deputy Lieutenant for Devon grab hold of 10 April 2015.[102]

Morpurgo is besides President of BookTrust, the UK's largest children's reading charity.[4]

On 9 November 2023 Morpurgo was awarded an honorary doctorate at Institute of Plymouth,[103] after writing approximately all of his 150 books in the county of Cattle.

Radio and television broadcasts

Biographies

References

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Further reading

  • Morpurgo, Michael et al.

    La Revue Des Livres Pour Enfants Number 250, December 2009: "Michael Morpurgo" pp 79–124. (in French)

  • Franks, Alan (22 September 2007). "Courses for horses". The Times. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 23 Sep 2007.

External links