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Singing for Mrs Pettigrew
This work offers an invaluable insight into storytelling from one of today's greatest writers. This collection by the 2003-2005 Children's Laureate, Michael Morpurgo, contains short stories, essays and commentaries to illuminate the craft of storytelling. Analyzing all aspects of writing - character, plot, sources and inspiration, retelling and biography - it is perfect for anyone, young or old, who loves great stories and wants to know more about the art of telling tales.
272 pages, Paperback
First published September 4, 2006
16 people are currently reading
297 people want to read
About the author
Michael Morpurgo
635 books3,051 followersSir 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
August 10, 2012
Wonderful little gem of a book. A collection of short stories and essays which Michael Morpurgo wrote when he was the Children's Laureate including I Believe in Unicorns and the brilliant Mozart Question. I read it all in one day but it is also a book which you could dip into. Made me want to go back and read all his great stories again and gave me lots of ideas for new ones too. Just brilliant!
June 25, 2017
Short story collections seem a good idea for busy people. This book stands out from others on my shelves as the author, Michael Morpurgo shares the genesis of his stories, indeed, his writing journey. His raison d'être.
"I am a grower of stories. I farm them as surely as a farmer does his corn." he writes. I so relate to images of earth, seasons and plants!
Morpurgo thrives on, relates to the sea, as I do. Many stories derive from his love of Robert Louis Stevenson's books like Treasure Island, and to his holidays on the Scilly Isles ("half a man"; "the giant's necklace").
The stories begin with the whimsical, warm and fuzzy, ("meeting cezanne") then once we readers are chortling sympathetically at amusing anecdotes of "my one and only great escape" he hits hard with the dire experiences war inflicts on men, women and children – and horses. ("the Mozart question"; "what does it feel like?"; "for Carlos, a letter from your father.")
The depths plumbed deserve a reread.
"I am a grower of stories. I farm them as surely as a farmer does his corn." he writes. I so relate to images of earth, seasons and plants!
Morpurgo thrives on, relates to the sea, as I do. Many stories derive from his love of Robert Louis Stevenson's books like Treasure Island, and to his holidays on the Scilly Isles ("half a man"; "the giant's necklace").
The stories begin with the whimsical, warm and fuzzy, ("meeting cezanne") then once we readers are chortling sympathetically at amusing anecdotes of "my one and only great escape" he hits hard with the dire experiences war inflicts on men, women and children – and horses. ("the Mozart question"; "what does it feel like?"; "for Carlos, a letter from your father.")
The depths plumbed deserve a reread.
March 3, 2024
Not something I would normally pick for myself but definitely one of the few books that really left an impact on me.
The stories in it are so stunning and beautiful and awfully sad and emotional but he has written it in such a way that it’s suitable for children as well. They’re all just so simple and ordinary but extremely sad when you understand the meaning.
The Mozart Question was the first I really felt something for followed by all the other war stories. It’s definitely worth a read and I’m very glad our teacher picked it for our class.
The stories in it are so stunning and beautiful and awfully sad and emotional but he has written it in such a way that it’s suitable for children as well. They’re all just so simple and ordinary but extremely sad when you understand the meaning.
The Mozart Question was the first I really felt something for followed by all the other war stories. It’s definitely worth a read and I’m very glad our teacher picked it for our class.
June 17, 2025
A good selection of stories
November 27, 2012
This is a book I have the utmost difficulty in returning to my local library. It’s tempting for it to mysteriously disappear, MIA, on my own bookshelves. *sigh* I guess I’m just going to have to find a copy somewhere to buy…
It’s a collection of Michael Morpurgo’s short stories, many of which I had read before. However the prose interspersions which reflect on the writer’s craft, inspiration and life are, for me, even better. The ‘stories about the stories’ are enriching, enhancing and thoroughly enchanting.
I remember hearing Morpurgo speak at a conference several years ago where he said that, although it sounds pathetic, until he got the right name for his character, he could hardly write a thing. Although I’d liked his work before that, the fellow feeling of needing to find a character’s ‘right’ name was such that I started to seek his books out.
