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Poppy Field
BRAND NEW, Exactly same ISBN as listed, Please double check ISBN carefully before ordering.
80 pages, Hardcover
Published October 4, 2018
22 people are currently reading
186 people want to read
About the author
Michael Morpurgo
635 books3,051 followersSir 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
November 5, 2018
*Rated 3.5 stars
March 16, 2019
Once again Michael Morpurgo has delivered a poignant story that allows the readers, especially younger ones to discover an aspect of the impact World War 1 had (and continues to have). It is told via John McCrae’s moving poem In Flanders Fields, and also explains the significance of the poppy. The story is enhanced by the charming illustrations of Michael Foreman.
November 4, 2018
This book was so beautifully written and the illustrations are stunning. I was crying at the end. I absolutely loved it. Everyone should read this.
July 24, 2021
A heartfelt story, suitable for 8+ (in my opinion)
November 17, 2018
Today is Veterans' Day in the United States and Remembrance Day for the rest of the world. And while it is important to honor and say thank you to those who serve and have served in the armed forces, today is even more special. It is the 100th Anniversary of the Armistice that ended the Great War, or World War I as it later came to be called.
No one had ever experienced a war like WWI before. New weapons were developed that had devastating results on both soldiers and civilians. From the air, planes could now drop bombs on battlefields and cities; at sea, submarines could now torpedo battleships and cargo ships carrying food and supplies; and on the battlefield, tanks with machine guns and canons could roll over no man's land and attack their enemies in the trenches, while chemical weapons like chlorine, mustard gas and flamethrowers were also used in trench warfare. It's no wonder so many returned suffering from PTSD.
To commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Armistice Day, Michael Morpurgo has written a lovely book that tells a fictionalized story of how and why the poppy have became the flower that symbolizes the sacrifices made by those who have fought in their country's wars.
Young Martens Merkel lives on a farm in Flanders near Ypres in Belgium with his mother and grandfather. The farm, once part of No Man's Land in WWI, is in the middle of a vast poppy field and surrounded by several cemeteries. Sadly, Martens father was killed while plowing one of his fields by an unexploded shell. There is also a part of a poem written on an old wrinkled paper, framed and hanging on the hallway wall in the Merkel home. It is the beginning of a poem and Martens loves to hear his grandfather tell the story connected to that poem.
When Martens' grandfather's mother Marie was an eight year old girl, she used to sell eggs at a field hospital to the English soldiers. In the spring of 1915, the poppies were in bloom and Marie would pick some to give to those who bought her eggs. One morning, there weren't many soldiers to buy eggs, but Marie noticed one sitting nearby, writing in a notebook. Irritated at her for interrupting him, he threw the now scrunched paper he had been writing on away, but he asked Marie if she would place her poppies on the grave of his best friend, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, who had been killed the day before and who loved poppies. The poppies immediately began to blow away, but the soldier didn't seem to mind and began writing again - a poem dedicated to his friend.
Marie's mother read and translated what was on the paper she kept, and the whole family agreed that the words were too precious to throw away. Her father made a frame and hung it on the wall. The
poem is, of course, In Flanders Fields by John McCrea, a Canadian surgeon and Lieutenant-Colonel.
There is much more to the story Martens' grandfather tells, which becomes a nice blending of the fictional Merkel family history and some factual wartime history, including war's aftermath. Michael Morpurgo has a wonderful ability to take real events and write a story around them that works perfectly for young readers, entertaining and informing at that same time. Here, he says in an interview, he wanted kids to understand why it is important to remember those who fought in a long ago war by bringing it into the present, as well as showing the impact war has on civilians. And he has done an outstanding job of that with Poppy Field.
The 100th anniversary of the end of the World War I is perfect timing, since it has been in the news so much this weekend and kids can witness world leaders acknowledging the men and women who served their country, and who gave their lives then, just as they do now.
Be sure to read the Afterword for more information on the history of In Flanders Fields, John McCrea, and how the poppy became the symbol of remembrance.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was purchased from Book Depository for my personal library.
No one had ever experienced a war like WWI before. New weapons were developed that had devastating results on both soldiers and civilians. From the air, planes could now drop bombs on battlefields and cities; at sea, submarines could now torpedo battleships and cargo ships carrying food and supplies; and on the battlefield, tanks with machine guns and canons could roll over no man's land and attack their enemies in the trenches, while chemical weapons like chlorine, mustard gas and flamethrowers were also used in trench warfare. It's no wonder so many returned suffering from PTSD.
To commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Armistice Day, Michael Morpurgo has written a lovely book that tells a fictionalized story of how and why the poppy have became the flower that symbolizes the sacrifices made by those who have fought in their country's wars.
