War Horse

This book caught Shannon’s eye at her school’s book fair. It follows a horse from an English farm to the battlefields of France during World War I. We sympathize with Joey as he is transported with troops over the English Channel, is ridden into battle and experiences trenches, mud, tanks, barbed wire, machine-gun fire, hunger, cold, and being surrounded by death. It sounds gloomy but the story is balanced with warmth through Joey’s relationships with people along the way and with another horse, Topthorn. This book will give your child a taste of what war is like without giving them nightmares. Kudos to Michael Morpurgo for his crisp, clean writing style, excellent dialog and for providing a happy ending. War Horse is an enjoyable read for all ages.

Ages 9-12
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