Midnight: A True Story of Loyalty in World War I

by Mark Greenwood, Frané Lessac (Illustrator)

At once sobering and inspiring, here is the true tale of a World War I cavalry soldier and his heroic horse, Midnight.

Guy Haydon raised and trained Midnight from the time she was a foal. The two had such a strong bond that when World War I broke out, Lieutenant Haydon slipped away from the frontlines of Gallipoli on an Egypt-bound ship to reunite with his horse. There, in the city of Beersheba, on October 31, 1917, two regiments of the Australian Light Horse Brigade took part in one of the last great cavalry charges in history. Among the first to leap the enemy trenches was Lieutenant Guy Haydon, riding Midnight—who succumbed to a bullet that might have otherwise killed her rider. In a new story from an award-winning duo, luminous illustrations and lyrical narration bring a sad moment in history to life.

Genres: Picture Books, History, Horses, World War I, War, Nonfiction, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2014

About the author

Mark Greenwood is a history hunter. His award-winning books include The Legend of Lasseter’s Reef and The Legend of Moondyne Joe, both winners of the West Australian Premier’s Book Award.

Mark often teams with his wife, illustrator Frané Lessac, to produce titles such as Midnight – the story of a light horse, Ned Kelly & The Green Sash and Simpson and His Donkey, a CBCA Honour Book and a USBBY Outstanding International Book.

Jandamarra, illustrated by Terry Denton, was shortlisted for the CBCA Eve Pownall Award, the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature and the West Australian Young Readers’ Book Awards.

The Happiness Box, illustrated by Andrew McLean, was a 2019 CBCA Honour book.

Reviews

[Laura Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn to this picture book by the amazing cover art. It is truly one of the best horse illustrations I have observed/studied. And who doesn't love animal heroes of war? However, Midnight suffers a pretty brutal death which is depicted. I don't know a child who would not feel miserable (to say the least) at learning (and seeing) this warmly drawn horse killed. I shuttered myself (and may have let out some explatives) at the tragic ending. I didn't anticipate the harshness in a book geared for so young an age. I would pass on this one.

[Suzannah Rowntree · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Miss Suzannah, I thought you were going to cry."

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely story about a soldier and his horse. WARNING TO PARENTS: this is not a bedtime story. We're left not knowing if Midnight lives after the last pages but I should have read it before reading it to my daughter. Fortunately she's young enough she didn't understand but her parents were clearly a little upset.

[Gaby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book to use as a reflection for ANZAC day. Perfect for my school as we have lots of students who love horses so this story may help them empathize. Good to use in conjunction with War Horse.

[Amanda Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is beautiful and comes complete with bibliography. However, I got caught up in the sparseness of the words. If you have a child that is truly interested in the subject of battles, WWI or WWII, this book would be a great resource. It would be interesting to investigate the places that Guy travels to with or without his horse. Horse lovers might be triggered by the separation of horse and rider, especially after they build a trust-bond, as well as the thought of horses in harms way (battle).

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comparison to War Horse (the book and the film) will understandably abound, but this account of the heroics of Midnight, a thoroughbred born in Australia, and her owner, Guy Haydon, is heartbreaking in its own rights. The simple but engaging text and gouache illustrations show the strong bond between horse and rider throughout their lives. As the war rages, Guy volunteers, but he and Midnight are separated when he is sent to fight in Gallipoli. When they are reunited, they travel with the other troops to Beersheba where Guy is wounded and Midnight killed Oct. 31, 1917, during one of the last charges by mounted horsemen in history. The strength, grace, and speed of Midnight are on display in the illustrations as is Guy's concern for his horse. The last scene in the book broke my heart, and I had to check out a website to make sure what had happened to this brave, brave horse. Back matter includes notes and photos of the real Guy Haydon and Midnight. Once again, a picture book shows clearly the very huge costs of war.

[American Mensa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this true story from World War I, we meet a horse named Midnight and his owner, Guy. This book is about their friendship. From the beginning of the book, I could tell that Midnight was special horse. He was born with a white star on his forehead. And just like a dog, Midnight the horse sticks with his owner. They start off rounding up cattle and eventually they get called into war. They become part of the cavalry and take care of each other. I was worried about Midnight. I thought he might get hurt. I don’t want to give away the ending but it definitely made me want to hug my mommy.

Kids my age, between 4 and 5 years old would like this book. It is a true story and sad at times. It reminds me how much I love animals. They are always there for you, no matter what.


