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When Fishes Flew
This first new novel in two years from the Nation’s Favourite Storyteller is a sweeping story of love and rescue – an unforgettable journey to the Greek island of Ithaca, and back in time to World War Two…
Australian-Greek girl Nandi travels to her ancestors’ home in Ithaca, and discovers – through a friendship with an extremely unusual flying fish – the extraordinary story of her great-aunt Elena; of how she fell in love, in the hardest of times, and how of how she became an unsung hero of World War Two.
But Elena has gone missing, and Nandi has to find her. In her search, she will discover that Elena was an even greater hero than she thought – and still is…
Nandi’s story is a beautiful and inspiring tale of personal discovery, of love and place and belonging, threaded through with the quiet heroism of everyday people. Stunningly illustrated throughout by acclaimed artist George Butler, and full of magic, myth and mystery, it is a classic Morpurgo novel that will move and thrill every reader who loved Private Peaceful and War Horse, and combines all the hallmarks of this beloved Master Storyteller.
Australian-Greek girl Nandi travels to her ancestors’ home in Ithaca, and discovers – through a friendship with an extremely unusual flying fish – the extraordinary story of her great-aunt Elena; of how she fell in love, in the hardest of times, and how of how she became an unsung hero of World War Two.
But Elena has gone missing, and Nandi has to find her. In her search, she will discover that Elena was an even greater hero than she thought – and still is…
Nandi’s story is a beautiful and inspiring tale of personal discovery, of love and place and belonging, threaded through with the quiet heroism of everyday people. Stunningly illustrated throughout by acclaimed artist George Butler, and full of magic, myth and mystery, it is a classic Morpurgo novel that will move and thrill every reader who loved Private Peaceful and War Horse, and combines all the hallmarks of this beloved Master Storyteller.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published September 30, 2021
18 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Michael Morpurgo
635 books3,052 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 38 reviews
March 15, 2024
I just love how every book written by the author has a very humane feel to it. All the raw emotions and the portrayal of how people suffered during the times of war.
This is the story of a girl travelling to her ancestral land to search for her missing great-aunt with the help of a very unlikely creature.
I love how honest the writing is regarding the fear and the helplessness we humans feel when we cannot see any way other than pray and look upto a god we believe in. It can be in any form or disguise I can tell you from this story!
The girl will get to know much more than she already knows about her great aunt to be a hero. The survival skills, the difficult memories and the determination she has indeed needs to be told.
Well, about the flying fish it depends on you whether you truly can believe in it or not!
This is the story of a girl travelling to her ancestral land to search for her missing great-aunt with the help of a very unlikely creature.
I love how honest the writing is regarding the fear and the helplessness we humans feel when we cannot see any way other than pray and look upto a god we believe in. It can be in any form or disguise I can tell you from this story!
The girl will get to know much more than she already knows about her great aunt to be a hero. The survival skills, the difficult memories and the determination she has indeed needs to be told.
Well, about the flying fish it depends on you whether you truly can believe in it or not!
June 22, 2023
4,5/5 stars cute book🥹
May 5, 2025
Неплохо, конец немного эээээ
September 18, 2021
Nandi has always had a special relationship with her Great Aunt Ellie. She has loved her stories and the very essence that makes her so special. When Ellie becomes too old to travel from her home in Ithaca to visit Nandi in Australia, Nandi vows to work hard and save the money to do the journey herself.
On arriving at Ithaca, Nandi discovers that her Aunt is not at home and nobody knows where she has gone or how long she will be gone, but they know she will be back. Nandi, settles into life on the island and learns, bit by bit, of the extraordinary life that Aunt Ellie has led and the place she holds in so many hearts.
The retelling of Nandi’s story through her diary entries creates a raw and emotional journey for the reader. Michael Morpurgo squeezes a depth of feeling from every single entry as he also weaves the historical significance of this story from one person’s perspective. Brilliantly told.