Again, as I read this collection and he wrote about his inspiration, I was delighted by the serendipitous discovery of similar authorial fellow feelings. A significant number of them were all wrapped up in a single bundle: …muddled through, still burdened by that same deep sense of inadequacy whenever I opened a book or tried to write an essay. But then in my third year at King's College London, I happened to read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and LOVED it. I was riveted by the pace of the story, the richness of the language, and for the first time in a very long while found myself inside a work of poetry or fiction. Suddenly I wasn't an outsider. I was Gawain, just as I had been Jim Hawkins. I heard the music in the words again, was a child again, was a reader again..
Ahhh, that he loves Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a firm, firm favourite of mine.
Ahhhhhh, that he’s not afraid of naïve identification with a character.
Ahhhhhhhhhh, that he likes to read from inside a story, not be an observer of it.
That single paragraph was such a joy. Yes, indeed, ‘we are what we read.’
It’s a collection of Michael Morpurgo’s short stories, many of which I had read before. However the prose interspersions which reflect on the writer’s craft, inspiration and life are, for me, even better. The ‘stories about the stories’ are enriching, enhancing and thoroughly enchanting.
I remember hearing Morpurgo speak at a conference several years ago where he said that, although it sounds pathetic, until he got the right name for his character, he could hardly write a thing. Although I’d liked his work before that, the fellow feeling of needing to find a character’s ‘right’ name was such that I started to seek his books out.
Again, as I read this collection and he wrote about his inspiration, I was delighted by the serendipitous discovery of similar authorial fellow feelings. A significant number of them were all wrapped up in a single bundle: …muddled through, still burdened by that same deep sense of inadequacy whenever I opened a book or tried to write an essay. But then in my third year at King's College London, I happened to read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and LOVED it. I was riveted by the pace of the story, the richness of the language, and for the first time in a very long while found myself inside a work of poetry or fiction. Suddenly I wasn't an outsider. I was Gawain, just as I had been Jim Hawkins. I heard the music in the words again, was a child again, was a reader again..
Ahhh, that he loves Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a firm, firm favourite of mine.
Ahhhhhh, that he’s not afraid of naïve identification with a character.
Ahhhhhhhhhh, that he likes to read from inside a story, not be an observer of it.
That single paragraph was such a joy. Yes, indeed, ‘we are what we read.’
November 30, 2009
This book is supposed to be an autobiography with helpful writing hints, but in my opinion it isn't much of an autobiography (a quick internet search provides most of the fact that the book contains) and has very little information in it about writing.
It is however a lovely book, full of short stories linked by some background by Morpurgo, stories mostly based on things that Morpurgo did, or areas he visited. There is a change in font size to show the difference between Morpurgo's commentary and a story, but even so I was sometimes a little confused about which I was reading. I was also never sure, as it was not stated, how much of any story that seemed as it might be autobiographical actually was.
Of course I am only too aware that my memories do not always match those of my family, so, however honestly told an autobiogrpahy must contain elements of fiction. This method of mixing fiction and commentary is perhaps more honest than a straight forward autobiography.
The last story (Singing for Mrs Pettigrew) is very sad and has haunted me. I can only hope that it is more fiction than fact.
It is however a lovely book, full of short stories linked by some background by Morpurgo, stories mostly based on things that Morpurgo did, or areas he visited. There is a change in font size to show the difference between Morpurgo's commentary and a story, but even so I was sometimes a little confused about which I was reading. I was also never sure, as it was not stated, how much of any story that seemed as it might be autobiographical actually was.
Of course I am only too aware that my memories do not always match those of my family, so, however honestly told an autobiogrpahy must contain elements of fiction. This method of mixing fiction and commentary is perhaps more honest than a straight forward autobiography.
The last story (Singing for Mrs Pettigrew) is very sad and has haunted me. I can only hope that it is more fiction than fact.
February 6, 2012
I found Michael Morpurgo late in life, but I am so glad I found him. Brings me right back to my childhood, the types of stories I loved to read.
