The Butterfly Lion: Michael Morpurgo

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Michael Morpurgo, began writing stories in the early '70's, in response to the children in his class at the primary school where he taught in Kent. Many years later, a school-boy discovers the answer, when he sees another lion, on the side of a hill in England. I can see why they opted to also tell this story on stage, it has all the hallmarks of a great story that appeals to people of all ages. Yes he does and the adventure continues, a heartwarming tale which jumps from the present to the past effortlessly.

Years later and now a soldier in France during WWI, he sees a poster for a circus with a white lion on it and he succeeds in tracking him down. They have three farms in Devon, Wales and Gloucestershire, open to inner city school children who come to stay and work with the animals.Wherever Bertie went, the lion cub went too, even to the bathroom, where he would watch Bertie have his bath, and lick his legs dry afterwards. I found it particularly popular with the boys, given it's themes of boarding school; wild outback country; tree climbing; and war. Many years later, Bertie becomes a soldier and when he goes to France, he sees the white lion again.

Bertie escapes from his school and meets Millie, and the two become fast friends, flying kites together. The story explores the childhood of Bertie in Africa, his move to Britain, his friendship with Millie as well as his participation in World War Two. It is, perhaps, my favourite Morpurgo which covers much the same familiar territory over which he often flys.This book is suitable for key stage 2 children as, whilst the language in the book is simple and the story is uncomplicated, I feel that the emotions that Bertie experiences can be better understand by slightly older children.

It deals with loneliness and love, courage and success against all the odds and revolves around friendship, loyalty and, as is so often the case with Morpurgo, the backdrop is the Great War. e For Berite looking out into the African bush and seeing the tiger for the very first time or his first night alone in the boarding school so very far away from anything he was familiar with.The hint at the depression of Bertie's mum is explored through a child's eyes, seeing his mum unhappy, inactive and experiencing mood swings. We are opposite sides of the same coin and, although his work has never influenced mine, I admire the eloquent, considered voice of his best books.

The contrast of loneliness and companionship, of the horrors of war and the joys of love and friendship are, in my opinion, what make his stories stick. This is a book which I found in the library corner of my year 2 class and as an animal lover it really appealed to me. But knowing how much the two cared about one another just made it worse (or better, from a storyteller's point of view). In November 2016 Michael Morpurgo won the J M Barrie Award for his contribution to children’s literature.It may be difficult to remember sometimes,but there's always sun behind the clouds,and the clouds do go in the end. This book is a short novel in fairly large print with charming illustrations that is suitable for readers of all ages. One of the UK’s best-loved authors and storytellers, Michael was appointed Children’s Laureate in 2003, a post he helped to set up with Ted Hughes in 1999. The tale follows the young boy who meets a number of people, the most important of which is an old lady who tells the boy a story of her (and her husbands) life, this is where the lion also comes in to it. This sculpted lion thus shimmers and appears to breathe and becomes a beautiful memorial to love and fidelity and friendship encouraging, in the fullest sense of that word, the young school boy to go back to the place he fled.