Curriculum links to: heritage, roots, family, love, respect, hope and perseverance all wrapped up in Greek mythology, historical reference and geographical observation.
On arriving at Ithaca, Nandi discovers that her Aunt is not at home and nobody knows where she has gone or how long she will be gone, but they know she will be back. Nandi, settles into life on the island and learns, bit by bit, of the extraordinary life that Aunt Ellie has led and the place she holds in so many hearts.
The retelling of Nandi’s story through her diary entries creates a raw and emotional journey for the reader. Michael Morpurgo squeezes a depth of feeling from every single entry as he also weaves the historical significance of this story from one person’s perspective. Brilliantly told.
Curriculum links to: heritage, roots, family, love, respect, hope and perseverance all wrapped up in Greek mythology, historical reference and geographical observation.
June 27, 2023
There was a fair bit to like about this story. I enjoyed the Greek setting and Nandi's journey of discovery. The writing was sometimes engaging.
The writing was sometimes annoying.
- There was some weird virtue-signalling about how guilty she felt getting on a plane. Because of global warming, you see.
- The diary entries felt clunky.
- The clumsy device of learning Elena's history from a pompous talking fish-who-was-also-a-god did not improve with repetition, despite the belabouring efforts of the writer. (Did I mention that the fish was, like, a god? As well as a fish? And he knows a lot of stuff because he's a god?) Seriously. On and on.
Overall I'm giving it 3 stars because it was a lovely concept, although not always well executed.
The writing was sometimes annoying.
- There was some weird virtue-signalling about how guilty she felt getting on a plane. Because of global warming, you see.
- The diary entries felt clunky.
- The clumsy device of learning Elena's history from a pompous talking fish-who-was-also-a-god did not improve with repetition, despite the belabouring efforts of the writer. (Did I mention that the fish was, like, a god? As well as a fish? And he knows a lot of stuff because he's a god?) Seriously. On and on.
Overall I'm giving it 3 stars because it was a lovely concept, although not always well executed.
October 15, 2021
The book that talks about migrants, democracy, history, and fascination towards helping people.
March 10, 2022
Nandi has always loved her Great Aunt Ellie coming to stay. She travels all the way from a tiny Greek island called Ithaca, to see her onlyWhen Fishes Flew Book Review Cover family – Nandi, her mum and her nephew Jason. Nandi treasures her gifts from Aunt Ellie, the time she spends with her while visiting, the stories she tells, especially of the Greek Gods, Odysseus and Proteus.
Nandi’s favourite gift is a Globe of the World, that she can spin to view all the countries of the world, and it also glows at night to keep her company. When Nandi learns as a late teen that Aunt Ellie won’t be visiting again due to her age, she is devasated. A walk along the Yarra river in her home city of Melbourne helps her make a decision – and the sight of a flying fish is part of that plan.
When school life is behind her and she has worked hard for months, she sets off for a Greek Adventure. She is keen to surprise Aunt Ellie on her tiny island.
What Nandi finds however is another side of Aunt Ellie. She might be a wonderful story teller but she never spoke of her past. Down on the wharf all alone every evening, Nandi meets a strange creature who tells her of Elena, a young Greek woman defying danger every day, meeting the love of her life and being the rock that hundreds of Greeks needed at a time of disaster and sorrow.
Michael Morpurgo is well known for his stories of war. This is much more personal in the way of a story that morphs into diary entries by a 17 year old girl learning of her Great Aunt’s exhilarating past. It is a life of love and loss, generosity and kindness – all told to her by a strange creature claiming to be a god.
Much is learnt by Nandi of the Greek Gods and history, which spills out in the narrative. The description of a tiny island in Greece called Ithaca, transports you there to its startling blues, warm winds and glorious beaches.
This tale scopes more than generations, stretching from Homer’s Odyssey, through a war, an earthquake and to the fleeing refugees of Syria. All ends happily, leaving the reader to think whether anyone in their family have interesting stories to tell of their past.
