This is a short, sweet story by English author Michael Morpurgo, written from a horse’s perspective, aimed at middle grade and YA readers but still enjoyable for adults.

It begins in 1914 when Albert’s father brings home a bay foal to their farm in Devon, that he bought in an ill-advised drunken moment. Albert falls in love with the horse who he names Joey. Another such drunken moment leaves Albert’s father with a bet against their property that the horse will be ploughing the field within a month. Albert is determined he will succeed otherwise he knows he will lose Joey forever. Despite Albert teaching Joey to plough and work as a farm horse, when the war begins his father is quick to sell Joey to an officer wanting a mount.

Joey goes off to France as a war horse. Despite terrible experiences he meets some kindly people such as Emily and her grandfather, and befriends a big-hearted horse called Topthorn. Rather oddly for a horse Joey seems to have a good understanding of what is going on around him, nonetheless he makes a great and simple narrator. There are some sad, teary and some moving moments in the story, in particular for me when the British soldier and German soldier work together to free the horse, this illustrates beautifully the futility of war and the humanity on each side of the divide. ( )

Third best. This is yet another twisting tale of courage, fear, hope and loneliness. ( )

Fine condition. In the deadly chaos of the First World War, one horse witnesses the reality of battle from both sides of the trenches. Dramatic blue, red and black pictorial cloth. Colour plates.

Contained in matching pictorial card slipcase.

A friend loaned me a copy after seeing the stage production of this story in London. Very engaging narrative told from first-horse perspective. ( )

No author that I have read brings stories of war to children as well as Morpurgo does. This excellent novel tells the story of a horse and it's journey from the farm yard to the battle field and beyond. Beautifully realized. ( )