How far would you go to find yourself? The lyrical, life-affirming novel from the bestselling author of Private Peaceful and War Horse.

There were dozens of us on the ship, all up on deck for the leaving of Liverpool, gulls wheeling and crying over our heads, calling good-bye...
That is all I remember of England.

When six-year-old orphan Arthur Hobhouse is shipped to Australia after WWII he loses his sister, his country and everything he knows. Overcoming enormous hardships with fellow orphan Marty, Arthur is finally saved by the extraordinary people he meets and by his talent for boat-design and sailing. Now he has built a special boat for his daughter Allie - a solo yacht designed to carry her to England in search of his long-lost sister. Will the threads of Arthur's life finally come together?

I was there on the quayside to see Allie take her out for the first time, saw her dancing through the waves, and I knew I'd never built a finer boat.

About the Author

Michael Morpurgo OBE is one of Britain's best-loved writers for children, and has sold more than 35 million books around the world. He has written more than 150 novels and won many prizes, including the Smarties Prize, the Whitbread Award and the Blue Peter Book Award, while several of his books have been adapted for stage and screen, including the global theatrical phenomenon War Horse. Michael was Children's Laureate from 2003 to 2005, and founded the charity Farms for City Children with his wife, Clare. He was knighted in 2018 for services to literature and charity.

Reviews

"Lyrical and moving, it is one of the former Children's Laureate's best books for years." Amanda Craig, The Times

"His best book in years... I was completely hooked." Kate Kellaway, The Observer Review

"A powerful story." The Guardian Children's Books Supplement

'Executed with Morpurgo's distinctive flair. His language remains beautifully clean and clear.' Waterstone's Books Quarterly

"[A] very satisfying read... The masterful writing makes the characters come to life on the page... I'm recommending this to adult friends as well as teenagers." Books for Keeps

"Michael Morpurgo strikes gold... this is a life-rewarding novel." Angels & Urchins

"This is storytelling at its best." Primary Times

"Incredibly moving, harrowing and completely unputdownable. A first class story that brings history alive." My Child magazine

"Completely unputdownable." Families Magazine

Awards
Short-listed for Independent Booksellers' Week Book of the Year Award: Children's Book of the Year 2007.



Book Information
ISBN 9780007230587
Author Michael Morpurgo
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint HarperCollins
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Weight(grams) 300g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 23mm