Author – Michael Morpurgo
Illustrator – George Butler
Age – 10+
Nandi’s favourite gift is a Globe of the World, that she can spin to view all the countries of the world, and it also glows at night to keep her company. When Nandi learns as a late teen that Aunt Ellie won’t be visiting again due to her age, she is devasated. A walk along the Yarra river in her home city of Melbourne helps her make a decision – and the sight of a flying fish is part of that plan.
When school life is behind her and she has worked hard for months, she sets off for a Greek Adventure. She is keen to surprise Aunt Ellie on her tiny island.
What Nandi finds however is another side of Aunt Ellie. She might be a wonderful story teller but she never spoke of her past. Down on the wharf all alone every evening, Nandi meets a strange creature who tells her of Elena, a young Greek woman defying danger every day, meeting the love of her life and being the rock that hundreds of Greeks needed at a time of disaster and sorrow.
Michael Morpurgo is well known for his stories of war. This is much more personal in the way of a story that morphs into diary entries by a 17 year old girl learning of her Great Aunt’s exhilarating past. It is a life of love and loss, generosity and kindness – all told to her by a strange creature claiming to be a god.
Much is learnt by Nandi of the Greek Gods and history, which spills out in the narrative. The description of a tiny island in Greece called Ithaca, transports you there to its startling blues, warm winds and glorious beaches.
This tale scopes more than generations, stretching from Homer’s Odyssey, through a war, an earthquake and to the fleeing refugees of Syria. All ends happily, leaving the reader to think whether anyone in their family have interesting stories to tell of their past.
Author – Michael Morpurgo
Illustrator – George Butler
Age – 10+
January 9, 2022
In true form, UK Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo brings us another middle grade historical fiction title — this time set, throughout the history of Greece from WW2.
Growing up in Australia, Nandi (actually Amanda) has loved visits from Aunt Ellie, all the way from Ithaca in Greece. She loved especially all her Greek stories, of Odysseus and of Proteus and all the islands she learnt by heart.
When Aunt Ellie becomes too old to travel round the globe to visit anymore, Nandi makes it her single objective to study, graduate, and make her way to Ithaca instead. She’s helped along by a flying fish she meets first in Australia, and then later on the shores of Ithaca.
Morpurgo weaves in the story of Elena’s War, of how Aunt Ellie, too, is a true hero. She joins the resistance when Greece is first infiltrated by the Italians and then the Germans. And how she meets her true love, and devastating heartbreak.
The Syrian refugee crisis, also comes into play, by virtue of Greece’s proximity to it and Morpurgo again, gives us a front seat to our own history.
“…nothing in the world matters more than the lives of children, and that it was the right of every child to have a family, to belong, that to live unwanted in this world, especially when they have seen what had seen, was wrong, simply wrong.”
Morpurgo is a master at storytelling and is an author I feel, most of us should read at least once. I’ve loved so many of his WW2-related titles, but he’s also continued to write stories around real-life events in history such as the Afghan war and the Asian tsunami.
Thank you, @times.reads for sending me this ❤️
Growing up in Australia, Nandi (actually Amanda) has loved visits from Aunt Ellie, all the way from Ithaca in Greece. She loved especially all her Greek stories, of Odysseus and of Proteus and all the islands she learnt by heart.
When Aunt Ellie becomes too old to travel round the globe to visit anymore, Nandi makes it her single objective to study, graduate, and make her way to Ithaca instead. She’s helped along by a flying fish she meets first in Australia, and then later on the shores of Ithaca.
Morpurgo weaves in the story of Elena’s War, of how Aunt Ellie, too, is a true hero. She joins the resistance when Greece is first infiltrated by the Italians and then the Germans. And how she meets her true love, and devastating heartbreak.
The Syrian refugee crisis, also comes into play, by virtue of Greece’s proximity to it and Morpurgo again, gives us a front seat to our own history.
