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Kensuke's Kingdom

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 2,850 ratings · 309 reviews

When Michael is washed up on an island in the Pacific after falling from his parent's yacht, the Peggy Sue, he struggles to survive on his own. But he soon realises there is someone close by, someone who is watching over him and helping him to stay alive. Following a close-run battle between life and death after being stung by a poisonous jelly fish, the mysterious someone...more

Paperback, 176 pages

Published 2005 by Egmont (first published January 1st 1999)

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Jul 09, 2007 MissInformation rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: grade 4-6

Shelves: jbooks

Kensuke’s Kingdom is an adventure story about an eleven year old boy and his dog who get ship-wrecked on a remote island. The boy Michael has been on a pleasant sail around the world with his parents when suddenly he falls overboard in the middle of the night. Awakening on a beach, he has few survival skills and little hope. Mysteriously, food and water appear near his cave. Michael is not alone on the island, but his benefactor chooses to remain hidden. Only when the boy tries to build a signal...more

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Sep 30, 2007 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: My friends

This book was amazing, anyone who reads it at first might or probably will find it boring, however it soon begins to get exciting. Plus the more you read it, the more you want to carry on reading. I found this book very fascinating and interesting and what i think of Michael Morpurgo is that he is a very talented writer and i do know that he has written many other books and he really has inspired and encouraged me to read more of his books. I really would recommend this to anyone aged from 9-11...more

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Dec 23, 2008 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-children

It has a dog on the cover, so I have to put it on my list to read!

Despite the dog on the cover, the book is mostly about a boy that is a castaway on an island with his dog. This is currently a Book Bowl book for Henrico County 5th graders. It is easy to read and very interesting. I really enjoyed reading it!

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Jul 14, 2008 Caroline rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kensuke's Kingdom is a wonderful story of survival and friendship as it takes you away as Michael, a boy out with his family on the ultimate adventure. Michael and his family are going to live aboard the Peggy Sue, (boat). His family consists of a mother, father, and dog, Stella Artois. Drifted away in a storm, Michael and Stella end up on an island and are reluctantly accepted into Kensuke's, (a World War II veteran who hasn't left the island since the war was over) world. Personally, the novel...more

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Oct 31, 2007 Paula rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone!

this book follows michael and his parents on a trip of a lifetime around the world. they give up thier jobs, pack their belongings onto the 'peggy sue' and off they set. sounds like a fairy tale doesn't it...

michael falls over board and ends up being washed up on an island with only one other inhabitant - kensuke!

this story is one of immense emotion and explores friendship and loyalty. it shows the true spirit of human nature and will bring a tear to the hardest 11 year old (yes, i cried too!)

ev...more

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Jan 23, 2009 Marissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I always have these grand visions of my children being transported when I read to them out loud. Sadly, the reality of that hasn't matched up. We have begun many books but just haven't had the interest level to finish them (sniff, sniff). This is the 2nd book we have ever finished!
Ethan was mildly interested in the adventure of Michael who goes to sea with his parents as they take a break from horrible recessionary pressures at home to sail a yacht around the world. Things aren't always wonderfu...more

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May 01, 2013 Laura Carter rated it 4 of 5 stars

Brief Plot Summary:

Narrated by the eleven year old Michael, Kensuke’s Kingdom is an adventure story about Michael’s experience of being washed up on a dessert island whilst travelling the world.
When Michael’s father gets made redundant he decides to buy a yacht and embark on a life changing journey across the world. Michael’s mother is not pleased at first, as Michael will have to leave school and everything he knows behind him. However, as she begins to learn about the exotic places they will...more Brief Plot Summary:

Narrated by the eleven year old Michael, Kensuke’s Kingdom is an adventure story about Michael’s experience of being washed up on a dessert island whilst travelling the world.
When Michael’s father gets made redundant he decides to buy a yacht and embark on a life changing journey across the world. Michael’s mother is not pleased at first, as Michael will have to leave school and everything he knows behind him. However, as she begins to learn about the exotic places they will visit as a family and life onboard ship, her opinion changes. She agrees that Michael can be home schooled as long as he keeps a diary of everything that happens whilst they are sailing the world. Michael agrees to this and as the book progress the reader is introduced to a variety of different logbook entries that he makes about the different countries he visits and the sea life he comes across.

