ADOLPHUS TIPS By Zoe Fenlon

Michael’s grandma, Lily, sent Michael a letter from her diary, that she had written when she was Michael’s age.

Tips Lily’s cat was having kittens in a few weeks. Lily herself was going back to school in a few weeks aswell. They got news that a war had started. The soidiers were everywhere. Lily got a letter from their dad. He was fighting in the war. Lily saw a fox running across the field with one of their chickens in his mouth one morning.

One day when Lily came home, her mother had bad news to tell her. The bad news was that Tips had kittens but Lily’s mum had murdered them. Lily ran up to her room with Tips and cried for ages.

A week later it was Lily’s birthday. She was so happy, she forgot about Tips’ kittens. The next day Lily went to school but her teacher was not there because her husband had been killed when a ship sunk, so the vicar taught them instead. Today they got terrible news that they had to leave their home because the war was starting.

Barry , Lily’s friend from school was coming with them to their Uncle George’s house because his mum and dad were working in the war. They moved into Uncle George’s house with Barry. After a few weeks, it was Christmas and it was so different for them having Christmas in George’s house.

One day Lily went back to theire house to look for Tips. There was banging that shook the ground but Lily could still not find Tips. Then there was a big bang. Lily ran as fast as she could.....

By Zoe Fenlon

Adolphus Tips By Hazel Devitor

The Micheal Morpurgo book I reviewed was “Adolphus Tips”. Tips was Barry’s cat, and Adolphus was the solider who found the cat when it went missing. It took a while to get into the book. However, after a while, I found it became a page turner.

The saddest part of the book was when the cat went missing. When they found her, they realised that she was going to have kittens, but they didn’t want any. So when they found out she was gone again and all her kittens were there, they drowned all of them, bar two!

I think the best part of the book was when they found the cat and she was alive, andAdolphus became part of their family.

The most interesting part describing the scene where the war was going on. They were talking about the boundry wire, where they were invading and all about the guns! By Hazel Devitor

Billy the Kid By Jack NolanThe book was about a boy called Billy and his Mum. Billy loved to play football. At an early stage in his life, Billy’s dad died. Billy played for his school until he was a teenager. His school principal had recommended him to a talent scout. The scout recommended him for a trial at Chelsea. Of course Billy accepted it because he loved Chelsea Football Club.

As Billy was enjoying the pleasure for playing for Chelsea, World War II was beginning. Billy remembered his mum had adviced him to get a job before he played for Chelsea. This wasn’t just any job, it was the army! Billy was called off to the army, he was disappointed but Billy had to go. When he got there, he made some friends. They were on a ship. Everyday they played football on deck (well, a football made out of rags). After he fought in the war, he returned home to find his home town destroyed.

By Jack Nolan

“Book Factfile” By Laura Langton

Book title: Cool

Author: Michael Morpurgo

Three facts about this author:

Michael’s first job was a primary school teacher. He graduated with a 3rd degree. Morpurgo has an older brother called Peter.

Publisher: Michael Morpurgo.

Date of 1st publication: In 1974.

Other books by this publisher:Toro Toro, Born to Run, Butterfly Lion, Dear Olly, Billy the Kid, The Dancing Bear, Farm Boy, and War Horse.

Discribe the publisher’s logo: It just has writing.

Illustration by: Michael Foreman.

The blurb says: Robbie is in a coma from a car crash with his dog.Everyone visits him.Robbie really wants to be a fotballer for chelsa.But Robbie is on the brink of death and nothingis working will they ener be able to bring him back.

Number of chapters:Six

A chapter I can’t wait to read is: Chapter three

Type of book: Sad over the course of the book it becomes happy.

When I read the title of the book I think:What’s going to happen? What a weird title!

How many words per page: 133

How many pages in a book: 103

How many words in the book: 13,699

My favourite book is: Born to Run & Butterfly Lion.