Review by Cameron H., age 5, New Mexico Mensa

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

'A foal is born at midnight, on the homestead side of the river. Coal black. Star ablaze. Moonlight in her eyes.' On October 31, 1917, the 4th and 12th Regiments of the Australian Light Horse took part in one of the last great cavalry charges in history. Among the first to leap the enemy trenches was Lieutenant Guy Haydon riding his beloved mare, Midnight. This is their story.'

We all know the epic story of War Horse by Michael Morpurgo , but are you ready to read the true story of a real-life war horse? This book tells the story of Midnight, an Australian light horse who took part of one of the great cavalry charges on October 31st 1917 during World War I. Prepare to have tissues on stand by when reading this story.

[Betty Byrd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Children who enjoy history will enjoy this book. If they do not like history they do not want to read this book, even with a horse as a character. There are many historical facts and as a read aloud will lead into many discussions. It gives some insight into World War 1 which is not as well known as World War II. Actual photos and notes in the back bring the book to life for young readers. The horse is killed in battle and his owner is wounded in the end so sensitive readers might be upset.

[Haley]

This is a sad but powerful story of a horse and her rider in WWI. It follows the events of the war and all that the pair endured together. At the end it ties back into the very beginning scene which was cool.

I really like the rich vocab that was used. It would stimulate a lot of discussion in a classroom and would require me to do a little research to make sure i know what i'm talking about, but i like a good challenge.

I would use this to teach a social studies lesson on World War I and for a good vocab lesson.

[Get Ahead Kids · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired by the folklore of the Haydon family from 'Bloomfield' in the Hunter Valley NSW, this book tells the historical journey of a young stockman who enlists with his beloved mare Midnight into the 12th Light Horse Regiment in 1915.

This is a emotional yet inspiring story, and the prose writing style brilliantly captures an important moment in Australian military history.

[Creative Kids Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gorgeous story and valuable addition to any home. Check out my review on www.creativekidstales.com.au

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Australian cavalry soldier and his heroic horse in the Middle East theatre.

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

A touching story set in World War I but the text lack emotion needed for this to be a memorable book.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

DAMMIT. I'M CRYING.

[Zack McCurry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a story set in WWI about a man and his loyal companion. This book could be used as a mentor text for a history class about how animals were used to help the soldiers.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason that I am giving this book a 4 instead of a 5 is that I wanted more at the end of the story. This book is about a man and his horse and their connection. It is a true story that took place during World War I. As always, I absolutely love that this book gives credit to the sources used for the historical portions of the book. As a teacher, I feel it is of the utmost importance for us to show students where we get information and to model good habits. I also loved that at the end of the book, there are photographs from the early 1900s of the two main characters of the book, Midnight and Guy Haydon. The illustrations are gouache and are beautiful. They are very simple but add a lot of detail to the story. There is a scene in the book when the soldiers and horses are taking a break in the Sinai Desert and Guy is the only one sharing his short supply of water with his horse. The narration does not point this out, but the illustrations show us the depth of love that Guy has for his beloved horse. I could see using this book when studying friendship, love, war, World War I, the role of animals in our lives, so many topics. I think I would use this book in grades 3 and above. While war is something that has become part of our lives for the last 17 years, I prefer to shield younger students from some of the reality for as long as possible.

[Emily Sammartino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Midnight is a brave horse who takes his trusted partner on the rough journey that is World War I. When Guy must leave Midnight behind, he wonders if they will ever meet again. Once reunited they continue their journey, Midnight continuing to be brave and faithful. The bond between the two grows ever strong and they go through the challenges and evils of war together, never leaving one another.
The story is told with the setting as World War I and is told in the most simple but powerful way. The words throughout the story are written in a poetic way that makes the story not only easy to read, appeals to one’s emotions. Through all the challenges faced, the bond between Guy and Midnight is always strong, until the very end. The ending is a sad one, not really letting the reader know if either of them will survive, but still Midnight even in pain is as strong as ever. It was a very good story, simple but still telling the details of the period and what was happening during the time.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is quite sad, be warned. It takes place on more of the Eastern Front of WWI - in Turkey. I purchased this book in Kansas City, Missouri at the National World War I Museum and Memorial while in town for The Eras Tour.

[Willow · Rating 4 out of 5]

So sad. Probably not a good one for sensitive or very young children.

[Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The horse got a raw deal.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about WW1!

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Two WWI books in a day! While it appears to be just a picture book, it is based on a true story, and there is war and death. But it is still a fantastic book! 3rd grade and up.

[rebecca wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the collaborations between Greenwood and Lessac!