Why I do, or do not like it:

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as it is about the different experiences the main character has as a result of travelling the world. It introduces the reader to different cultures, taking them to countries that they may not have visited in their lifetime so far.

Outline Appropriate age range:
This book is most appropriate for children aged 7-12 years.

How it could be used in the classroom:

This book could be used:
-In PSHCE to teach children about inclusion, accepting people for who they are, friendship and family (Kensuke’s family are orang-utans; he looks after them – kindness, sharing are topics that can be discussed).
-To inspire creative writing. Here are some ideas - plan your own family’s adventure (where would you go, why, how would you persuade your mum and dad to go on your adventure, write your own memoirs (diary/journal) using Michael’s as a starting point, write a letter back to Kensuke’s son explaining when, where, and why you will meet him, if you could write a rescue message and put it in a bottle for your parents what would it be – using Michael’s as a starting point, write to your parents about what has happened to you – how you fell off the ship etc.), write about a country you have visited in the style of a log book like Michael’s when he visits Africa ( write about what you saw, what you ate, who you visited, what were the people like, the language (was it different)), write a letter from Michael’s parents point of view appealing to Michael about his whereabouts, reassuring him that they are still looking for him (think about what your parents would say/ how would they be feeling if they lost you (describe it)), descriptive writing (look at description of island; words used; get children to describe what the island they washed up on is like)
-In art – draw a map of what you think Kensuke’s island looked like and label it (for example draw and label the line of divide Kensuke draws so that Michael does not disturb him, point out where the cave is, the hill, the beach, the beacon, the forest),
-In history – World War Two (Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 last part of war) – only nuclear weapons used in war to date
-In geography - to learn about Japan, or could get children to map out the journey they would take with their parents, and describe in particular where they would like to visit, and why?
-In literacy it could also be used as material for free writing.
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Apr 29, 2013 Victoria Stickland rated it 4 of 5 stars

From the first line "I disappeared on the night before my twelfth birthday...." the intrigue and suspense sets in. We meet our protagonist, Michael, who with his parents and Stella Artois (!) are abandoning their home life and setting sail aboard the Peggy Sue to see the world. This all sounds wonderful until Michael falls overboard and is washed up on a desert island, alone.....or is he?

This book contains many elements of your classic 'shipwreck', 'castaway' story with some clever and witty twi...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Young Adults

Shelves: 2013

Kensuke's Kingdom is a Young Adult novel by Michael Morpurgo. This book is a real quick read along the lines of The Cay (although if you want something like The Cay, you might as well read The Cay).

The overall plot pretty much is the plot for The Cay, which annoyed me a little bit. Michael is stranded on an island in the Pacific with his dog, Stella, after his parents decide to take a trip around the world. Michael meets Kensuke, who has been on the island since the bombing of Nagasaki.

Michael...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Kate Wells rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kensuke's Kingdom is a beautifully written text, the description is vivid and the vocabulary perfect for introducing children to the enormous possibilities of the English language. Michael Morpurgo explores the importance of friendship and family in his tale set on an exotic deserted island off the coast of Papua New Guinea. The text details the chance encounter of a young stranded boy, his dog and an elderly Japanese survivor of World War II on what we come to know is, Kensuke's Kingdom.

These...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Allyssa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought it is a great book especially for kids our age because there are some words where you have to sometimes look up in the dictionary and from there, in other books you will know what the meanings are already. I mostly liked the part when Kensuke and Michael get along and teach each other things like Painting, English , Fishing etc. The part that I thought was kind of sad was when Kensuke told Michael about his life story when All people of Nagasaki, Japan died because of the Americans in...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Doug rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, english, racist, children

[Warning: some bad language.] I reckon it's been about a decade since I last read this, but I suppose it's testament to how much I liked it that I still remember enough of it to review.