Long Way Home By: LENIKA ARTINI

It was in the summer time and it was time for George to go and live in someone’s house for the summer. George was in foster care since his parents went to a movie and never came back. They flew off the road and both of them died. George doesn’t want to go to another foster house. He is going to a house with two children and their parents. They live on a farm. The children are called Tom and Storme. Tom doesn’t want George to come, but Storme doesn’t mind. Mr. and Mrs. Dyer take a foster child into their home each summer.

When George arrived, Storme was asking him questions, Mrs. Dyer took his bags and Tom didn’t help with anything. A few nights after George arrived, while he was doing a lot of farm work with Tom, it started raining, so they went in. Tom got money for doing it and when Mr. Dyer asked George if he wanted money. George got upset. So he planned that in the middle of the night he would escape and make his way back to the foster home. But he fell asleep.

In the middle of the night, Tom woke George up and told him it was flooding and the cows would drown if they didn’t save the cows. They went and got all the cows and put them somewhere safe. When Mrs and Mr Dyer got home, They saw them doing resucing the cows and thought it was brilliant. When Tom, George and Storme went up to the moor, Storme and George went up to the stone circles. The stone circles are up in the hills. But when George and Storme reached the stone circles, the fog came out!! They were stuck there for a few hours!

When Tom Mr and Mrs. Dyer reached the stone circles, they realised that Storme had broken her ankle. They carried her to the house and Mrs. Dyer carried her up to bed.

The next day, when the doctor came to check Storme’s ankle, Mrs. Dyer went to hospital in an ambulance. So Mr. Dyer decided to put Storme and Tom into their grandparent’s house and put George back to the foster home. He felt he wouldn’t be able to take care of them and work on the farm. So the two boys made up a plan. Tom would visit his mother and tell her what was going on. She would disagree and bring George back.

Back in foster care George would check the post every day. He decided to run back to the farm. The police caught him and brought him to the city he was going to. He walked the rest. When he got there, Tom saw him and asked him what took him so long. George was wondering why didn’t he write, so he asked him. Tom explained the reason why. After that, they went into the kitchen where they were all eating lunch. George found out that the farm was his new home. They all lived happily ever after.

Born to Run By Aisling Rudkins

This book is called Born to Run. It’s about a dog called Best Mate. He also has lots of names such as Best Mate, Brighteyes and Paddywack. The book is about a dog who survived a lot of hard times. It’s where a boy named Patrick is walking to school and in a lake, he sees a black bag moving, barking and whining. So Patrick jumped into the river and got the bag. When he opened it, there was a litter of pups. He ran to the school with the pups and all the children and teachers gathered around. The teacher rang the animal shelter. Patrick’s mam and dad were in the room. Now he asked could he keep them all but his mam and dad said he could only keep one. He saw one pup that stood right there, staring up at him, almost talking to him with his eyes. So he picked that dog and called him Best Mate. And as he grew up, he brought him to the park everyday. One day when Best Mate was walking in the park, a man caught him and threw him in a van.

When the van stopped, he was put in a dog kennel. There was a lovely dog that Best Mate made friends with called Alfie. Then a girl came out. She was very nice. She was called Becky. Becky’s dad had passed away and her mam was now married to her very mean stepdad. Becky’s stepdad had picked the dog from the kennel. She brought Best Mate, who she calls Bright Eyes to the graveyard everyday. She loved Bright Eyes. Her mean stepdad brought all the dogs including Alfie to race in the greyhound tracks. One day when Alfie’s big race was on, Alfie broke his leg. When Alfie came back home, a car came and took Alfie away. All the dogs whined and Becky cried. The stepdad had brought Alfie to the vet and had Alfie put down.

Becky found out and ran away with Bright Eyes. They hid behind a bin, far from home. They both searched for food by day and slept there by night for several weeks. Becky fainted from hunger and was taken to hospital. Bright Eyes ran behind the ambulance to follow her. Bright Eyes stayed waiting outside all night.