Young Martens Merkel lives on a farm in Flanders near Ypres in Belgium with his mother and grandfather. The farm, once part of No Man's Land in WWI, is in the middle of a vast poppy field and surrounded by several cemeteries. Sadly, Martens father was killed while plowing one of his fields by an unexploded shell. There is also a part of a poem written on an old wrinkled paper, framed and hanging on the hallway wall in the Merkel home. It is the beginning of a poem and Martens loves to hear his grandfather tell the story connected to that poem.
When Martens' grandfather's mother Marie was an eight year old girl, she used to sell eggs at a field hospital to the English soldiers. In the spring of 1915, the poppies were in bloom and Marie would pick some to give to those who bought her eggs. One morning, there weren't many soldiers to buy eggs, but Marie noticed one sitting nearby, writing in a notebook. Irritated at her for interrupting him, he threw the now scrunched paper he had been writing on away, but he asked Marie if she would place her poppies on the grave of his best friend, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, who had been killed the day before and who loved poppies. The poppies immediately began to blow away, but the soldier didn't seem to mind and began writing again - a poem dedicated to his friend.
Marie's mother read and translated what was on the paper she kept, and the whole family agreed that the words were too precious to throw away. Her father made a frame and hung it on the wall. The
poem is, of course, In Flanders Fields by John McCrea, a Canadian surgeon and Lieutenant-Colonel.
There is much more to the story Martens' grandfather tells, which becomes a nice blending of the fictional Merkel family history and some factual wartime history, including war's aftermath. Michael Morpurgo has a wonderful ability to take real events and write a story around them that works perfectly for young readers, entertaining and informing at that same time. Here, he says in an interview, he wanted kids to understand why it is important to remember those who fought in a long ago war by bringing it into the present, as well as showing the impact war has on civilians. And he has done an outstanding job of that with Poppy Field.
The 100th anniversary of the end of the World War I is perfect timing, since it has been in the news so much this weekend and kids can witness world leaders acknowledging the men and women who served their country, and who gave their lives then, just as they do now.
Be sure to read the Afterword for more information on the history of In Flanders Fields, John McCrea, and how the poppy became the symbol of remembrance.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was purchased from Book Depository for my personal library.
February 18, 2024
What a beautiful story telling the story of how poppies are worn and the poem 'In Flanders Fields'
May 11, 2025
A lovely look at the history of the poppy and why we wear it.
November 4, 2024
Beautiful written book with wonderful illustrations.
December 11, 2018
Short but moving story about a boy living on a farm near Ypres.
Typical of Morputgo's first-person wartime tales.
Beautifully illustrated by Michael Foreman, it is followed by a rather longer piece from the British Legion, about the history of the poppy emblem.
Typical of Morputgo's first-person wartime tales.
Beautifully illustrated by Michael Foreman, it is followed by a rather longer piece from the British Legion, about the history of the poppy emblem.
November 9, 2025
I just wanted something short to listen to in the car and this was one of those chosen for unlimited access this month of November, very appropriately.
You know with Michael Morpurgo's writing for children that you will get sadness, melancholy, bittersweetness. Even so, I was taken aback by the very particular and realistic detail included in this little story of war, those who live on in the places it has happened and the famous McRae poem 'In Flanders Fields' As ever, the writing is perfectly accessible and valuable for adults.
The additional piece explaining more about John McCrae and the poppy symbol was also well worthwhile.
You know with Michael Morpurgo's writing for children that you will get sadness, melancholy, bittersweetness. Even so, I was taken aback by the very particular and realistic detail included in this little story of war, those who live on in the places it has happened and the famous McRae poem 'In Flanders Fields' As ever, the writing is perfectly accessible and valuable for adults.
The additional piece explaining more about John McCrae and the poppy symbol was also well worthwhile.
May 4, 2019
Another winner from Michael Morpurgo - my favourite children's author.
He always tells a beautiful story and the book is superbly illustrated, as usual, by Michael Foreman - a dynamic duo.
Apart from being another classic MM - it is also a fantastic book to celebrate the centenary of the end of the First World War and to showcase John McCrae's famous poem In Flanders Fields. It explains why the poppy became the symbol of remembrance for those who died in the armed forces serving their country,
An amazing book and a beautiful gift for young and old alike.
He always tells a beautiful story and the book is superbly illustrated, as usual, by Michael Foreman - a dynamic duo.
Apart from being another classic MM - it is also a fantastic book to celebrate the centenary of the end of the First World War and to showcase John McCrae's famous poem In Flanders Fields. It explains why the poppy became the symbol of remembrance for those who died in the armed forces serving their country,
An amazing book and a beautiful gift for young and old alike.
January 5, 2021
"We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields."
As soon as I opened this book and read these powerful, poignant words, I knew that I was about to read another masterful war tale by Michael Morpurgo. I am yet to read a bad book by this author, but war seems to bring out Morpurgo's very best. He excels at telling these tales with sensitivity and empathy, and in a way that children can understand, but also never shies away from the reality, the awfulness of war.
