The Marble Crusher and Other Stories

by Michael Morpurgo

This book includes three captivating stories from a master storyteller. In The Marble Crusher, Albert is new at school and believes everything the bully Sid tells him about the headmaster, Mr. Manners, and his terrifying marble-crushing machine. Albert feels desperate when his marbles are confiscated, but Mr. Manners finds a way to turn the joke on Sid. In Colly’s Barn, Annie had to find a way to stop the farm's old barn from being torn down. Nothing, it seems, can save it—until Colly the swallow and Screecher the owl help Annie save their home. And in Conker, it’s the time of year when conkers, the hard fruit of the chestnut tree, ripen. That means it’s also time for conker fights, and Nick desperately wants to win. With a little help from his grandmother, he becomes a very special conker champion.

Genres: Childrens, Short Stories, Middle Grade, Fiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1992

About the author

Sir Michael Andrew Morpurgo, OBE, FRSL 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 Second World 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 write. He left teaching after ten years in order to set up 'Farms for City Children' with his wife. They have three farms in Devon, Wales and Gloucestershire, open to inner city school children who come to stay and work with the animals. In 1999 this work was publicly recognised when he and his wife were invested a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to youth. In 2003, he was advanced to an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (FRSL) in 2004. He was knighted in the 2018 for his services to literature and charity. He is also a father and grandfather, so children have always played a large part in his life. Every year he and his family spend time in the Scilly Isles, the setting for three of his books.

Reviews

[Book Jester · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of 3 stories was the second book of the month which my son chose for bedtime reading, but instead of us taking it in turns to read, with this one he read the whole thing out loud to me! What an absolute champ. All 3 stories were great but I think perhaps Conker was my favourite.

[Grace Sargeant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed.

[Luksi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only one of the stories (the first story) is not the best, but the others are amazing!

[Charlie Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely assortment of short reads, well written and perfect for summer holiday snuggles with the smallest one!

[Em Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*, nice collection of short stories, fancied reading but wasn’t in a place to give my full attention and this hit the spot :)

[Gemma Stockham · Rating 3 out of 5]

🔵Unbeknownst to myself, I had picked up a collection of short stories to read next as my Morpurgo choice.
Marble Crusher is about a boy who naively believes his headmaster has a marble crusher in his office that prevents his pupils from playing their playground games.

🦉Colly's Barn is about Annie, who wants to save a barn for her feathered friends. She takes advice from her natural friends to do so and tries to stop her grandfather from bulldozing the outbuilding.

🐕and in Conker, a boy is recently mourning the loss of his beloved family pet as he tries to win the school Conker championship.

🔵🦉🐕All three stories were beautifully written and illustrated, detailing the best of human personalities and the relationships that develop.

🔵🦉🐕/5

[Maria]

The

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice easy little children's tales, three different stories in one book.

[Julia Grima · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are three stories in this book. I liked Conker best!!!!