Karibuni Kenya

Back to books of the week.  I’m going to switch away from just African books and put up anything I’ve read and enjoyed now – although I’ll keep trying to drop a few more african themed ones in as well.  For this post I have two books, War horse and Alone on a wide wide sea, both by Michael Morpurgo.

Firstly, War horse.  This a short novel about a horse who is brought by a farmer and then trained to work the farm by a young boy before being sold to the army with the onset of World War 1, much to the distress of the young boy.  He starts his military career as a cavalry horse before being captured by the Germans and working with other horses hauling ambulance carts and artillery.  He also comes into the care of a young girl and her grandfather for some time, before again being taken from then.  I won’t say anymore as I don’t want to ruin it for you.  I think it is one of the best books I have ever read.  It is both a very enjoyable and also very moving read.  It also inspired me to read another Michael Morpurgo novel, since I loved his style of writng.  Hence the next novel.

Alone on a wide wide sea tells in the first part about a boy shipped to australia to find foster parents and the life that ensues for him.  The second part of the story is about his daughter and her trip across the seas to England to find her fathers lost sister.  I would say more, but it is difficult to describe the book without giving the wrong impression of it.  Again it was a wonderful book.  Again very enjoyable and very moving and also very inspiring.  All I can say is read it!  It really is wonderful.  Also, if you see a book by Michael Morpurgo I would read it as he seems a brilliant author – everyone I know who has read any of his books agrees, so he is definitely worth a read.