Status
Available
Genres
Description
In World War II-era England, Michael learns about his black British Army soldier grandfather, a World War I officer who risked his life to save wounded men but who did not receive special commendations because of his race.
User reviews
LibraryThing member kbarnes
Beautifully written book about a young boy who discovers, after his grandmother's death, the story of his grandparents and his father - none of whom he knew anything about. In the telling of the story, he discovers that his grandfather was a black man in the British forces during WWI and should
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have won a medal for bravery. He tries (and unfortunately, fails) to get his grandfather the medal he deserves. Show Less
LibraryThing member Sullywriter
Another great historical novel from Michael Morpurgo, this one inspired by the life of Walter Tull the first black officer to serve in the British Army in the First World War.
LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
A weeper about family secrets, inspired by the fact there was only one black officer to serve in the British Army in WW1. Michael grows up without his father, who died in WW2. His only connections to him are his mother and two elderly aunties. But years after Auntie Snowdrop's death, Michael finds
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a letter to him from her that explains much more about who his father was and the real story of their family history. The prose is lyrical and unassuming, and yet the story is rich with complexity. I actually have difficulty seeing it as written for children but the themes of love, family and identity are presented in a way they would understand. Lovely, but hard to place except maybe in the hands of gifted readers. Show Less