“…nothing in the world matters more than the lives of children, and that it was the right of every child to have a family, to belong, that to live unwanted in this world, especially when they have seen what had seen, was wrong, simply wrong.”
Morpurgo is a master at storytelling and is an author I feel, most of us should read at least once. I’ve loved so many of his WW2-related titles, but he’s also continued to write stories around real-life events in history such as the Afghan war and the Asian tsunami.
Thank you, @times.reads for sending me this ❤️
December 28, 2021
3.5 stars.
Thanks to Jonathan Ball Publishers for sending me a free review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
When Fishes Flew follows Nandi and her dream to visit Ithaca, where her great aunt lives. Once she arrives, she finds that her aunt is missing. While she is heartbroken, her journey becomes more interesting when she comes across a talking flying fish. This fish proceeds to tell her all about her aunt’s life.
I was a big fan of Michael Morpugo’s work when I was younger, so I was eager to see what I though of his books as an adult. I was not disappointed. I read most of this in one sitting (the fact that it is so short and illustrated made this easier) and I was fully immersed in the world.
The addition of Greek mythology was a pleasant surprise, and I enjoyed the different narration styles. We follow Nandi in the beginning as she explains her childhood and how her story came to be. Then we read her diary, which has a choppier tone to it. We also experience a lot of the story through the fish’s eyes.
While this was a fun and entertaining read, I did feel like there was not really a point to the story. It felt like it was trying to be impactful, when in reality I think I will forget most of it in a few days. That being said, I do not think a book needs to have a strong point or message in order for it to be a good book, and I would certainly recommend this to anyone wanting to escape reality for a bit.
Thanks to Jonathan Ball Publishers for sending me a free review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
When Fishes Flew follows Nandi and her dream to visit Ithaca, where her great aunt lives. Once she arrives, she finds that her aunt is missing. While she is heartbroken, her journey becomes more interesting when she comes across a talking flying fish. This fish proceeds to tell her all about her aunt’s life.
I was a big fan of Michael Morpugo’s work when I was younger, so I was eager to see what I though of his books as an adult. I was not disappointed. I read most of this in one sitting (the fact that it is so short and illustrated made this easier) and I was fully immersed in the world.
The addition of Greek mythology was a pleasant surprise, and I enjoyed the different narration styles. We follow Nandi in the beginning as she explains her childhood and how her story came to be. Then we read her diary, which has a choppier tone to it. We also experience a lot of the story through the fish’s eyes.
While this was a fun and entertaining read, I did feel like there was not really a point to the story. It felt like it was trying to be impactful, when in reality I think I will forget most of it in a few days. That being said, I do not think a book needs to have a strong point or message in order for it to be a good book, and I would certainly recommend this to anyone wanting to escape reality for a bit.
August 7, 2023
I have always been a massive Michael Morpurgo fan, but one of my criticisms of his writing has been around his fantasy writing. He always seems at his best writing about war / animals / realistic themes.
This story has an element of the fantasy in it, but in this case he has made it work. '
Nandi is born and brought up in Australia but her father's Greek heritage runs strongly through her veins, mostly kept alive by her Greek great aunt Elena who visits her every couple of years.
Nandi's dream is to visit Elena when she is old enough - and when she turns 17 she gets on a plane, planning to surprise her great aunt.
But when she arrives in Ithaca, Elena is nowhere to be found. Nandi is devastated but her hopes are kept alive by the Greek God Proteus, who has taken the form of a flying fish.
Through Proteus she learns about Elena's past, specifically during World War 2, and she finds out exactly why she is considered a hero on her island.
As always Michael Morpurgo weaves a magical (literally!) tale which brings a small snippet of history to life.
This story has an element of the fantasy in it, but in this case he has made it work. '
Nandi is born and brought up in Australia but her father's Greek heritage runs strongly through her veins, mostly kept alive by her Greek great aunt Elena who visits her every couple of years.
Nandi's dream is to visit Elena when she is old enough - and when she turns 17 she gets on a plane, planning to surprise her great aunt.
