Teach-Primary-Issue-19.3

Meet the author MICHAEL MORPURGO OBE ON THE HORRORS OF WAR, AND THE POWER OF OTHER PEOPLE’S STORIES What sparked your interest in stories about animals and war? First and foremost, I’ve always loved animals. I grew up in a family where animals weren’t really encouraged. My parents finally gave in and got my brother and me a dog, who we absolutely adored, but unfortunately after four or five years of his escape-artist ways, my parents decided he was too much trouble. One day, without telling us, they gave him away. We came home from school, and he was just… gone. After that, I only had goldfish. My interest in war is a separate thing – I was born in 1943, so went through many of the same experiences I’m sure children in Ukraine and Gaza are having now. We played in bomb sites and so on. I also had an Uncle Peter, who died at age 21 and who I only knew as a photo on the mantlepiece, about whom everyone talked with tears in their eyes. So I was aware of the devastation war causes. What can we learn from the relationship between Bethan and Cobweb? The story is about love, loyalty, and family. Bethan lost people in her life, but her love for Cobweb never wavered, no matter how long he was gone. And the dog had the same longing to return. The relationship between animals and humans is a special one – sometimes it seems we should be able to consider and care for each other the way we often do for our animal companions. If you could share one message with teachers, what would it be? I trust teachers completely – I was one myself for around 10 years, and I find most of them have the right priorities and commitments. The only thing I can share, really, is what I know works, and that’s reading to children. Something happens when we share a story with someone – it can inspire them to pick up a book on their own terms, of course, but it also deepens our relationship with them. You can stop being a teacher when you read to a child; you become simply ‘the storyteller’. And if you read with passion – if children see that you care – they’ll respond. The paperback edition of Cobweb by Michael Morpurgo, is out now. www.teachwire.net | 69 The Wood Where Magic Grows ByAndyShepard, ill. Ellie Snowdon (£7.99, Piccadilly) Cobweb byMichaelMorpurgo, ill. Michael Foreman (£7.99, Puffin Books) RESOURCES RECOMMENDED REAL COMPREHENSION Including 54 original texts on 18 themes, Real Comprehension is a unique and powerful whole-school reading programme for Years 1 to 6. It’s designed to develop sophisticated skills of inference and retrieval, and build rich vocabularies. Pupils are also encouraged to make comparisons between different texts and identify themes within them. Visit plazoom.com/real-comprehension KS2 KS2 Cobweb may be a dog, but he knows and understands a lot more than people think he does... Michael Morpurgo’s latest novel is a moving tale of bravery and unbreakable bonds, based on true events. Cobweb, a beloved dog in Pembrokeshire, Wales, is torn away from his loving owner Bethan in order to help out as a droving dog during the Napoleonic wars in 19 th century Britain. As Cobweb treks all the way to London, leaving Bethan behind in Wales, we’re drawn into this beautiful story of the power of animal-human relationships, and the horrors that war inflicts upon families. An historical story with a (sadly) relevant modern theme, this is the kind of epic we’ve come to expect of ‘the nation’s favourite storyteller’. The utter joy of imagination and children’s amazing capacity for make-believe (or is it real magic?) really come to the fore in Andy Shepard’s latest tale. Brothers Iggy and Cal have discovered that magical wooden animals around their new house can come to life, and when they meet Mae, local amateur spy extraordinaire, they delve into Wildtop Wood to see what other magic they can find amongst the treetops. Intriguingly illustrated with dynamic black-and-white artwork throughout, this is a brilliant tale of adventure, and an exploration of both the wonders of nature and childhood friendship. Are you ready? The Green is waiting... ©Steven Hatton