In the morning, a man called Joe looked at him and called him Paddywack. He became fond of Paddywack and Paddywack went with him to his home. Paddywack loved Joe and Joe loved Paddywack. So Paddywack lived with him. Then one day Joe was walking and Paddywack realised that the road was familiar. He ran down the road, across the fields, and there, Paddywack found Patrick, but Patrick did not remember him. Joe followed and Joe and Patrick had a chat as they walked along. And that is the story of Born to Run!

Dear Olly By Maddy Lawson

This book is about a girl called Olly. One night she was watching TV aswell as painting her nails. On TV there was news about Africa, where soldiers, children and people were losing their houses. As they were sitting down, her brother stormed out the door, he had been sad for a week or so. Before his exam results had come in a week before. He got straight A’s he got. So his mother set a small feast for him. Matt would normally play the role of a clown but all evening he sat down and said nothing.

Later on, Matt went outside without anyone noticing him excepted for Olly. She followed him. She knew where to find him, as they sat down beside each other and had a chat about the past. Suddenly he said “I don’t want to go to college or be a vet.” “What do you want to be then?” said Olly. “A clown” replied Matt.

(Matt had a few swallows that he had looked after through the summer). “I’m just going to follow my swallows” said Matt.

Some time later...

Chapter 2: Olly waited and waited for a letter from Matt. She kept an eye on the swallows getting prepared to fly in winter. She was so worried about Matt.

Chapter 3: One of Matt’s swallows, who Olly named ‘Hero’, got ready to fly with the rest just as a storm hit. He lost the rest of them and had to fly alone, not knowing about the dangers out there.

The Character of OllyOlly is a kind and sensitive person, who loves her family so much. Olly gets on with her brother and very rarely gets into fights with him. If her brother Matt feels sad or angry, she can calm him down. If he is feeling sad, she will eventually get his troubles out of him, so he would confided in her what is wrong with him.

Olly is interested in nature , Olly’s brother Matt has a few swallowes he looks after, But when he leaves Olly has to look after the swallows. Her mother works as a vet .And helps her look after them.

We are thoroughly enjoying this novel so far!!

Friend or FoeBy Conor Ryan

The title of the book was Friend or Foe. The author was Michael Morpurgo. It was a fiction story. The main characters were David and his sister Tucky. This book was easy to read.

This story was about a brother and a sister who had to evacuate London because the Germans were bombing the city. After a few months staying in a buncker, the children had to move to the countryside. The parents were upset about the children leaving but they knew it would be safer.

I like this book because it gave me a clear vision of what happended during World War II. The author makes the children’s hardship and suffering come to life. It is no surprise to learn that Michael Morpurgo was born in London during the end of World War II and seeing the destruction it caused the city as a young boy stuck in his memory all his life.

Conor Ryan

Grab a Dictionary... Tiffanie Fitzgerald

Author:The writer of a book,poem or play

Title:The name of a book or poem.

Illustrator:Someone who illustrates the book.

Publisher:Someone who publishes the book.

Logo:A symbol of a business firm.

Spine:A ridge.

Dedication:To inscribe or publish a book in tribute to someone.

Contents: A list of chapters inside a book cover

Index: An indication.

Glossary: A list with their meanings!

Text: The writing in the book

Diagram:Drawing to explain something

Illustration:A picture in a book

Caption:A heading for a newspaper article

Chapter:A division of a book

Epilogue: The end part of a book

Prologue: A preface or introducation to a play

Review: To give a opinion or criticism

Appendix: A part added at the end of a book

Plot: The story of a plan

Character: Someone in a play ,story or film

Setting: Where the story is placed

Paragraph: A short item in a newspaper

Phrase: A small group of words exactly as said or writing

Quote: To repeat the words

Theme: The subject of a discussion essay

Subject: The person, topic, or thing being dealt with or discussed

Mood: The state of a person’s feelings or temper

Atmosphere: a pervasive feeling or mood.

Pace: Rate of an activity such as walking or reading.

The Dancing Bear By Seán MiddletonThis book is ‘The Dancing Bear’ by Michael Morpurgo. It is about a girl and her new friend, the bear. One day lucy was up the mountions getting sticks for her grandad and she saw the most beautiful bear she had ever seen in her life. She went over to the bear and said “You look like a kind bear!” and she went over and rubbed him. He was so soft! She began to make her way home with the sticks and tried calling the bear so that he would come home with her too and it worked! So she kept on calling him until she reached her village.

When she got home, she went into the village and her friends were there and to her surprise, there was a film crew. The film crew wanted a dancing bear, so Lucy trained her bear to dance. When the bear was able to dance, she brought him along. But he could only dance to a song. The bear went into a film and the bear was the star of the film. Lucy was the star actress. Their grandad and the rest of the village were so proud. By Seán Middleton

Micheal Morpurgo BiographyMichael Morpurgo lives in Devon with his wife, Clare. He writes his books from home and helps Clare to run Farms for City Children, a project that takes children from inner-city schools to the countryside

where they are given hands-on experience of what happens on a farm.

Michael has written over 50 books - all different, all exciting - and he draws on a lot of his own experiences. He was sent away to boarding school, which he hated because he was homesick and because there was no privacy, and these are experiences that he draws on in The Butterfly Lion and The War of Jenkin's Ear. He didn't work especially hard at school but he was very good at games, and this helped him to keep out of trouble!

When Michael left school he went into the army, which he also hated. He left as soon as he could and trained to be a teacher. Michael loved teaching, especially poetry, which he discovered through the poems of Ted Hughes.

He stopped teaching to become a full-time writer when he started the farm. He writes sitting propped up on the bed, with a thin pen on lined paper which he fills as much as possible as he hates turning over and starting a new page! He hates rewriting stories and he hates making corrections.

This biography information was researched online and edited

by Jack O’Byrne.

By Amy LennonThere was a family of all sorts of animals that lived in the farmyard behind the tumble down barn on Mudpuddle farm. There was a flame-feathered cockerel called Fredrick, who woke every one up at first light.

The farmer’s name was farmer Rafferty and there was a greedy goat called Egbert. Albertine was the mother duck. Mossop was the name of the cat and he only had one eye. Diana was the sheep. Jigger was the sensible sheepdog. Peggoty was the mother pig. Pintsize was the little piglet, he always looked up the sky because he always wanted to fly. Pintsize thought of everything how to fly but he couldn’t think of anything. Pintsize jumped off walls but somehow he couldn’t fly. When he jumped of the very high wall, he landed and he dropped into the pond that the ducks were in. Then he saw some ducks. They were well able to fly so then Pitsize thought that he was going to too. After that, he tried jumping off the hay barn. When he landed, he landed on Jigger the sheepdoy and Jigger fell flat down to the ground. After a while, he fell on top of Primrose, the cow, Captain the cow, Egbert the goat and Fredrick the cockeral. Pintsize was teaching his brothers and sisters how a pig flies. Pitsize and his brothers and sisters were all flapping their front trotters in the air after a big eagle came and said “You want to fly? I’ll show you how to fly”. Pitsize said O.K. and off they went. The eagle was holding on to Pitsize. Pitsize was so terrified, he didn’t know what to do. Then the eagle let go of Pitsize. Meanwhile, the two farmers, Farmer Rafferty and the farmer next door were talking and suddenly it started to rain. Farmer Rafferty said “I told you it was going to rain” and he said it was raining cats and dogs. Then suddenly Pitsize came straight down and Pitsize fell straight down onto the dung heap. Pitsize said to himself “I’m never flying again”.

By Amy Lennon

My Interview Q uestions for

Michael Morpurgo!____

Who is your favourite author?

What helped you to be an author?

What is your favourite book of all?

Who is your role model?

When you were a little boy, what was

your favourite book?

Where do you get your ideas for each

book?

Does it take long to write one book?

When you are writing, do you feel sad

or happy? Intense or relaxed?

How many books have you written so

far? Are there more to come?

Do you enjoy writing books and why?

The Dancing BearBy Róisin Jelley

This story is about this girl called Roxanne who lived with her grandfather. One day Roxanne finds a bear and called it Bruno. Her grandfather makes honey and he put a picture of the bear and Bruno’s name on it.

One day a group of people came and were going to make a movie. They needed all of the town people to be part of it. They cast most of the children in the role of rats, one boy was given the part of a boy who had a limp, and the other children were were to play the part of children! And lots more. When they had practiced, they acted it out and shot the movie but all the rats went in the wrong places and everything went wrong.

Then they saw Roxanne was singing and Bruno was dancing and that was what they needed. So the next day, they changed the parts a bit. Then they did the movie and they got it right. Niki wanted Roxanne to come and sing with him and so she did. As for Bruno, he was heart broken and died.

The Marble Crusher By Kieran Carey

The story is about a boy called Albert who moved from the country to the town and started in a new school. He was made fun of by some of the boys and girls especially by a boy called Sid Creedy. Albert believed everything that Sid told him.

Sid made up stories about teachers especially Mr. Manners. Sid told Albert that Mr. Manners takes your Marbles and crushes them with the marble crusher.Albert told his mum and she was very cross and went into the school to get Albert marbles back. Albert told Mr Manners that Sid Creedy told him this. Then Mr Manners said he would have to teack Sid Creedy a lesson. By Kieran Carey

The Sleeping Sword

By Henry Farrell

A boy named Bun lived on a farm near the sea. His best friends were Liam and Dan. One day Bun and his friends were down at the pier. Bun accidently dived into shallow water and hit his head causing him to lose conciousness. Later that day he woke up in hospital this accident caused Bun to loose his sight. He used a fishing pole and his great memory to guide him around the farm.

One day when Bun was out in their potato field he fell down a hidden hole. His dad was working in the field and he noticed him. When Bun’s dad got him out of the hole, his dad noticed a sword and a shield. That night, Bun had a dream that he was sent to return the sword and shield to King Author.

When he awoke the next morning, the shield and sword were gone. To Bun’s amazement his sight had returne.His dad had buried the sword and shield in reality but Bun continued to believe he returned it to King Author. Bun thought returning the sword and shield to King Author brought his sight back.

By Henry Farrell

Toro! Toro!

By Jack O’Byrne

The title of the book was TORO!TORO! The author of the book was Micheal Morpurgo. The book was fiction. The main characters were Antonio,Grandad (Abuelo),Maria,paco,Mum and Dad. This book is about a Grandad telling his grandson about his life as a child. The Grandad (Abuelo) lived on a farm in spain. His father bred black bulls for the corrida or bullring.He loved living on the farm and he also loved the bulls.

Abuelo’s cow had a little calf which was born was born during a storm. Abuelo was afraid of storms but he still went out with his father to the barn. A bull had just been born. He called it Paco. He fed him with a bottle for a couple of weeks. After a couple of weeks Paco went to join the other bollocks. Abuelo was very sad. But still stayed freinds with Paco. He didn’t realize that Paco was to be used in a corrida. His sister Maria tried to comfort him.

Uncle Juan the mattador came to visit at the time that war broke out. He invited Abuelo to the corrida. They stayed up talking about the war and when he went to bed, he saw Uncle Juan’s mattador costume and tried it on. He told his uncle about Paco his bull. The next day they went to the corrida. Abuelo was enjoying the show until his Uncle Juan killed the bull. He became very upset and made up his mind to save Paco from the corrida.

The war had got alot worse and Abuelo’s famliy had to feed the soilders. When everyone was asleep he went to the barn and let the cattle out, Paco was now free.

The war planes went over head and started bombing around the house. When he got back his house was bombed. He couldn’t find his parents or sister. He thinks his family are dead. He hid from the soliders. He survived on wild foods with only his horse. His Uncle Juan found him. The soilders had been talking about a black phantom.

Juan said to move because the soilders might catch him. He travelled for days until he came to some farm houses. Maria was there. She told him that his parents were dead. They moved to their mother’s house in Malaga. After a couple of years he dreamed of Paco and when he woke up he saw hoof marks outside.

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