Half a Man

by Michael Morpurgo, Gemma O'Callaghan (Illustrator)

Revered author Michael Morpurgo remembers the post-war Britain of his childhood in this unflinching and deeply poignant tale of the physical and mental scars of war.
From a young age, Michael was both fascinated by and afraid of his grandfather. Grandpa’s ship was torpedoed during the Second World War, leaving him with terrible burns. Every time he came to stay, Michael was warned by his mother that he must not stare, he must not make too much noise, he must not ask Grandpa any questions about his past. As he grows older, Michael stays with his grandfather during the summer holidays, and as he finally learns the story behind Grandpa’s injuries, he gets to know the real man behind the solemn figure from his childhood. Michael can see beyond the burns, and this gives him the power to begin healing some of the scars that have divided his family for so long.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade, War, Childrens, Fiction, Young Adult

64 pages, Hardcover

First published September 18, 2014

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

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um, my heart just shattered... <3 <3

[Harun Ahmed · Rating 3 out of 5]

৩.৫/৫

যুদ্ধ করতে যেয়ে একটা মানুষের চেহারা ঝলসে গেছে। সেই বীভৎস চেহারার দিকে ভয়ে কেউ চোখ তুলে তাকায় না, দূরে সরে যায় সবাই। সেই বদরাগী হয়ে যাওয়া মানুষটার দিকে চোখ তুলে তাকানোর ও স্বাভাবিক মানুষ ভাবার সাহস পেলো তার নাতি। নাতির মুখেই আমরা গল্পটা শুনি। ছোট্ট, সুন্দর একটা গল্প।

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in Hay Festival Press’ lovely little bound printing of two of Morpurgo’s (non-illustrated) stories: “Meeting Cézanne” and “Half a Man.” This is the better of the two, I think; more emotionally complex.

[Daphne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap, is this a good book. I don't even have the vocabulary to describe how good this book is to me. The story about a boy and his grandfather is deeply moving, and the illustrations are beautiful and gripping throughout. What a story, what a book. Beautiful.

[Sharon George · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very heartwarming tale written by a master storyteller. I greatly enjoyed this short, poignant and heartwarming story. Thank you, Rachel, for sending me this book. So often, the least amount of pages van tell the greatest stories. The illustrations were delightful as well.

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the story unfolds from child's view of grandfather, wounded in war. What makes the story important is war, humans, forgiveness and it's effect. Brilliant in his storytelling skills.

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always look for books by Michael Morpurgo, author of War Horse. He often writes moving and meaningful novels about wars and conflicts and how they affect young people.

In Half a Man a boy's grandfather was severely injured during WWII when his ship was hit by a torpedo and burst into flames. Years later he tells his grandson the story of what happened and how it left him as "half a man." His grandson disagrees. A heartwarming story.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely but sad story of a boy and his grandad and how he coped and lived after being badly injured in the second world war or maybe the first? It's not clear.

Beautifully illustrated and doesnt shy away or dumb down the effects of war for children. Really sad but beautiful book.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A minimal read (20mins?) with beautiful illustrations and message that hovers much longer. I'd put it in a similar category to Backman's 'And Every morning the way home gets longer and longer'

[Kati · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful story about a young man's experience with his grandfather. Having been warned as a toddler that his grandfather didn't like people staring, asking questions..... having been wounded a very long time before during WW2. The young man grows, gets to know his grandfather, and finally gets the story from his grandfather's own lips. The hurt that has haunted the grandfather for decades is healed by this tie with his grandson.

[Raikojack · Rating 4 out of 5]

War. It changes people. No matter if you win or lose. That is the reality.

From wanting a simple read to pass the time, I was intrigued by its simplicity as the author tells the post-war atrocities it has on the survivors.

A compelling book that once you read it, you would want to finish it in a single seating.

May Grandpa be reunited with his friends and be surrounded by gannets for all times.

[Miss Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I guessed some of the plot line (thanks Titanic), it was still very poignant and readers can't help but like grandpa and his solitary lifestyle!
I admit the letter at the end was a bit on the sentimental side...
It would work nicely alongside'Face', a play about a teen dealing with post car crash facial disfigurement, as the characters have to cope with similar hurdles.
I absolutely love Gemma O'Callaghan's illustrations, especially grandpa at the door as well as his mantlepiece.

[Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful short story presented in a picture book format, about a young boy coming to know his grandfather, a WW2 veteran who sustained disfiguring burns. It’s a very quick read — maybe 20 minutes — but it will stay with you. A beautiful story of love and healing that highlights one minuscule piece of history.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, touching story superbly told.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an important and moving story! Anyone with a wounded veteran in their family should read.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful short little story, and the illustrations were wonderful.

[Chrissy Francis-Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

What brought me to this gem of a picture book was the relationship of key characters Michael and his Grandpa. He is both fascinated by and afraid of his grandfather, who arrives to visit each year with a "taciturn manner and a disfigured, unsmiling face."

This short picture book is beautifully illustrated by Gemma O'Callaghan and the interaction between Michael Morpurgo's words and her images is extraordinary. The nightmares of young Michael, mentioned in the opening line immediately set a tone of uncertainty and unease. With a 1st person narrative he describes the "face, a twisted, tortured face that screamed silently..." and his retrospective memory of how he anticipated his grandfather visiting. 

What depth there is in this story set in the aftermath of the Second World War. It emerges mid way through the book as Michael bravely urges his Grandpa to open up and tell of his wartime experience.  His sadness about being dismissed and losing his position in the eyes of others is intensely sad.

