The Last Wolf

by Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo has created a sweeping and dramatic story in the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie. This spellbinding tale is complemented perfectly by Michael Foreman's illustrations.Robbie McLeod and a wolf cub, both orphaned, venture far from their birthplace, a land of rebellious fighters and vicious redcoats. There is little constancy in Robbie's adventurous life, save for the companionship of his wolf. But when at last Robbie finds a place where he can peacefully make his home, he knows in his heart that the wolf must find his own natural home too . . .

Genres: Animals, Historical Fiction, Childrens, Wolves, Fiction, Adventure, Scotland

96 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2002

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

[Ana on the Shelves]

Very quick and solid read.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love a Michael Morpurgo book!

[Ursula · Rating 5 out of 5]

awww, what a sweet book. It's sad and beautiful an happy and amazing all in one. Its easy to read and very quick too, I liked the fact that it was short. Tension builds up easily and is written very well. Michael Morpurgo is definitely one of my favourite authors.

[Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son read it first in one sitting (it's a really short book) and enjoyed it very much. When he told me it was in parts about Scotland and Bonnie Prince Charlie, I was intrigued and read it, too.
It is a story, very vividly told, about a grandfather discovering the Internet with the help of his granddaughter and finding his Scottish roots.
He is e-mailed the life story of his own great great great great great grandfather by a distant cousin in America.

His ancestor is Robbie McLeod, an orphan who has to survive in the years when the English army, the redcoats, are hunting down the Jacobite rebels after the battle of Culloden.
Whilst hiding in the woods, he finds a wolf cub and swears to raise him like his own family. The wolf mother had been hunted by the soldiers and killed, her death providing a distraction that allowed Robbie to escape the redcoats unnoticed. She was said to have been the last wolf of Scotland.
Robbie and the young wolf, he calls him Charlie (because he is bonnie and a prince among wolves), become inseparable. Even when a benefactor, Captain McKinnon, takes them on his ship to America, the boy and his wolf stay together... at least at first.

The story is beautifully told, quite fast-paced, adventorous, dramatic, and thrilling, but with the sweetest moments of caring between Robbie and Charlie.

Reading it reminded me again why I admire Michael Morpurgo so much.

[George Ruddell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing story by Michael Morpurgo

This is a story about the friendship between Robbie MacLeod and Charlie, Scotland's Last Wolf. I liked the book because I enjoy exciting stories about animals. The ending was quite sad but understandable. Robbie had quite a sad life but he was very brave.

[William Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really interesting story about a grandfather who discovers a computer and uses it to explore his family tree. This leads to him uncovering a story about a boy who goes on an adventure with a wolf. The book was engaging throughout as you did not know where the story would go and the few illustrations that are used are done in a very imaginative way.

[Natasha Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read all these when I was quite young and fell in love with the author for sure! Loved all the animals and the harder topics as I thought everything was too happy when I was young! Don’t know how amazing they are now but when I was 9 I adored them so I’m keeping that memory. This one has a particular connection to me as I grew up in the Scottish highlands.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very sweet story about a boy who discovers the last wolf (cub) in Scotland. Together they adventure eventually to America. Narrated by distant family members who are made aware of this tale during their investigations into their family ancestry.

[Grace Sargeant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing.

[Emy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read with less than 100 pages. I thought it was a nice read and I really liked the way it started and the story about the wolf.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the book was very exciting to read and i really enjoyed it

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing stories using war, animals and human beings, relationship and the pain is the reason that makes me read Michael Morpurgo's books, this one is no exception.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute enough historical fiction about the redcoats.

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 3 out of 5]

615 - 2019

[Faye Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very short and fairly simplistic but is a good way of interlinking some literature into the history curriculum, especially through a book by a favourite children's author.

[Dani Thornton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice quick and easy read with a feel good vibe, if a little predictable.

[Tatyana Naumova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Приятно читать книгу про животгое, где животное не умерло!

[Andrew zheng · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good and bad

This book is a good story but is too short. I would give it.a 5 if the story was much much longer

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful little story with historical context.

