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Michael Morpurgo


Sir Michael Morpurgo OBE (born 5 October 1943) is a British author, poet, playwright, and librettist renowned for his contributions to children's literature, having authored approximately 130 books that often explore themes of war, nature, and human resilience.
His most prominent work, the novel War Horse (1982), depicts the experiences of a horse during the First World War and achieved widespread acclaim through adaptations into a Tony Award-winning stage production and a 2011 film directed by Steven Spielberg.
In 1976, Morpurgo co-founded the educational charity Farms for City Children with his wife Clare, establishing working farms in Devon, Wales, and Gloucestershire that have hosted over 90,000 urban schoolchildren for immersive rural experiences over four decades.
Morpurgo served as the UK's third Children's Laureate from 2003 to 2005, promoting literacy and storytelling; he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2006 and knighted in 2018 for services to literature and charity work.

Early Life and Family Background

Childhood and Parental Influences

Michael Morpurgo was born Michael Andrew Bridge on 5 October 1943 in St Albans, , to actors , from a working-class background, and Kippe Cammaerts, daughter of the Belgian poet Émile Cammaerts and part of an artistic family including performers and writers. His parents met in 1938 while performing together, but Van Bridge's service in the during led to their separation; Morpurgo and his older brother Pieter were evacuated to for safety amid . Upon Van Bridge's return, Kippe Cammaerts had begun a relationship with Jack Morpurgo, a writer and academic; the couple divorced, and she married Jack in 1945, after which Michael adopted his stepfather's surname. The family settled in , where Morpurgo attended at St Matthias on Warwick Road, though wartime disruptions and subsequent relocations marked his early years. Kippe Cammaerts, a trained actress from a multilingual background—born in and raised partly in —fostered a love of by reading aloud to her sons, including Rudyard Kipling's and A.A. Milne's poetry, which instilled in Morpurgo an early appreciation for rhythmic language and narrative. Jack Morpurgo, director of the National Book League and author of works on publishing history, brought a scholarly environment to the home but held high academic expectations for his stepsons, later expressing disappointment in their non-university paths; at age seven, he arranged boarding at a school, an experience Morpurgo later described as traumatic and isolating. These parental dynamics shaped Morpurgo's formative sensibilities: his mother's performative emphasized oral traditions and emotional engagement with words, contrasting with his stepfather's more formal, intellectual approach to books, which prioritized institutional literary culture over personal creativity. The abrupt restructuring and evacuations underscored themes of and that would recur in his later writing, though direct causation remains interpretive rather than empirically fixed.

Discovery of Biological Parentage

Morpurgo, born Michael Andrew Bridge on 5 October 1943 to actors and Kippe Cammaerts (also known as Catherine Noël Kippe Cammaerts), was raised primarily by his mother and stepfather Jack Morpurgo after his parents' separation during . Van Bridge, serving in the , returned on compassionate leave to attempt reconciliation but found his wife had formed a relationship with the publisher Jack Morpurgo, leading to divorce proceedings and Van Bridge's eventual emigration to . Morpurgo took his stepfather's surname and grew up believing Jack Morpurgo to be his biological father, with the true parentage treated as an unspoken family secret. The revelation occurred in 1962, when Morpurgo, then aged 19, was watching a television drama with his mother; her sudden gasp upon seeing Van Bridge acting on screen led to the that he was Morpurgo's biological father. Some accounts specify the program as a broadcast or the 1962 film adaptation of , in which Van Bridge appeared, underscoring the emotional impact of the moment as the first time Morpurgo "saw" his father. Morpurgo later reflected on the event as shattering a long-held silence, noting in interviews that it explained physical resemblances and unresolved questions about his identity, though the family had avoided discussion to preserve stability under Jack Morpurgo's influence. Morpurgo never met Van Bridge in person, as the elder had relocated abroad and maintained no contact with the family post-divorce. This discovery, drawn from Morpurgo's own retrospective accounts in reputable interviews, highlights the personal disruptions of wartime separations without evidence of broader familial deception beyond the immediate household.

Education and Early Career

Formal Education

Morpurgo attended at St Matthias on the Warwick Road in . He subsequently went to schools in , , and . For higher education, Morpurgo enrolled at , where he studied English and French, graduating in 1967. He later reflected that university reignited his interest in stories after a period of disengagement during his schooling. Following graduation, he pursued a (PGCE) to enter teaching, though specific details on the institution for this qualification remain undocumented in primary sources.

Military Service and Teaching

Morpurgo attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as an officer cadet, enrolling in 1962 with initial enthusiasm for the uniforms, camaraderie, and structured environment, though he disliked the disciplinary shouting. He departed after approximately nine months, influenced in part by reading First World War poets such as , whose works prompted reflection on military life and contributed to his decision to pursue civilian paths. This brief army experience, without extended active duty, later informed themes in his writing, including depictions of war's human and equine tolls. Following his exit from Sandhurst, Morpurgo enrolled at to study English and French, earning a before entering . He began his career as a primary school teacher, initially in , where he engaged students through storytelling to maintain classroom attention. His time teaching year-six pupils sparked his interest in , as improvised tales proved more captivating than standard texts. Morpurgo advanced to headmaster of a primary school and taught for several years across institutions, experiences that shaped his narrative style emphasizing empathy and historical realism.

Literary Career

Transition to Writing

Morpurgo's transition to writing occurred during his tenure as a teacher at in , where he initially focused on reading published stories to his students but soon exhausted available material. To maintain their engagement from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. daily, he began improvising and crafting original tales, which marked the genesis of his storytelling vocation. This practice evolved into formal writing, as he composed his debut work, It Never Rained: Five Stories, directly for a class of ten-year-olds, an experience that affirmed his affinity for narrative creation. Published in 1974 by as part of the Club 75 series, It Never Rained consisted of five short stories aimed at young readers, reflecting Morpurgo's early emphasis on accessible, educational content. Though initial sales were modest and confined largely to educational markets, this publication represented his shift from oral to authorship while still employed in . Influenced by to war poets during —which prompted his departure from the army and pivot to —Morpurgo's writing increasingly incorporated themes of peace, resilience, and human experience drawn from personal reflection. By the mid-1970s, after relocating to , Morpurgo intensified his writing output alongside family life and emerging charitable work, producing subsequent titles like Long Way Home in 1975, which built on his foundational technique of first-person narratives suited to juvenile audiences. This period solidified his career trajectory, transitioning from supplementary educational pursuits to a prolific body of , supported by literary figures such as , who offered encouragement during nascent struggles.

Major Works and Themes

Morpurgo has authored more than 150 books for children and young adults, many of which draw on historical events and personal storytelling techniques. His breakthrough novel, War Horse (1982), narrates the experiences of a farm horse requisitioned for service in , emphasizing loyalty amid conflict. Other prominent works include (2003), which follows two orphaned brothers conscripted into the during the same war, and (1996), a tale of a boy in colonial who befriends a white lion cub, later reconnecting with its memory in . Additional key titles encompass (1999), about a shipwrecked boy's encounter with a on a Pacific island, and (1985), set on the Scilly Isles during , involving children aiding a reclusive and beached whales. Recurring themes in Morpurgo's oeuvre center on the human-animal bond, often portraying as companions or rescuers in times of human vulnerability, as seen in narratives where creatures like , lions, and whales facilitate emotional or physical . and its psychological toll form another core motif, with anti-war sentiments conveyed through depictions of trench warfare's brutality, familial separation, and moral dilemmas faced by young soldiers, underscoring grief, sacrifice, and the futility of violence without glorifying combat. Broader explorations of , , resilience, and under adversity appear across his and adventures, frequently employing first-person perspectives or to evoke and on and .

Adaptations and Performances

Morpurgo's novel War Horse (1982) was adapted into a stage production by Nick Stafford in collaboration with the , premiering on 17 October 2007 at the National Theatre's Olivier Theatre in under directors and Tom Morris. The production, featuring life-sized horse puppets operated by teams of puppeteers, achieved critical and commercial success, transferring to the West End's New London Theatre in 2009 and in 2011, where it ran until 2013 and won five , including Best Play. It has since toured internationally, with UK revivals including a 2024-2025 nationwide tour marking its return after a five-year hiatus. The same novel received a film adaptation directed by , released on 25 December 2011, starring as the protagonist Albert Narracott and featuring advanced for the horse Joey, grossing over $177 million worldwide. Private Peaceful (2003), Morpurgo's anti-war novel about two brothers in World War I, was first adapted for the stage by Simon Reade as a one-man show, premiering in 2004. An ensemble version followed, with productions including a professional premiere at Nottingham Playhouse and a UK tour extending to 9 July 2022, emphasizing themes of brotherhood and injustice through minimalistic staging. The book also inspired a 2012 film directed by Pat O'Connor, starring Jack O'Connell and George MacKay as the Peaceful brothers, focusing on the narrative's critique of military execution for cowardice. Several other works have seen theatrical adaptations, often prioritizing intimate, narrative-driven performances suitable for younger audiences. Running Wild was staged by Samuel Adamson, exploring survival themes post-tsunami. I Believe in Unicorns, adapted by Dani Parr and Danyah Miller, toured the UK in autumn following its Fringe run, highlighting a girl's transformative encounter with a mythical . The Butterfly Lion received a family-oriented production at the Barn in spring, drawing on the novel's story of a and his companion. More recent efforts include The Mozart Question at the Barn on 2 March 2022 and a world premiere of In the Mouth of the Wolf at the same venue on 28 March 2025. Film adaptations beyond War Horse and Private Peaceful include Why the Whales Came (1985), released as When the Whales Came in 1989 under director Clive Rees, set on the Isles of Scilly with stars Helen Mirren and Paul Scofield portraying islanders aiding a beached whale amid World War I tensions. Kensuke's Kingdom (1999) was adapted into an animated feature directed by Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry, premiering on 11 June 2023 in select markets with voice talents including Cillian Murphy and Sally Hawkins; it received a wider UK cinema release on 2 August 2024 and BBC iPlayer streaming on 3 August 2025, faithful to the survival adventure of a shipwrecked boy. Earlier, Friend or Foe (1977) was adapted into a 1982 television film, depicting children during the Blitz mistaking German pilots for friends. These adaptations underscore Morpurgo's recurring motifs of war, nature, and resilience, frequently reinterpreted for visual and performative media to engage broad audiences.

Reception, Influence, and Criticisms

Morpurgo's works have received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for their emotional depth and historical resonance in . He has authored over 150 books, many of which explore themes of war, nature, and human-animal bonds, earning him prestigious honors such as the Children's Book Award, (Gold for ), and multiple wins of the Children's Book Award, including a record fourth Overall category victory in 2017 for An Eagle in the Snow, shared with illustrator Michael Foreman. As the third Children's Laureate from 2003 to 2005, Morpurgo advocated for " over ," emphasizing storytelling's role in fostering over rote . His novel War Horse (1982) exemplifies this reception, achieving global bestseller status and cultural prominence through adaptations, including the National Theatre's 2007 stage production, which innovated to depict the equine protagonist and ran for over 2,000 performances in before touring internationally. The 2011 Steven Spielberg film adaptation further amplified its reach, grossing over $177 million worldwide despite Morpurgo's personal dissatisfaction with its clichéd portrayal of war and characters. Critics have praised War Horse for humanizing World War I's equine casualties—estimated at eight million—drawing from Morpurgo's research into historical accounts of horses in combat. Morpurgo's influence extends to inspiring young readers and aspiring writers through vivid narratives that blend empathy with historical realism, often prompting reflections on conflict's futility and environmental stewardship. His emphasis on oral storytelling in education, derived from teaching experiences, has shaped pedagogical approaches prioritizing engagement over textbooks, influencing curricula that integrate narrative to build literacy. Works like Private Peaceful and Kensuke's Kingdom have been credited with deepening children's understanding of trauma and resilience, with Morpurgo's anti-war motifs—rooted in poetic influences like Wilfred Owen—encouraging generational dialogue on militarism. Criticisms of Morpurgo's oeuvre are sparse, with reviewers occasionally noting formulaic elements in his prolific output, such as repetitive motifs of loss and redemption across titles. He has faced minor public scrutiny over adaptations and editorial choices, including his 2021 denial of intentionally omitting The Merchant of Venice from a Shakespeare anthology for children due to its antisemitic themes, insisting selections prioritized accessibility. In 2023, Morpurgo critiqued publishers' revisions to classics for contemporary sensitivities, arguing such alterations undermine original intent and historical context, positioning him against perceived over-sanitization in literature. Overall, his reputation remains robust, with limited detractors amid broad endorsement from literary institutions.

Charitable Initiatives

Farms for City Children

Farms for City Children is a charity founded in 1976 by Michael Morpurgo and his wife, , to provide inner-city schoolchildren with week-long residential experiences on working farms, fostering connections to nature, food production, and rural life. The initiative originated from the Morpurgo family's observation of urban children's disconnection from the countryside, with the first farm, Nethercott House in , established using Clare's inheritance to purchase and adapt the property for educational residentials. During these stays, groups of children aged 8 to 19 undertake practical tasks such as animal care, crop tending, cooking from farm produce, and , aiming to build self-confidence, , and resilience through hands-on immersion. Morpurgo has described the charity as his "greatest story," emphasizing its role in transforming participants' understanding of and community. The charity operates three heritage farms, each hosting exclusive group visits for up to 39 children and 6 adults at a time: Nethercott House in Iddesleigh, , overlooking and serving as the original site; Wick Court, a moated in with views toward the River Severn; and Lower Treginnis Farm in , , featuring coastal landscapes. These locations were selected for their authentic farming environments and capacity to deliver curriculum-linked activities, including , , and programs aligned with UK educational standards. Funding relies on school contributions, grants, and donations, with subsidies provided for disadvantaged groups to ensure accessibility. Since inception, the program has served over 100,000 children and young people, with annual visits exceeding 3,000 in recent years, including pupils from deprived areas, groups, and cohorts. Impact evaluations, drawn from post-visit surveys of schools and participants, report gains in academic engagement, peer relationships, and reduced behavioral incidents, alongside heightened environmental awareness—such as improved knowledge of food origins and farming cycles. For instance, in the 2023-2024 period, one farm alone hosted 34 groups totaling 1,060 children, predominantly from England's and Wales's most deprived neighborhoods. Independent research, including studies from , corroborates these outcomes, highlighting sustained benefits in confidence and nature affinity among .

Other Philanthropic Efforts

Morpurgo has served as President of the Teaching Awards Trust since June 2017, supporting its mission to recognize outstanding educators through national awards that highlight excellence in teaching and school leadership across various categories, including primary, secondary, and special needs education. In 2021, he became a patron of , a that encourages shared reading between service personnel, veterans, and their families to foster emotional connections and well-being, with Morpurgo actively participating in events such as inspirational talks at the in May 2024. Morpurgo assumed the role of patron for Oracle Head and Neck Cancer UK around 2018, succeeding HRH The Princess Alexandra, and contributes to efforts raising awareness and funding for research into head and neck cancers, emphasizing support for patients and advancements in treatment. Since 2011, he has been a patron of Dandelion Time, a therapeutic delivering nature-based interventions and family support programs to children and families facing or , including writing forewords for their publications and attending events like carol services.

Personal Life

Marriage and Family

Michael Morpurgo married Clare Lane, the eldest daughter of Penguin Books founder Sir , in 1963 at the age of 19. The couple first met in the summer of 1962 while Morpurgo was touring with his family and Lane was hitchhiking in the region; they connected over shared interests during an encounter near a rubbish tip on the island of . Morpurgo and Clare had three children early in their marriage: sons Sebastian and Horatio, and daughter Rosalind. The family resided in , where Clare, a qualified Montessori teacher educated at the and University, supported Morpurgo's career while co-founding charitable initiatives like Farms for City Children in 1976. By 2012, Morpurgo had become a grandfather to six children.

Health Challenges and Later Years

In 2017, Morpurgo was diagnosed with early-stage cancer of the and underwent a course of radiotherapy at the Royal Marsden Hospital in . The treatment, which he later described as altering his perspective on life, proved successful, and by 2018 he reported recovery, though the experience prompted reflections on mortality. More recently, in late 2024, Morpurgo, then aged 81, experienced symptoms he initially attributed to , leading to a of three blocked arteries requiring triple heart . The procedure enforced a period of recovery during which he was unable to write, marking a temporary halt to his prolific output. Despite these setbacks, Morpurgo has remained active in his later years, residing in with his wife Clare and continuing public engagements. In September 2025, he addressed students at , drawing on his experiences as a former and . He released More Tales from Shakespeare in October 2025, a follow-up to his 2024 volume retelling the playwright's works for young readers, and participated in its launch at the alongside schoolchildren. These efforts reflect a sustained commitment to and , even as he has acknowledged an encroaching awareness of mortality following his health ordeals.

Political Views and Public Stances

Positions on Brexit and European Union

Michael Morpurgo publicly endorsed remaining in the ahead of the 2016 membership , urging voters to support continued membership to avoid the risk of fragmenting. In a June 23, 2016, interview with the , he emphasized the EU's role in fostering postwar peace and stability, stating that leaving could undermine the unity achieved since 1945. He described the EU as "the most positive political project of my lifetime," comparable only to the in its scope for preventing conflict among former adversaries. Following the referendum result favoring , Morpurgo expressed regret over the decision, attributing it to voters being "deluded by lies and false promises" about sovereignty and economic benefits. In a May 7, 2018, article, he linked his family's history of resisting in during to the EU's value in maintaining peace over prosperity, arguing that risked reversing decades of European cooperation forged in the shadow of war. He advocated for reconsidering the exit, participating in a April 5, 2019, debate where he called for revoking Article 50 to "remain British but also remain European," framing the debate not as irreconcilable differences but as matters of emphasis on shared values. Morpurgo likened the EU to a "dysfunctional family" in need of reform rather than dissolution, warning in an April 4, 2019, Guardian opinion piece that Brexit would harm future generations by isolating Britain from collaborative efforts on issues like climate and security. He wore a pro-EU badge publicly, leading to an incident on August 2019 at the Sidmouth Folk Festival where a Brexiteer spat at him, which he described as indicative of the divisive rhetoric surrounding the issue. Throughout, his stance prioritized the EU's empirical record in sustaining peace among nations that had previously warred, drawing on historical causation from World War II to argue that institutional ties, despite bureaucratic flaws, had demonstrably reduced conflict risks compared to pre-1957 fragmentation.

Views on Education, Environment, and Countryside Issues

Morpurgo has advocated for an system that prioritizes fostering children's love of and self-expression over rigid instruction in and . In a 2022 interview, he emphasized that 's core purpose is to enable individuals to articulate their thoughts and discover themselves, drawing from his experience as a former where he focused on encouraging unique voices rather than prescriptive rules. He has similarly urged parents, s, and librarians to cultivate a passion for stories in children, critiquing an overemphasis on technical skills at the expense of narrative engagement, as outlined in his 2016 BookTrust lecture. Access to books remains a key concern for Morpurgo, who in 2024 supported initiatives to bridge the "division of opportunity" between affluent children with enriched reading experiences and poorer ones lacking such resources, arguing that this disparity profoundly impacts educational outcomes and life prospects. Reflecting on his own challenging years in 2023, he described them as instilling survival skills that informed his writing, while positing education as essential for reconnecting individuals with the natural world to address broader societal disconnection. On environmental matters, Morpurgo stresses direct immersion in as vital for children's , equating its educational value to and promoting farm-based programs to instill appreciation for the without condescension. He has endorsed reforms, including a 2023 declaration at COP28 by over 130 countries for greener farming practices to mitigate . In a 2010 lecture for the Compassion in World Farming organization, he addressed animal agriculture's role in climate challenges, linking it to cycles of floods, droughts, and storms. Regarding countryside issues, Morpurgo has repeatedly criticized urban policymakers for misunderstanding rural realities, particularly in a March 2025 broadcast where he defended family farms as integral to national identity and warned against policies that erode their viability, such as Labour's proposed changes targeting agricultural assets. He argued that such measures, dubbed a "tractor tax," demonstrate a failure to grasp countryside dynamics, living as he does amid farming communities and viewing attacks on farmers and pensioners as misguided. In 2023, he advised youth to engage directly with the outdoors and farming life, highlighting the persistent hardships faced by farmers despite technological advances and the need for urban dwellers to appreciate rural contributions.

Criticisms and Counterarguments

Morpurgo's outspoken , articulated in public writings and campaigns emphasizing European unity forged through post-war peace, has provoked backlash from Leave supporters who view such positions as dismissive of the 2016 referendum's democratic outcome. In September 2019, he reported being spat upon at the Folk Festival by an individual opposed to his pro-EU badge, framing the incident as indicative of deepening societal divisions akin to "." Critics, including pro-Brexit commentators, have characterized vocal Remainers like Morpurgo as resistant to electoral reality, potentially fueling perceptions of cultural elitism among rural and working-class voters who favored departure. Counterarguments to these criticisms highlight Morpurgo's emphasis on historical precedents of conflict, arguing that his family's experiences in the World Wars underscore a principled caution against fracturing alliances that have maintained since 1945. Supporters contend that equating with overlooks substantive concerns over and geopolitical stability, as evidenced by ongoing debates where Morpurgo engaged civilly with opponents like historian . Morpurgo's endorsement of protests in 2019, alongside admissions of personal "hypocrisy" in international , drew accusations of inconsistency from skeptics who argue that high-profile advocates undermine their environmental through lifestyle choices inconsistent with emission reductions. This critique posits that such acknowledgments, while candid, fail to resolve the causal disconnect between individual actions and calls for systemic policy shifts, potentially eroding in elite-led climate narratives. In response, Morpurgo and co-signatories maintained that recognizing personal limitations does not invalidate the urgency of against risks, prioritizing broader institutional reforms over unattainable personal perfection. This stance aligns with that individual hypocrisy does not negate of warming, as documented in peer-reviewed assessments, though detractors question the selective application of such logic to non-elite actors. His portrayals of rural traditions, including anti-hunting themes in works like Fox Friend (2019), have elicited muted from countryside conservatives who perceive them as sentimental urban intrusions on practical and . These narratives depict fox hunts as causing undue animal suffering, prompting claims of anthropomorphic bias over empirical needs in . Proponents counter that Morpurgo's farm-based perspective, informed by operating educational facilities in , supports evidence-based advancements, such as alternative vermin control methods that reduce cruelty without compromising rural economies. This view prioritizes verifiable data on humane practices amid evolving countryside policies, rebutting charges of detachment by grounding advocacy in direct experiential realism.

Honours, Awards, and Legacy

Key Awards and Recognitions

Morpurgo was appointed the third Children's Laureate by BookTrust, serving from 2003 to 2005 to promote the importance of reading and literature for children. This role, which he helped establish with poet Ted Hughes, recognized his lifetime contributions to children's books. In recognition of his services to literature and charity, Morpurgo was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2006 New Year Honours. He received a knighthood in the 2018 New Year Honours List, becoming Sir Michael Morpurgo, again for services to literature and charity work, including founding Farms for City Children. Among literary prizes, Morpurgo won the Whitbread Children's Book Award (now Costa Book Award) for The Wreck of Zanzibar in 1988. He received the for and the Book of the Year Award for in 2005. His works have earned the Prix Sorcière in three times and the Red House Children's Book Award twice. In 2017, An Eagle in the Snow secured his record fourth win of the Children's Book Award. Morpurgo also received the Award for lifetime services to and the Writers' Guild Award for his body of work. These accolades reflect his prolific output of over 150 books, emphasizing themes of war, nature, and .

Enduring Impact and Recent Developments

Morpurgo's co-foundation of Farms for City Children in 1976 with his wife Clare has provided residential farm experiences to over 104,500 inner-city children and young people, emphasizing hands-on engagement with nature, animals, and rural life to build and environmental awareness. The charity operates three farms in , with its 2024-25 impact report documenting 3,188 participants in visits that supported curriculum goals, where 100% of surveyed lead adults reported enhancements in young people's learning, , and appreciation for sustainable practices. This initiative endures as a model for bridging urban-rural divides, with Morpurgo crediting it for transformative effects on participants' and toward the countryside. In , Morpurgo's advocacy during his tenure as the third (2003-2005) elevated the role of in , promoting daily read-aloud sessions in schools to foster enjoyment over rote and particularly to engage reluctant boy readers through narrative immersion. His works, including War Horse (1982), continue to influence adaptations and curricula, with a edition released in 2022 reinforcing themes of , , and humanity for younger audiences. This legacy underscores his emphasis on stories as tools for emotional and moral development, countering screen-dominated childhoods with empathetic, history-rooted tales. Recent developments include the 2023 revival of "Michael Morpurgo Month," an annual event series celebrating his storytelling through school programs and readings nationwide. In February 2024, he endorsed a Woodland Trust project in Devon to connect more children with nature via farm and woodland activities, aligning with Farms for City Children's expansion efforts. By January 2025, Morpurgo announced a new novel adapted into a play, drawing from "gritty and brave" real-life inspirations, with further events planned to promote literacy amid economic pressures on book access. His 2024 public statements highlighted the cost-of-living crisis's threat to children's reading rights, urging government investment in libraries and subsidized books to prevent class-based disparities in literary exposure.

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