I also just wikipaedia'd the plot to make certain u__u So, at the time, I remember thinking 'THIS IS SO POETICALLY BEAUTIFUL AND WEEPING 5EVA FOR KENSUKE.' On reflection, I weep somewhat less. I do love adventure stories still, and Michael Morpurgo is a pretty sound writer — loved his books when I were a lad, but...more [Warning: some bad language.] I reckon it's been about a decade since I last read this, but I suppose it's testament to how much I liked it that I still remember enough of it to review.

I also just wikipaedia'd the plot to make certain u__u So, at the time, I remember thinking 'THIS IS SO POETICALLY BEAUTIFUL AND WEEPING 5EVA FOR KENSUKE.' On reflection, I weep somewhat less. I do love adventure stories still, and Michael Morpurgo is a pretty sound writer — loved his books when I were a lad, but I have some niggling suspicions that this book is laced with racism. First off, that incredibly irritating trope where an English monoglot and a non-English monoglot are thrown together in close confines and it ALWAYS seems to be the case that the non-English speaker learns English, while the English speaker ~patiently~ teaches it. Thus it was with Kensuke and Michael. I don't really see why it wouldn't be a two-way dialogue? Or why Kensuke wouldn't have just taught Michael Japanese and not learnt English (after all, he knows how to survive where Michael does not, so it would make sense that Michael would be beholden to him, as he needs Kensuke to survive?). While there's no shortage of monoglot English speakers whose lack of interest and condescension towards other languages and cultures makes this a believable trope, it doesn't make it an enjoyable one. Michael doesn't even ask to learn Japanese. He just assumes Kensuke will linguistically appease him. Man, Anglophones are such dicks.

Coupled onto that (and there might be other things I haven't remembered) is the mish-mashed dissonance of Mr-Miyagi-style cultural stereotypes. Kensuke (whose clothes, by the bye, would not have survived 40-odd years of constant sunlight and seawater) seems to combine two different mindsets that don't really match up. Firstly, he's adopted the pacifist, nature-loving mindset that has blossomed in Japan following the end of WWII, despite suggestions that he hasn't even been back to Japan or been in touch with Japanese life since the end of the war (he doesn't know whether his family survived Nagasaki, at least). But on top of that, he seems to be a reincarnation of a Samurai. Towards the end, when Michael gets ready to be rescued, Kensuke drags up this bullshitty line straight from Karate Kid:

(view spoiler)

I just...there are no words to describe how ridiculous this is. If Kensuke is a pacifist, it would indicate that he's turned his back on the Honour code and the oath to the Emperor, so why would he then fashion himself as a new Emperor and utilise an Honour code that was already dated before the Second World War, after the decline of the samurai in the 19th century? Large portions of this actually have pretty worrying parallels with Noble Savage narratives...

You know, looking at my analysis of it now, it's pretty clear there are more than 'niggling suspicions' of racism here. Nope to all of that. I severely doubt this would stand up to a re-read now, but, you know, I liked the idea of it. The whole 'let's just pack up and sail the world, guys!' is the kind of thing I like. Subtracting stars for racism takes this down to a 3, which is more or less what it deserves. It had its moments, though!(less)

