A Medal for Leroy
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Inspired by the true story of Walter Tull, the first black officer in the British army, this is a stunning new novel of identity and loss by Michael Morpurgo, biggest UK children’s author and the bestselling, award-winning writer of War Horse, now a smash West End and Broadway hit as well as an Oscar-nominated movie.
Michael doesn’t remember his father, an RAF pilot lost in the war. And his French mother, heartbroken and passionate, doesn’t like to talk about her husband. But then Auntie Snowdrop gives Michael a medal, followed by a photograph, which begin to reveal a hidden history.
A story of love and loss.
A story that will change everything – and reveal to Michael who he really is…
Reviews
“A simple story, beautifully told.” – Sunday Express
PRAISE FOR MICHAEL MORPURGO
“As ever, Morpurgo's warmth and humanity suffuse a story of courage, love and hope.” – Amanda Craig, The Times
“Morpurgo is a virtuoso at conjuring vibrant stories that draw on historical events." – The Observer Review
“Champagne quality over a wide range of subjects.” – The Telegraph
About the author
Sir Michael Morpurgo OBE FRSL FKC DL is a writer, playwright, performer and librettist. The author of more than 150 children’s books, he has sold over 35 million copies worldwide and in almost 40 languages. A former teacher and vocal spokesperson for the benefits of reading for pleasure, he is currently the President of Book Trust. Between 2003–2005 he was Children’s Laureate and in 2018 he was knighted for services to literature and charity. Many of Michael’s books have been adapted for stage and screen, including the phenomenal National Theatre adaptation of War Horse, which has been seen by over 10 million people in over 100 cities around the world, broke the West End record for weekly ticket sales, and won 5 Tony Awards and 2 Olivier Awards. Michael is also the co-founder, with his wife Clare, of the charity Farms for City Children.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Inspired by Walter Tull, the first black officer in the British army, War Horse author Morpurgo examines WWI from another angle with this novel narrated in the present day by a man named Michael as he looks back at his boyhood. As a nine-year-old in 1940s London, Michael dreads visiting his paternal aunts Mary and Martha, nicknamed Pish and Snowdrop: the trips only remind Michael and his Maman of his late father, Roy, an RAF pilot. Five years later, after Martha's funeral, Mary sends Michael a framed photo of his father; when the glass breaks, Michael discovers a hidden letter from Martha. What follows is her account of her time as a nurse during WWI in Belgium and a secret love affair, opening Michael's eyes to his family's untold history and unrecognized bravery. Martha's letter to Michael, which makes up the second half of the book, addresses important topics directly, including racial prejudice and unwed motherhood. The novel's elegant structure and quiet, retrospective narration both Michael's and Martha's bolster this story about the importance of knowing the truth about one's heritage. Ages 10 14.