Ultimately, it is the child's innocent perseverance and determination to see more that allows Michael to look at his grandfather's damaged face and really 'see' him. Their relationship is a wonderful, warming conclusion to this powerful picture book, good for both children and adults alike.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Morpurgo writing about war never disappoints. I suspect this is a tale about Morpurgo's own grandfather and the injuries he sustained in WWII, but it's never explicitly stated, and I can't find out with a quick look online.

A young boy called Michael grows up being wary of his disfigured grandfather who had sustained terrible injuries and burns when his ship was bombed in the Atlantic during WWII. He's always been told not to stare at his grandfather's face and hands, but he is intrigued, almost compelled by them. A beautiful story of the bond between grandfather and grandson and the horrors and dangers of war.

Beautifully illustrated throughout by Gemma O'Callaghan. Her gannets on the back cover helped this tiny morsel of a book leap to the top of my TBR today. It's only about 60 pages and heavily illustrated, so it reads very quickly, well under half an hour. It's been on my TBR for years, I'm so glad I finally picked it up today. I suspect I'll reread it.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

We do our best to teach children not to gawk when in the presence of, well, anyone even a little out of the norm. It's hard to recognize that they are naturally curious, and not necessarily being rude or frightened. But there is a line between ignoring/avoiding and acknowledging. People want to be seen, acknowledged, as a part of the human race. Half a Man explores the relationship between a grandfather, disfigured in WWII, and his grandson (the narrator). Morpurgo is a true storyteller, achieving simplicity in his writing, but all the while addressing complex issues. Realistic, touching, not at all over the top, not underdone. A must read for anyone, old or young, tackling a change in a loved one. This is book is what I would have hope for in the much more popular, but not exactly realistic, Wonder.

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written book that is deeply touching. Every summer Michael goes to visit his grandfather who had been horribly disfigured during WWII. Michael does what many others cannot including his own mother, he looks at his grandfather seeing beyond his scars, and wonders what happened to him. And one day his grandfather tells him the whole story. This is a book about family and about acceptance. The illustrations lend to the telling as does the short text moving the story quickly along right to the heart of the story. Mature readers who have read and enjoyed Wonder, Gracefully Grayson or Out of My Mind and similar books dealing with acceptance would enjoy this book.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the shortest thing I've read in awhile and I was in tears and viscerally invested in the characters 😭 Michael Morpurgo is actually a genius 👏
I think I might have read it before but I'm not certain.

I was listening to Evermore (the song specifically not the album) during readin this and when it says "when I was shipwrecked I thought of you" it made me cry even more. I love when the song you're listening to enhances the book or your thoughts. Listening to it again, it actually fits the story really well (eg. writing letters to the fire... This pain would be for evermore)

BRB sobbing

[Mortisha Cassavetes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book about post war concerns. The book follows young Michael and his feeling of interest and yet fear of his Grandfather coming to visit. Michael's Grandfather was a burn victim of war and lost some of his fingers and was burned all over his face and body. Michael wants to know more about what happened and yet is told not to stare. I don't want to go into the story more as to not spoil it but I will say that as Michael grows his relationship with his Grandfather changes. I highly recommend this book to kids of all ages.

[Granaino Fighter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the ideal book to have always at hand when feeling the need to mute down the blues. Now forever owner of a front place on my book shelf. Makes your heart shine.
A simply and beautifully written short story along with extraordinary illustrations. Two pieces of art in their own right perfectly connected.
Made my cry, something very flew books have ever achieved.
I never read any of the author's books before. I found this little gem on a charity shop and bought it just because I loved right away the illustrations and I had to read it. Lucky day!

[Stuey Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good short story that can be shared in a class in just half an hour. It tells quite a unique story that is historically accurate and led us to do further research into the doctor mentioned in the book and the work he did for his community. I love Michael Morpurgo books like this - short, captivating, and informative. I will continue to look for these little gems he continues to publish!

[Isabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book. I love the fact that the words are concise but carry a lot of meaning... The story deals with men coming back from war, and how difficult their lives may have been. It also deals with the innocence of childhood, and its potential to help healing...
I also love the illustrations, that are simple and suggestive...

[Nihou · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 11 year old son asked me to buy him this in a bookshop on holiday. I took less than an hour to read it to him in our tent, but it is a book that will stay with us. It brought a tear to the eye without overly tugging on one's heartstrings, in the special way that Michael Morpurgo has of bringing to life characters whose stories need to be heard and experienced.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morpurgo can do more in 5o short pages than many authors can do in 500. This brief memoir of his post-war childhood in Britain and his close relationship with his grandfather, who'd been disfigured in a fire during the war, is a touching tribute to both the man himself, and to what makes us human. A beautiful lesson that we must look past what is visible and see what lies within.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, this little page-turner (it's less than 50 pages with illustrations) is the story of what really happened to Michael's grandfather during World War II. His parents will not ask him when he visits, will Michael? You'll want to know too.

[Tony Wang · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter recommended this book to me, and she borrowed it for me from her school library. It's pretty short and easy to understand, and the story is good, I like it. It took me about 30 minutes to finish it, and only about 20 words were not in my vocabulary.

[Nina#Sreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wenig Worte zwischen Großvater und Enkel. Die heilen, wo sichtbare Narben zurückblieben. Dabei: auch die Geschichte eines heldenhaften Freundes. Und die Tölpel dürfen Glück bringen! In the end: not half a man!
Danke auch Tilman Spreckelsen für die „Bücher mit dem blauen Band“!