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Nov 10, 2012 Ollie rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a magical story. I read this first when I was a young boy, I had just started boarding and as you can imagine, used to get very homesick. My favourite time of day would be when I was able to just go to bed and read my book in the quiet confines of my dorm. This was one of my favourite books to read.
The way Michael Morpurgo makes the reader so attached to the main characters is brilliant. In my mind Kensuke's island represents a whole new world separate to the reality of the real world. The...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Simon Harris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kensuke’s Kingdom is about a child whose parents take up to exploring the world in their boat ‘Peggy Sue’ after they lose their jobs in a brick work factory. On one adventure Michael and his dog Stella Artois are swept off the boat, Michael wakes up after being washed ashore a small island. Here he discovers a Japanese man, who is a former soldier and abandoned his life in the military after the atomic bomb was dropped in Nagasaki in which Kensuke lost his family, Kensuke chose to live a life of...more Kensuke’s Kingdom is about a child whose parents take up to exploring the world in their boat ‘Peggy Sue’ after they lose their jobs in a brick work factory. On one adventure Michael and his dog Stella Artois are swept off the boat, Michael wakes up after being washed ashore a small island. Here he discovers a Japanese man, who is a former soldier and abandoned his life in the military after the atomic bomb was dropped in Nagasaki in which Kensuke lost his family, Kensuke chose to live a life of seclusion on the deserted island until Michael arrived. Kensuke who takes it upon himself to look after Michael and helps him to find food and water on the island. As time passes Michael and Kensuke form a strong friendship, and Michael learns many things about living on the island from his new friend Kensuke. After sometime Michael finds himself missing his family, and attempts to signal his location to passing ships, at first Kensuke objects to this as by doing so, would jeopardise his isolated life, but he understands Michael misses his parents and so he decides to help by lighting a fire to attract attention to anybody sailing by. Eventually a ship recognises the signals and approaches the island, as the ship draws closer, Michael realises it’s the Peggy Sue, and it is his parents who have come to his rescue.

The book focusses on the main characters Michael and Kensuke, and allows you to empathise with them as their relationship develops. There are nice references to children, as Michael plays football on the island, and his experiences evoke the imagination of the reader. There is also reference to historical events in WW2, which opens up links to teach cross curricular.

Ideally the book would be used in a year 6 class as it discusses emotions, and this age range would have a deeper sense of empathy with the characters.

I would use this book for whole class teaching, and also for guided reading, as it allows discussions and other activities from the experiences and events within the story. For example, the reference to World War 2 could be used as a base for a history task.
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Sep 08, 2012 Funn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kensuke's Kingdom is about a boy whose parents decide to buy a boat to sail around the world. During a violent storm, the boy is thrown overboard and the story of his survival is unfolded through his eyes. This is a really good read and was recommended to my son when he was in Year 6 by his teacher and this inspired me to read the book. I really liked the way that the story is written in the first person and through a child's viewpoint. I also liked the way the author used descriptive words and...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Tahmina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After his parents are made redundant from the brickworks, Michael and his family go on an exciting adventure around the world onboard the Peggy Sue, visiting exotic and faraway lands such as Australia and Papua New Guinea. All seems to be going extremely well with Mum, Dad, Michael and their Sheepdog Stella Artois, venturing out in foreign territory while learning and exploring along their way. However, not all goes to plan when one night Michael suddenly goes overboard and is left afraid and st...more After his parents are made redundant from the brickworks, Michael and his family go on an exciting adventure around the world onboard the Peggy Sue, visiting exotic and faraway lands such as Australia and Papua New Guinea. All seems to be going extremely well with Mum, Dad, Michael and their Sheepdog Stella Artois, venturing out in foreign territory while learning and exploring along their way. However, not all goes to plan when one night Michael suddenly goes overboard and is left afraid and stranded in a mysterious, remote island, with no food, water or human to be seen…or so he thinks.

Kensuke’s Kingdom is an emotive novel exploring many themes along the way, such as friendship, hope, courage and loyalty. Michael Morpurgo brilliantly portrays the power of friendship, exemplifying how that alone is sufficient to aid and heal individuals even in the worst of times with the comfort that it brings. The novel also explores historic events, namely the bombing of Nagasaki in Japan and the profound effect this had on its civilians long after the culmination of war. As a result, I believe Kensuke’s Kingdom is an excellent choice to read as a class for pupils above the age of 10, since it covers topics such as war and loss. Moreover, other activities the class could be involved in can include writing blogs about their adventure and how they would describe their time on the island without revealing Kensuke or other of its inhabitants, as well as researching about Japan and finding out information about what had happened in Nagasaki

My only criticism for Kensuke’s Kingdom is the length of the book as the reader is left wanting to know more! However, Morpurgo managed to evoke plenty of emotion while at the same time keeping it an easy read for the younger audience making it a fantastic story. This poignant novel had the same effect on me this time round as it did when I first read it 10 years ago, keeping me hooked until the very end and exuding plenty of emotion.
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Sep 04, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is an endearing Robinson Crusoe -type tale. A young boy called Michael is taken out of school after his parents are made redundant, with the ambition to sail around the world. They travel to Africa, South America and Australia, and teach Michael on board their boat, Peggy Sue. Michael keeps a secret log in which he writes about his travels. One night there is a storm whilst Michael is on lookout without his safety harness on, and he and his dog Stella Artois are knocked overboard. With his...more This is an endearing Robinson Crusoe -type tale. A young boy called Michael is taken out of school after his parents are made redundant, with the ambition to sail around the world. They travel to Africa, South America and Australia, and teach Michael on board their boat, Peggy Sue. Michael keeps a secret log in which he writes about his travels. One night there is a storm whilst Michael is on lookout without his safety harness on, and he and his dog Stella Artois are knocked overboard. With his parents asleep, they do not notice they have gone. They miraculously wake up the next morning on a beautiful island, however Michael feels like he will never be found by Peggy Sue and his parents.

Michael struggles to survive on the island as he soon becomes aware that the jungle is hostile, with lots of scary noises coming from the animals that live there. He soon notices that he is not alone, as someone is leaving him food. He wonders who is watching him. That person keeping him alive is much closer than he realises, he meets an elderly Japanese man who is also living on the island. At first Michael thinks he seems mean as he gives him strict rules to follow. Michael realises however that the man, Kensuke, is just looking out for him as he rescues him from a jellyfish after disobeying Kensuke and venturing into the sea. The two soon become friends and teach each other: Michael teaches Kensuke English, and Kensuke teaches Michael how to paint and catch fish on the island. After much conversation Michael discovers that Kensuke was a doctor in WWII and believes his family died in the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. They both miss their families very much, and Kensuke helps Michael build a beacon that he will light if any ships pass, in hope of rescue. After a close call with a ship of poachers, the second ship that comes past they realise is Peggy Sue, and Michael is reunited with his parents. Kensuke refuses to go with Michael, as he believes he must stay in his kingdom. He makes Michael promise that he will not tell of Kensuke’s existence until after ten years has passed, when Kensuke will have died.

Four years after Michael publishes his secret diary about his experience at sea and on the island, he is contacted by a man believed to be Kensuke’s son. He goes to Japan to meet him several years after this all happened, when Michael is grown up himself.

As a child reading this story I found it very touching. I loved the inventive way it was written and it made a story of survival in a foreign world accessible. I think this book could be used as a guided reading or in-class text for Key Stage 2 children, and could be a starting point for a variety of imaginative writing exercises.
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Aug 31, 2012 Shaun rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kensuke’s Kingdom, winner of the children’s book award is one I was fortunate to read and work with whilst employed as an LSA in 2012. Within a year 5 class we studied every inch of this book for over a month as a literacy topic. Given this time frame the book was enthralling from beginning to end and left every child wanting to know more everytime the book was put down. This to me is the telling sign of an excellent read.

There are 5 main characters in the book, Michael, Mum, Dad, Stella Artois...more Kensuke’s Kingdom, winner of the children’s book award is one I was fortunate to read and work with whilst employed as an LSA in 2012. Within a year 5 class we studied every inch of this book for over a month as a literacy topic. Given this time frame the book was enthralling from beginning to end and left every child wanting to know more everytime the book was put down. This to me is the telling sign of an excellent read.

There are 5 main characters in the book, Michael, Mum, Dad, Stella Artois (Michael’s dog) and later on in the story Kensuke.

Young Michael embarks on an adventure with Stella Artois, Mum and Dad, attempting to sail the world on their trusty boat Peggy Sue. One stormy night Michael and his K9 companion are swept overboard, finding themselves washed up on a deserted island. Deserted? They believe so, but as the story progresses the truth is revealed.

Food and water for both Michael and Stella Artois are scarce; they take shelter in a dark cave for both cover and protection. Surviving on this island is priority but basic living resources are extremely limited, how will they manage it?
Fortunately one morning upon waking up water and food had been left outside their adopted home, Michael now realising the deserted island is no longer what he believed it to be. Kensuke, a mature man of Japanese origin sets out to keep them both alive; this is where the real adventure begins.

Michael and Kensuke form a great bond, one of trust and respect. The story includes a number of emotions, ones that reading children may have heard of but may not necessarily know how to deal with. Such include fear, loneliness and recklessness. However, the formation of friendship and mature respect between Kensuke and Michael is the single most beauty of this story. Through all other emotion endured my Michael as a young boy taking on such huge responsibility of keeping him and his dog alive and safe on isolated island, he and Kensuke learn from each other, through good and bad.

In my opinion, the magnificence of this read is down to its simplicity. Kensuke’s Kingdom is a far cry from the classic shipwrecked tails seen in various other books and films of past. As a reader you believe you know what may happen but the story offers up some unexpected twists and turns along the way which will keep the reader on the edge of their seat and eager to read on.
An action-packed 161 pages which includes the pleasant added touches of a glossary of Japanese words used by Kensuke, a map of the island and some fantastically illustrated sketches courtesy of Michael Foreman.
A must read for any year 5 target audience.
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Aug 12, 2012 Noreen Butt rated it 4 of 5 stars

This story is about when a family’s circumstances change and they decide to sell their house and all their possessions to buy a yacht to sail around the world. When suddenly disaster happens, one night Michael their son is washed overboard. With this terrifying experience Michael is all alone in the ocean and his cries for help are not heard, not even by his parents. He ends up stranded on a desert Island, where he meets an old man named Kensuke. The story goes on.

I love adventure stories! This...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Juliet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childhood-favourites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I first read this in class when I was ten years old and remember being completely transfixed with it. I think it was probably one of the first books that got me to really love reading. Ever since then, I've looked high and low for a copy of the book and eventually, three months ago, eight years after reading it for the first time, came across a battered copy in a charity shop. I bought it with the intention of reading it to my younger brother but inevitably ended up reading it myself, finishing...more

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Jul 08, 2012 Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm too old for this book, really, but I read it aloud to my sons, and they both loved it.

I started reading it initially to my younger son, who's eight, but his older brother kept coming in to listen as well, which must be the mark of a good children's book. It is simply told, so it's easy for children to follow. Plot developments are pretty clearly signposted, which helps children to keep up and also to feel clever when they predict correctly what will happen next. Michael, the main character a...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Niamh Delahunty rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

To begin, Micheal is faced with all be them mondane, but life changing circumstances when his parents loose their jobs and decide to pursue a trip around the world on a yacht, The Peggy Sue.Yet, when Michael is washed up on an island after falling from his parent's yacht, with his dog Stella, he struggles to cope with the idea of surviving alone. Yet, he soon realises he is not alone and that a mysterious someone is watching over him and helping him to stay alive. With a dramatic introduction of...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Megan Chard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo is about an 11 year old boy named Michael. His father buys a yacht 'The Peggy Sue' to sail around the world. After Michael and his parents have their sailing training they set sail from Southampton accompanied with their dog Stella. One night during a storm Michael is on the deck of The Peggy Sue with only Stella for company, as he tries to tempt Stella away from the edge the boat jerks and he falls into the Ocean. With his parents asleep below deck nobody h...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Shirley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s

Kensuke's Kingdom is recommended for a third through sixth grade audience with a reading level of 4.3. As an adult, I really enjoyed it. Morpurgo's writing flows easily and is very descriptive. He interposes words that are much beyond the reading level that is suggested. The book would be great as a classroom reading tool for teaching historical fiction and expanding student vocabulary.