But when she arrives in Ithaca, Elena is nowhere to be found. Nandi is devastated but her hopes are kept alive by the Greek God Proteus, who has taken the form of a flying fish.
Through Proteus she learns about Elena's past, specifically during World War 2, and she finds out exactly why she is considered a hero on her island.
As always Michael Morpurgo weaves a magical (literally!) tale which brings a small snippet of history to life.
September 23, 2021
With themes of love, travel, adventure, family and home and with links to Homer’s Odyssey, this book weaves together the story of two generations of adventurous women and makes you wonder just how much the machinations of the gods affect the course of history!
This story offers a brief history of Ithaca, from the Ancient gods and legendary tales through war and occupation, earthquakes, the Greek Military Junta, to the present-day refugee crisis. We also learn of the beauty of the Island’s landscape and about aspects of music and culture on the island which are woven into the story. For keen historians, it will give them the urge to pursue further knowledge about these periods in Greek history.
Many thanks to the publisher for sending us an early copy for review. This book is featured on our Autumn 2021 Ones to Watch selection: https://www.booksfortopics.com/post/o...
This story offers a brief history of Ithaca, from the Ancient gods and legendary tales through war and occupation, earthquakes, the Greek Military Junta, to the present-day refugee crisis. We also learn of the beauty of the Island’s landscape and about aspects of music and culture on the island which are woven into the story. For keen historians, it will give them the urge to pursue further knowledge about these periods in Greek history.
Many thanks to the publisher for sending us an early copy for review. This book is featured on our Autumn 2021 Ones to Watch selection: https://www.booksfortopics.com/post/o...
November 13, 2021
Considering the huge backlist of Morpurgos work and the reoccuring themes present in many of his books, this is a fresh new take for him and one I enjoyed immensely.
The story has a magcal realism aspect to it which I wasn't expecting and I loved all the classical and mythological greek aspects of it.
There are plenty of brilliant messages of kindness, hope and family between these pages and overall the story truly is very meaningful.
At first I was apprehensive due to the books short length but it really was the perfect amount of time to get to know these characters and experience their story.
The illustrations have an added charm about them and I am glad they were also included.
Definitely a book that is very atmospheric and one I think would be great read together, whether that is parents to children, in a class setting or just aloud to yourself.
The praise for this author really does stand true.
Highly recommend.
The story has a magcal realism aspect to it which I wasn't expecting and I loved all the classical and mythological greek aspects of it.
There are plenty of brilliant messages of kindness, hope and family between these pages and overall the story truly is very meaningful.
At first I was apprehensive due to the books short length but it really was the perfect amount of time to get to know these characters and experience their story.
The illustrations have an added charm about them and I am glad they were also included.
Definitely a book that is very atmospheric and one I think would be great read together, whether that is parents to children, in a class setting or just aloud to yourself.
The praise for this author really does stand true.
Highly recommend.
November 10, 2023
Nandi lives in Australia and has Greek heritage. During her childhood, she is often visited by her aunt Elli who comes from Greece and told her Greek stories based from the Gods. Nandi is so fascinated that she dreams that she is in one of those dreams or is it reality.
One day, she gets the news from her aunt that she cannot visit anymore as she is getting old. Nandi makes it a priority to travel to Greek and visit her aunt instead. Few years gone and she sees herself in Greece and knocks on her aunt's door. Read this book to see what happens next?
This book is full of myths, Greek gods who make thing happen. this book is full of adventure and you will be transported to a land of magic.
I enjoyed the book but I could not connect fully to the Greek mythology. Easy read and fascinating story.
One day, she gets the news from her aunt that she cannot visit anymore as she is getting old. Nandi makes it a priority to travel to Greek and visit her aunt instead. Few years gone and she sees herself in Greece and knocks on her aunt's door. Read this book to see what happens next?
This book is full of myths, Greek gods who make thing happen. this book is full of adventure and you will be transported to a land of magic.
I enjoyed the book but I could not connect fully to the Greek mythology. Easy read and fascinating story.
May 23, 2022
Rating: 2.5/5⭐
First children's book I have read in a while and I have to admit that it was just okay.
I loved the illustrations here and there in the book, which I think gave the words more meaning. I also admired the relationship shared between Nandi and her auntie Ellie who always brought her gifts and narrated stories to her whenever she visited.
After learning that her auntie Ellie can't come to Australia anymore, Nandi decides to visit her auntie Ellie in Ethaca, whom she doesn't find on her arrival but meets the flying fish through which, she learns about her family history, more than what anyone in her family has ever told her. I too admired her aunt even more when I learnt more about her heroism, and her kindness.
I recommend this book for anyone, young and old, but must also mention that it's not exactly an easy read though it is for children.
Thank you #jonathanballpublishers for my gifted copy.
First children's book I have read in a while and I have to admit that it was just okay.
I loved the illustrations here and there in the book, which I think gave the words more meaning. I also admired the relationship shared between Nandi and her auntie Ellie who always brought her gifts and narrated stories to her whenever she visited.
After learning that her auntie Ellie can't come to Australia anymore, Nandi decides to visit her auntie Ellie in Ethaca, whom she doesn't find on her arrival but meets the flying fish through which, she learns about her family history, more than what anyone in her family has ever told her. I too admired her aunt even more when I learnt more about her heroism, and her kindness.
I recommend this book for anyone, young and old, but must also mention that it's not exactly an easy read though it is for children.
Thank you #jonathanballpublishers for my gifted copy.
September 26, 2021
Such a beautiful tale, I really enjoyed reading this book… made even more special that I’d seen Michael Morpurgo the previous week speaking for the first time about the novel. As with all of his stories, there is a grain of truth in the tale and I found it simply spellbinding. It has inspired me to read up more about the Greek gods now.
January 16, 2022
A lovely story about discovering a hidden story from your family’s history. This short book with its beautiful description of the Greek islands and an element of fantasy with the inclusion of Greek mythology make it a great read for less confident readers in upper primary. With World War 2 history as one of the main themes, the story also touches on the current refugee situation in Europe.
May 4, 2022
This book was about a girl called Nandi. She is Australian -Greek. Her great auntie Ellie is her most beloved person but she goes missing. Nandi finds a flying fish and moves to GReece. That fish is a god and tells her the history of her auntie. I like this book because it shows how sad moving family is. Also this book is by my favourite author, Michael Morpurgo.
By Louis
By Louis
July 24, 2022
As ever Michael Morpurgo's voice is charming. He tells a good story here. I found the two main characters, Nandi and Aunt Ellie very believable and I was engaged with their trajectory all the way. I was less convinced by a god incarnated in a flying fish but nevertheless appreciated the connection with Greek mythology.
August 19, 2025
Дуже зворушлива історія про жінку з великим серцем Олену, тітку Еллі. Такі невеликі, але важливі історії показують нам, що таке людяність, співпереживання, усвідомлення того, що справжні герої не носять плащі, а живуть поруч з нами.
January 22, 2022
Nice imagery of Greece.
June 13, 2022
Hands down this is the best book I have ever read.
July 4, 2022
like this book interesting
July 23, 2022
i love this it was so magical to me for some reason 4⭐️ :)
Read
June 13, 2023In the story you will find out Elena is a hero
December 16, 2023
I never liked Michael morpurgo growing up but I figured I’d give him a try
December 28, 2023
Completely against my religion! But interesting and a real page-turner.
January 31, 2024
i loooooove the vibes, aunt ellie and nandi were amazing!! i actually didnt expect much but it turns out really geewddd!!!
August 13, 2024
A cute book I bought it at a school book fair and it’s a great read for children
October 19, 2024
Very interesting and intriguing book
December 31, 2024
last read of 2024! my friend gave this to me. it was a cute, very short quick read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews