Michael Morpurgo

The former Children’s Laureate has written over 150 books, inspiring young people with atmospheric tales that explore concepts such as friendship, courage and nature but which also introduce thought-provoking issues. ...

Born Michael Bridge in 1943, Morpurgo was raised by his RADA graduate mother, whose Christian Socialist family counted George Bernard Shaw among their friends, and stepfather Jack Morpurgo, who had been a major in the Royal Artillery. The young Michael struggled both academically and with the strict routine of his Sussex boarding school but, with an admiration for his uncles and their wartime service, enrolled at Sandhurst after completing secondary education. That career lasted a mere nine months before Morpurgo, now in love with Clare, the daughter of Penguin Books founder Allen Lane, realized it was not his life’s purpose.

Married at 19 and with a baby on the way, Morpurgo embarked on a degree in French and English at King’s College, London and later qualified as a teacher. Once employed he discovered a joy of storytelling but became disenchanted by the education system and how so many of the children were deprived of experiences outside the classroom. Clare again played a decisive role and in 1976, inspired by the way the countryside had enriched her childhood – and enabled by her inheritance – they swapped their home and jobs in Kent for a farm in Devon where they threw themselves into running a charity, Farms for City Children.

Only at this point did Morpurgo begin to take writing fiction seriously, with the intensity of their new life opening his eyes to the importance of encouraging imagination, of connecting children to the world around them, and of giving them a sense of wonder and confidence. The War Horse author has since penned numerous award-winning novels, including 1999’s Kensuke’s Kingdom and 2003’s Private Peaceful, and his services to charity and literature were recognized in 2018 with a knighthood.