“When children are very young, you read them books that are positive to help them go to sleep. But there comes a moment when they begin to understand the difficulties of the world. They know there are problems and the books they read should reflect that, not gloss over them.”

English author, poet, playwright, and librettist, born 1943

Sir Michael Andrew Bridge Morpurgo is an English author, poet, playwright, and librettist. Born in 1943, he is best known for children’s fiction, especially War Horse (1982), and has 73 quotes on the site. His work is often praised for its strong storytelling and for themes of survival, outsiders finding their place, and close attention to the natural world. It also moves through distinctive settings, including the Cornish coast and the trenches of the First World War. He served as Children’s Laureate from 2003 to 2005 and is President of BookTrust, the children’s reading charity.