Plot: This is a book by Michael Morpurgo. War Horse is about a horse named Joey. He was bought at an auction in England and was put to farm work. His first owner is a friendly boy names Albert who loves and cares for him a lot, but then World War I breaks out and Joey was sold to the British Cavalry. He meets another horse, named Topthorn and they soon become the best of friends. When a battle goes awry and Topthorn, Joey and their riders are captured, the two horses are treated like gentry. They are given the Iron Cross, Germany’s highest military honor for valiance in battle and are then given to the German army as veterinary cart pullers. Later, Topthorn suffers heart failure and dies leaving Joey heart-broken. On Christmas Joey walks into No Man’s Land and two solders flip a coin to see who he belongs to-The Germans or the British. Joey goes to the British and then starts pulling artillery. Soon he is re-united with Albert and they both go home safe and sound.
Likes: I like this book because in a period of time when sadness prevailed, there was still a bit of hope and happiness. In times of darkness and melancholy, it’s a heart-warming story.
Recommendations: I recommend this book to ages 10 and above since a lot of the details are complex and younger children will not understand. There is also a pretty vivid description of the war which might scare younger kids. Overall it is a good read and could make a good gift.
Rating:5/5
Bookworms 