March 23, 2010
This is an interesting book contains a few short stories and the writers own experience. Michael Morpurgo for me does have a broad view about the world and his stories do touch my heart. His stories creates tears, creates fear, make me laugh and do have the soul in it. He writes the stories with simple words but it is written beautifully and smart.
Few stories that really stick in my head are The Giant’s Necklace; I believe in Unicorns; The Mozart question; and many more.
The best part of his book is it bring us inside the story.. I am moves together with the stories.
The Giant’s necklace make me scared at the middle of the story then I am crying at the end of it when the girl know and understand that she is a ghost and cannot speak to her mother. I can say that the story does have some kind of similarity with the sixth sense but it is different! I just cannot explain it to you by myself, you have to read it.
Michael Morpurgo also put himself as part of the book itself. He describe how did he can write such all the stories that had been written before and the stories written inside the book. He such a clever writer.. He really wanted people to understand that children hate reading but they love stories. From telling them stories, they will begin the reading part by themselves, and I agree with him.
The stories of Morpurgo also describe a lot about war. He writes about the war itself, the effect of war on an ex-soldier and effect of war on a person life. To be truth it do show that he do support humanity and peace.
Come on guys, read this stuff. This is an art and believe me that I am amaze with the writer’s talent.
Few stories that really stick in my head are The Giant’s Necklace; I believe in Unicorns; The Mozart question; and many more.
The best part of his book is it bring us inside the story.. I am moves together with the stories.
The Giant’s necklace make me scared at the middle of the story then I am crying at the end of it when the girl know and understand that she is a ghost and cannot speak to her mother. I can say that the story does have some kind of similarity with the sixth sense but it is different! I just cannot explain it to you by myself, you have to read it.
Michael Morpurgo also put himself as part of the book itself. He describe how did he can write such all the stories that had been written before and the stories written inside the book. He such a clever writer.. He really wanted people to understand that children hate reading but they love stories. From telling them stories, they will begin the reading part by themselves, and I agree with him.
The stories of Morpurgo also describe a lot about war. He writes about the war itself, the effect of war on an ex-soldier and effect of war on a person life. To be truth it do show that he do support humanity and peace.
Come on guys, read this stuff. This is an art and believe me that I am amaze with the writer’s talent.
March 29, 2010
I loved this book. It wove seamlessly between the author's reflections and his stories. All with a depth of feeling, joy for life, and recognition of difficult passages even children go through. I am ready to read more of his stories, and was encouraged in writing by his thoughts. Lovely, simple, profound.
October 30, 2011
A very treasured copy! Signed by the Author when i met Michael Morpurgo at my hometown book Fair.
This is one of my favourite Morpurgo books and I love this edition. The cover is amazing.
The short stories throughout are brilliantly written and quite moving.
Not Just a book for children, adults can easily enjoy this too.
This is one of my favourite Morpurgo books and I love this edition. The cover is amazing.
The short stories throughout are brilliantly written and quite moving.
Not Just a book for children, adults can easily enjoy this too.
Read
January 23, 2013Although I am not usually a fan of short stories, this collection held my attention from beginning to end. It contains reflections by the author which explain his motive for writing, how he gathers his ideas, and what he hopes to achieve through storytelling. Certainly, he has an amazing gift and can create pictures with words in a way that is both memorable and moving.
April 4, 2014
A very interesting story collection. For several stories there is introduction by the author. Though the book will be suitable to the middle school level to enjoy the book more, I am sure though who enjoy good stories like this book as well. One can take the journey though - War, human relationships and the a writer's world, so go for this.
Most touching story - "The Mozart Question".
Most touching story - "The Mozart Question".
September 21, 2007
This is the kind of book that cozily invites you in and embraces you. The short stories are beautiful, and the alternating chapters where Morpugo describes how he arrive at the stories are as inspiring as Rilke. Perfect rainy day company along with a blanket and a cup of tea.
February 26, 2016
Delightful read. Beautiful prose with touching and enriching stories. I found another fave author.
My personal favorite is The Mozart Question.
My personal favorite is The Mozart Question.
June 22, 2025
When I was first getting into children's literature as a field, as a topic, as a thing that I wanted to do properly and seriously and forever if the planets aligned, I began to spend my lunchtimes in a library close to where I then worked and I read his entire back catalogue over a number of weeks. I was often the only person in this part of the library and I broke the rules (sorry lovely librarians) by furtively eating my lunch as I turned the pages and kept going in this sort of literary pilgrimage of mine. I read everything that he had published until that point and then when I had done that, I knew that I had built my foundations and I understood where I wanted to be and I think that I even understood how I would get there.
Singing for Mrs Pettigrew is a book which hinges on this ideas of journey, of knowing where you have been in order to know where you are going, and it is a very charming thing. If you are a completionist then some of the material will already be familiar to you (such as The Mozart Question and Meeting Cezanne) but the accompanying essays are, I think, where the magic happens. Morpurgo talks about his journey towards becoming a storyteller and discusses his influences and the impact of his mentors (one of which is Ted freaking Hughes which is quite the name to drop). It's in this discussion of his mentors that Morpurgo loses some of his self-consciousness, a typical thing of autobiography, and becomes something rather wonderful His essay on another of his mentors, Sean Rafferty, is worth the price of entry alone.
Morpurgo is a wonderful, classy writer and this is just foundational stuff.
(Pausing mid-bite to stare at the final pages of Waiting For Anya, crying in the stillness of the library, feeling it deep down inside, knowing that this is it, this feeling is what I want to understand, to create-)
Singing for Mrs Pettigrew is a book which hinges on this ideas of journey, of knowing where you have been in order to know where you are going, and it is a very charming thing. If you are a completionist then some of the material will already be familiar to you (such as The Mozart Question and Meeting Cezanne) but the accompanying essays are, I think, where the magic happens. Morpurgo talks about his journey towards becoming a storyteller and discusses his influences and the impact of his mentors (one of which is Ted freaking Hughes which is quite the name to drop). It's in this discussion of his mentors that Morpurgo loses some of his self-consciousness, a typical thing of autobiography, and becomes something rather wonderful His essay on another of his mentors, Sean Rafferty, is worth the price of entry alone.
Morpurgo is a wonderful, classy writer and this is just foundational stuff.
(Pausing mid-bite to stare at the final pages of Waiting For Anya, crying in the stillness of the library, feeling it deep down inside, knowing that this is it, this feeling is what I want to understand, to create-)
August 19, 2017
"From the first sentence of a Michael Morpurgo book, you know you are in the hands of a natural storyteller." -The Guardian (U.K.)
Michael Morpurgo is a former Children's Laureate of Britain. This book is his collection of essays, mostly written during that time, and some of his short stories. Every single entry is lovely or thought provoking or both. He has organized the book so that the essays and stories naturally flow from one to another as he tells how he became a writer and the inspiration that fuels his imagination. I loved every entry in this collection.
Michael Morpurgo is a former Children's Laureate of Britain. This book is his collection of essays, mostly written during that time, and some of his short stories. Every single entry is lovely or thought provoking or both. He has organized the book so that the essays and stories naturally flow from one to another as he tells how he became a writer and the inspiration that fuels his imagination. I loved every entry in this collection.
February 1, 2021
My absolute favorites were "my one and only great escape," "the mozart question," and "singing for mrs pettigrew."
I'll always have a soft spot for stories that end on a happier and lighter note, but I appreciated that Michael Morpurgo's stories never hide the atrocities of war and of the horrific ways people treat each other. His stories never revolve around them though - they mostly just fade in the background - always in contrast to the innocence and hopefulness of the characters we follow.
I'll always have a soft spot for stories that end on a happier and lighter note, but I appreciated that Michael Morpurgo's stories never hide the atrocities of war and of the horrific ways people treat each other. His stories never revolve around them though - they mostly just fade in the background - always in contrast to the innocence and hopefulness of the characters we follow.
September 2, 2018
It’s so hard to rate this book, as it’s short stories it’s kind of a mixed bag. Sometimes I couldn’t put it down and other times it was a hard slog. But it’s also what I enjoyed, the variety of this book was refreshing, the stories don’t drag on as they are fleeting. I enjoyed learning more about Morpurgo.
October 9, 2019
A really nice look for children that you can easily dip in and out of which can sometimes be difficult with a novel, especially if using this within a class. The main themes of the book are imagination, creativity, inspiration, truth and love, which are all really effective to explore with children or to read as an adult.
October 22, 2017
Beautifully written autobiographical recount of Michael Morpurgo's life and writing. The stories shared and the preamble reflect much of Morpugo's writing - reflective and thoughtful. I would say it is more for the Morpurgo fans than for people looking for insight into how to write.
July 4, 2020
A book about reading and writing,
About believing in unicorns,
About wandering and about coming home,
About finding one’s voice,
And discovering “we are what we write.”
I just re-read this book, and continue to find it inspiring.
About believing in unicorns,
About wandering and about coming home,
About finding one’s voice,
And discovering “we are what we write.”
I just re-read this book, and continue to find it inspiring.
December 14, 2018
So profound, so beautifully written.
June 11, 2019
Beautifully told tales of the writers journey. Some are journal-like entries, others short stories, but all illustrate how Murpurgo turned from reluctant reader to world-class writer.
February 3, 2021
Bullshit
April 13, 2022
A masterful story teller! Another treasure from my National Library week bag
May 28, 2022
2,6🌟/5
April 14, 2024
Short stories interspersed with how the writer writes, what compels him, what starts and ideas. Not something I would normally pick up but found myself re-reading parts.
October 18, 2024
I think my family got quite fed up with me, they came to visit and spend family time with me while I stayed in inside the world of Mr Morpurgo's wonderful stories!
August 13, 2013
My first book review is on 'Singing for Mrs. Pettigrew' by Michael Morpurgo.
In this book the author seeks to illuminate for the reader how he became the writer he is.
He tells us about his influences, both in living his life and by books and authors he has read.
Every short story in the book is preceded by a recollection from the author's life,explaining his journey as a person and how it is manifested in the stories he tells - this point is explored further when he talks about his 'characters being shaped by landscape, history and culture'-this background, making them who they are, links with what has shaped him in his personal life.The short story of 'The Silver Swan' among others is used to elucidate his point.
I believe this is a good book for older primary-age children as it lets them know that even the best writers encounter the fear brought on by a blank page - the lesson that perseverance, patience and practise can lead to success is a good one for children.
It introduces them to the authors and books that influenced him - which will hopefully encourage further reading.
The short stories themselves are imaginative, descriptive, melancholy, sometimes sad but mostly hopeful.This book will provide plenty of food for thought.
It would be good to use this book as a starting point for getting children to think about how they might become writers and what that would entail. Some of the stories might be a little dark for certain children so perhaps the teacher could introduce it to the class by reading aloud one of the more uplifting stories. Independent reading
could be encouraged in more advanced, mature readers.
In this book the author seeks to illuminate for the reader how he became the writer he is.
He tells us about his influences, both in living his life and by books and authors he has read.
Every short story in the book is preceded by a recollection from the author's life,explaining his journey as a person and how it is manifested in the stories he tells - this point is explored further when he talks about his 'characters being shaped by landscape, history and culture'-this background, making them who they are, links with what has shaped him in his personal life.The short story of 'The Silver Swan' among others is used to elucidate his point.
I believe this is a good book for older primary-age children as it lets them know that even the best writers encounter the fear brought on by a blank page - the lesson that perseverance, patience and practise can lead to success is a good one for children.
It introduces them to the authors and books that influenced him - which will hopefully encourage further reading.
The short stories themselves are imaginative, descriptive, melancholy, sometimes sad but mostly hopeful.This book will provide plenty of food for thought.
It would be good to use this book as a starting point for getting children to think about how they might become writers and what that would entail. Some of the stories might be a little dark for certain children so perhaps the teacher could introduce it to the class by reading aloud one of the more uplifting stories. Independent reading
could be encouraged in more advanced, mature readers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews