Assalamu Alaikum!
It's Hanifah here with another book recommendations post. Since Michael Morpurgo is my favourite modern author, this post is actually long overdue! I think all the following books would make lovely gifts and I hope this post encourages you to read them someday.
1. Alone on a Wide Wide Sea
This book is one that I really enjoyed - despite not knowing Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" at the time.
The story is told in two parts. The first part is about Arthur, who was shipped off to Australia after WWII at six years old. During the mid-nineteenth century thousands of poor or orphaned children were forced to migrate to Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa. Many of them were neglected and used as slave labour. So although Arthur's story is fictional, it is historically accurate and quite heart-breaking. At the beginning of the story he is separated from his sister Kitty and ends up suffering terrible hardships. However, he later becomes a boat-builder and discovers his deep love of the sea and sailing.
The second part of the story is about Arthur's daughter Allie who is on a mission of her own. She is determined to sail alone all the way from Australia to England to track down her father's long-lost sister. While on her journey she reads and tries to memorise Coleridge's poem to keep her spirits up. You could read it too but you don't need to in order to enjoy the story. I think this book is suitable for readers aged 12+ and is well worth the read.
2. War Horse
Our dad read this to us as a bedtime story many years ago. It had us hooked; we always wanted another chapter and were slightly sad when it was all over. If you love realistic stories about history and horses, then this book is just perfect. It is set during WWI and is about a horse named Joey. His life is turned upside down when he is sold to the army and must leave his peaceful countryside home and Albert, the boy he loves. He finds himself charging across dangerous battlefields and being owned by many different people, all the while longing to be back home with Albert. What I love about this story is that it shows us that since Joey is a horse, he doesn't choose a side; all he wants is to be treated with kindness and love. It also shows us that often animals are more humane than humans. All I can say is if you love Black Beauty then you will love War Horse. I think this book would be enjoyed by both children and adults alike.
3. Farm Boy
Yes, War Horse has a sequel! I was so happy when I found out and I probably read it in half an hour as it is quite short. It was not how I expected the sequel to War Horse to be but it was a pleasant read and a simple touching story. There is no great adventure or action; and although the horses and people from the previous book are mentioned, this book is set decades after the first. It is about Albert's son(now an old man) and his great-grandson who spends his summer holidays on his grandfather's farm. He listens to tales of his great-grandfather Albert and his famous horse Joey, and learns about the history of farming and his family roots. It's more of a short story than a novel and you don't have to have read War Horse to enjoy it. I would recommend it for children ages 8+.
4. Kensuke's Kingdom
When 11-year-old Michael and his dog, Stella, fall from his parent's yacht, the Peggy Sue, they find themselves washed up on an island in the Pacific. Michael struggles to survive on his own until he realises that there is someone else on the island too. Someone who leaves him food and water to help him stay alive but always keeps his distance. This mysterious stranger is Kensuke and the island that Michael is stranded on is his home. After a long time the two slowly begin to bond and eventually become friends, teaching and learning about each other's worlds. However, Michael still misses his parents and hopes to return home someday. I read this book when I was about 13 and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think this book is a great read for children ages 8+. It would also make a great bedtime story.
5. Born to Run
This book follows a greyhound named 'Best Mate' by his first owner, a boy named Patrick who saved him from being drowned in a canal as a pup. Throughout the book he is passed from owner to owner and each time he begins a new life and faces new challenges. But will he ever find true happiness? I would recommend this book for children ages 8+. When looking at other reviews of this book(mostly by adults), I found that although people liked it, they thought that certain issues the book dealt with were "inappropriate" and "unsuitable" for children. I suppose the depictions of animal cruelty, homelessness and the mistreatment of the elderly are examples of what they meant.
I, however, strongly disagree with them. The book's episodic format makes it a fast-paced story, so the reader doesn't dwell too much on the sad or scary events - it's a children's book after all. I also think that (horrible as it may be) children need to be taught about animal abuse and it shouldn't be hidden from them. Sometimes I wonder why so many adults(even Muslims, unfortunately) mistreat animals, and I put it down to the fact that they were never taught how to treat them as children. And you know the saying "You can't teach an old dog new tricks"? Well, that is why it is not only perfectly appropriate, but in fact absolutely necessary to educate children on these issues.
Well, that is all I have to say! I hope you enjoyed this post and we will see you next weekend, insha'Allah.
Wassalam,