[Loïc Beckaert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book ever, literary orgasm

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Morpurgo's writing never ceases to grip me and make my heart ache in a way no one else's writing can

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and easy read in preparation for another primary 7 group novel. Was a nice story and will keep them engaged. Micheal Morpurgo books are great ones fo children to read in school.

[Jane Meagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

My reading group found this book very interesting. They liked reading about Charlie the wolf and life in the wilderness in Scotland and Vermount.

[Ella :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A interesting story line!!

[Eli J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Morpurgo’s writing is well done, the book just wasn’t my taste. The ending of Robbie’s story did make me emotional though.

[Gemma Stockham · Rating 3 out of 5]

🐺January's next Morpurgo book was The Last Wolf and is a short story with dual timelines. The first is Miya and her grandfather researching his genealogy using his new computer.

🐺The second story jumps back in time to a young boy called Robbie who's family falls on hard times, and he decides that he will join up to support Bonnie Prince Charlie in his fight against the Jacobite rebellion of 1745. Along the way, he strikes up an unlikely relationship with a dog, who he later realises, may he the Last Wolf of Scotland.

🐺The bond of boy/man and dog/wolf is beautifully written and expertly illustrated and was a quick zippy read.

🐺My only disappointment was that I felt the story could have been longer and given more detail.
The moments in time felt rushed and were not given time to develop. Part of this couldn't be helped being a children's story, hence my 3 star mark.

🐺🐺🐺/5

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very sweet children's book, can teach children to grow and to care for wild animals. I loved this book as I am Scottish so reading of my ancestors was very sweet. Morpurgo introduced his young readers to the hardship of life, war, work, goals and companionship. We got to follow the story for a young boy, who was unwanted and a loner, his own family turning their backs to him and forcing him to work hard. Then he gets introduced to the war between Scotland and
England and the realisation that we may not win, fear and a loss of hope creeps in now. But then all is not lost when our protagonist finds a wolf pup and decides to look after him after respect for the mother wolf who lost her life in battle. As the wolf grows so does the boy, creating a loving friendship and bond between boy and wolf. Eventually the boy creates a goal, to travel to America with his wolf, to flee the battle from the English and to protect the last Scottish wolf. This goal turns the boy into a man as he works towards the goal and eventually succeeds, teaching the readers that hard work pays off. Unfortunately with all stories there must come an end, the protagonist decides he must let his wolf go, teaching the readers loss, acceptance and how to move on. I believe this was a lovely story for children, teaching them many great lessons while still also giving them an adventure.

[Daisy Atkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this as a child, still a lovely story years later.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Wolf by Michael Morpurgo is a historical novel set during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. It tells the story of Robbie McLeod and an orphaned wolf cub that the boy finds and vows to take care of. Both Robbie and the wolf cub are in mortal danger - Robbie is fleeing from the slaughter of the battle fields of Culloden Moor, and the wolf from the hunters driving the species to extinction.
The story takes the pair on a perilous journey from Scotland to a new life in Canada, and their friendship and loyalty is tested many times. Ultimately the pair find peace, and the conclusion is heart warming, emotive and very satisfying.
The narrative is simple in style which makes the book very accessible. I would reccommend a reading of the Author's Note before reading the story itself as this provides a sound historical back ground to those unfamiliar with the setting. The Last Wolf also has the unexpected bonus of great illustrations. I would recommend this book to children in upper key stage 2, and anyone else who loved Lassie!

[Aman Vasani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that this book is amazing and I recommend it to my friends who haven't read it. The book is about a boy who's parents are killed and he lives with his evil uncle. The boy runs away and becomes a poor person on the street. He steals from markets, shops and farms.One time as he is resting in the farm shed, the farmer comes out and starts to shoot at him. The boy then realises that the farmer is shooting at a wolf. The wolf is killed and a slab is put and it says "the last wolf was killed here. But then a baby wolf shows up and the boy adopts the wolf and names him Charlie. They live together in the highlands. they soon think of escaping by the docks.The boy disguises Charlie as a dog and flees to the docks. They meet a captain who helps them sneak from Scotland and and get them to America with also a few other people.In the ship Charlie starts to turn into a wild wolf and people suspect him. when they reach America the boy realises Charlie.After that he only see's Charlie twice.