Though the main character Michael and his dog Stella Artois experience dangerous situations, they are both sur...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Lucy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

'Kensuke's Kingdom' is a beautiful written adventure story by Michael Morpurgo. A young boy named Michael embarks on an adventure with just his Mum, Dad and dog for company, as they set sail to travel around the world on their boat. However, the adventure truly begins when, late one night, Michael and his dog are swept overboard, finding themselves stranded on an island. Unable to find anything to eat or drink, an exhausted Michael curls up in a cave with just his dog, Stella Artois, for comfort...more 'Kensuke's Kingdom' is a beautiful written adventure story by Michael Morpurgo. A young boy named Michael embarks on an adventure with just his Mum, Dad and dog for company, as they set sail to travel around the world on their boat. However, the adventure truly begins when, late one night, Michael and his dog are swept overboard, finding themselves stranded on an island. Unable to find anything to eat or drink, an exhausted Michael curls up in a cave with just his dog, Stella Artois, for comfort. The following morning, Michael is surprised to find that two bowls of water along with some food have been placed outside the cave. He soon discovers that he is not alone on the island, as an elderly Japanese man, Kensuke, silently helps to keep them alive.

This is an adventure story of how a young boy is taught to survive by the creative and inspiring Kensuke. However, this is also a story that very much deals with common place human emotions and fears, such as loneliness and abandonment. The tale may deal with two seemingly polar opposite individuals stranded on a desert island, but it is at heart a story of friendship and loyalty. Despite the language barrior, Michael and the initially reluctant and reserved Kensuke, strike up a beautiful friendship as they learn both from and with each other, whilst sharing both the good and the bad times with one another. I think this book would be best targeted at a Year 5 class, due to the language annd themes, but it is definitely a book that can also be enjoyed by adults. It made me personally reflect on how peaceful and content Kensuke was very little and how much of what we have is not needed or important.

The book is beautifully presented through its simplicity. There are various simple illustrations scattered throughout book, providing, in my opinion, just the right amount of illustration. There is also a glossary of the Japanese words used by Kensuke, with their English definition, at the back of the book, giving it a unique touch.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend having a read!

Lucy Rogers(less)

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Oct 12, 2009 Stacy Slater rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: international-children-s-books, ireland-british-isles

The Times (London) review quoted on the back of this edition calls Kensuke's Kingdom a "dazzling adventure," but those looking for a traditional adventure-survival story will be disappointed in this book. The main thrust of the book is the tentative friendship that develops between Michael and Kensuke and the gradual unraveling of the mystery of Kensuke's existence on the island.

When Michael and his parents set out to sail around the world, they were low on experience, but high on enthusiasm. A...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Anne Hamilton rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children

This is another of Michael Morpurgo's books using his almost trademark style of a framing story. This particular one is more thoroughly integrated than most with the protagonist introducing his own story, rather than that of someone else.

After the loss of his job in the brickworks, Michael's dad sets out to fulfil a secret ambition: that of sailing around the world on a yacht. He appoints Michael's mum the skipper and, after some thorough lessons in what to expect at sea from an 'old salt', the...more

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Oct 06, 2011 Dem rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Dem by: My Son

My son is reading this book at school with his class and I decided to read it as well as he said he would like to be able to discuss it with me because he found it so exciting, I love to read a Michael Morpurgo book every now and again as I love his writing and one of my favourite books by Michael Morpurgo is Private Peaceful so was quite happy to read Kensuke's Kingdom.

The story is about Michael a twelve year old boy who gets washed up on an island in the pacific, Michael struggles to survive...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Richard rated it 5 of 5 stars

The plot at first reminded me of Life of Pi (by Yann Martel) with a boy being lost at sea. The obvious difference being that Michael’s companion was a dog and the protagonist of Life of Pi’s companions included a tiger and a hyena! The story really starts though when Michael washes up on a beach and begins a friendship with a man not used to anyone else’s company than his own.

This adventure story is a worth winner of the Children’s Book Award. Morpurgo is traditionally known for writing children...more

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Nov 20, 2008 Foster. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Year 4 =.=
ooo i didn't like this at the start but then it got quite exciting then boring again.
but an OKAY book.

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Childrens

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Adventure > Survival

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About Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo is the author of many books for children, five of which have been made into films. He also writes his own screenplays and libretti for opera. Born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, in 1943, he was evacuated to Cumberland during the last years of the war, then returned to London, moving later to Essex. After a brief and unsuccessful spell in the army, he took up teaching and started to...more

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