I'd never heard of this book - nor of Michael Morpurgo - until I worked at the Edinburgh Book Festival a couple of years ago. I'm not sure why such a prolific and popular author passed me by when I was little (some of my co-workers at the EBF were horrified by this), so I review this entirely as an adult.

War Horse is, of course, very popular right now. With a Spielberg film in the cinema, the book has apparently sold more copies in the UK over the last two weeks than it did internationally in 25 years (source, BBC News.

I've yet to see the film, but on the strength of the book I am sure I will. This is a touching story of a horse who is sold from his simple life on a farm and made to work on the front during WWI, told from his perspective.

What I found really interesting was the representation of both the British and German soldiers - the only villains from the perspective of a horse are those humans who are outwardly unkind and cruel. When individuals act with compassion and kindness, it doesn't matter to the horse what uniform they are wearing.

The horror, devastation and futility of the war was ever present in the story, and no doubt this would be a good book to help teach children with. I wish I'd read this when I was a child.

Recommended, with a hanky.