Poppy Field, which is touchingly illustrated by Michael Foreman, is ineffably sad, but there is also a glimmer of hope throughout the story. And the afterword explaining how poppies came to be such a significant remembrance symbol was a very fitting accompaniment to this story. Lest we forget ...
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields."
As soon as I opened this book and read these powerful, poignant words, I knew that I was about to read another masterful war tale by Michael Morpurgo. I am yet to read a bad book by this author, but war seems to bring out Morpurgo's very best. He excels at telling these tales with sensitivity and empathy, and in a way that children can understand, but also never shies away from the reality, the awfulness of war.
Poppy Field, which is touchingly illustrated by Michael Foreman, is ineffably sad, but there is also a glimmer of hope throughout the story. And the afterword explaining how poppies came to be such a significant remembrance symbol was a very fitting accompaniment to this story. Lest we forget ...
November 1, 2018
Beautifully-illustrated by Michael Foreman, this is a poignant and hopeful story from Michael Morpurgo and a fitting way to remember those who have fought for peace. I loved how the story gave us a back-story for the famous poem by John Mc Crae and explained the symbol of the poppy in a way that is accessible for younger readers, while also engaging older readers. I also really liked the Afterword where some more historical context is given, as well as discussing some of the recent controversies over wearing he poppy and how they hope it can be worn simply in remembrance rather than as any kind of political statement.
We read the poem and talked about Remembrance today in school - next I will be reading this book to my class!
We read the poem and talked about Remembrance today in school - next I will be reading this book to my class!
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November 13, 2020A beautiful book to introduce the topic of Remembrance and the first World War to children. The story is told to a little boy in Belgium called Martens by his Grandfather, about how his Great Grandmother met the writer of the famous 'In Flanders Fields' poem. The book covers the Christmas Truce, the playing of the Last Post at the gates in Ypres, and the fact that war debris is still found in fields today.
It's imaginatively illustrated, with everything in grey watercolours, except the poppies which are bright red and scattered across each page.
At the back there are some pages with information and photos about how the wearing of poppies became a symbol of Rembrance and a way of fundraising for veterans (a history I was unaware of actually, and found fascinating).
It's imaginatively illustrated, with everything in grey watercolours, except the poppies which are bright red and scattered across each page.
At the back there are some pages with information and photos about how the wearing of poppies became a symbol of Rembrance and a way of fundraising for veterans (a history I was unaware of actually, and found fascinating).
November 25, 2018
This is a wonderful short story not only giving some background to the war in Flanders and to the poppies that bloomed then and continue to this day. It tells of several generations of one family affected by a scrap of paper containing the essence of the first verse of one of the great poems of this conflict. It can be read by a ten-year-old or someone in old age and will probably stay in their thoughts longer than any TV documentary or war film. The illustrations are marvellous and are in keeping with the story -- a great book for the school library or as a present for a ten to twelve-year-old for Christmas.
November 1, 2021
My wife and I made a trip to England and France in 2017. We spent a few days visiting WWI battlefields in eastern France. However, we did not make it to Ypres, Belgium. In 2019, we visited the WWI Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, and were fascinated with the poppy exhibit at the entrance to the museum. I saw this book either in the museum gift shop or as a result of an Amazon search. I decided to buy it.
It is a superbly illustrated book. I've decided that it will be a perfect gift for our 11-year-old granddaughter. I recommend it to anyone interested in WWI and anyone with older children or grandchildren. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book this morning.
It is a superbly illustrated book. I've decided that it will be a perfect gift for our 11-year-old granddaughter. I recommend it to anyone interested in WWI and anyone with older children or grandchildren. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book this morning.
May 9, 2019
Beautifully written and lovely illustrations throughout. This story introduces us to a young boy who lives on a farm which used to be 'No Mans Land'. He enjoys hearing stories from his grandfather about what the poppy means to them as a family and how it have brought the 4 generations worth of luck. A very touching story which brought a tear to my eye.
At the back of the book we learn about the true meaning of the poppy and how it became a national symbol for all war veterans. A lovely story followed but factual information on a topic that effacts all of us.
At the back of the book we learn about the true meaning of the poppy and how it became a national symbol for all war veterans. A lovely story followed but factual information on a topic that effacts all of us.
January 9, 2020
Poppy Field is a wonderful story about the meaning of the poppy flower and the now famous poem In Flanders Fields. The story has so many ups and downs which portray how the family in the story survived the war and how victims of war didn't cease to exist when the war ended.
I think that the history provided in this story was very informative and had been beautifully woven into a story. This book is great for older children wanting to find out about World War II and adults who enjoy a short story that contains both historical fact and fiction.
-Poppy Granger
I think that the history provided in this story was very informative and had been beautifully woven into a story. This book is great for older children wanting to find out about World War II and adults who enjoy a short story that contains both historical fact and fiction.
-Poppy Granger
January 3, 2019
One to treasure. A wonderful story by the wonderful Michael Morpurgo about 4 generations of a family from Ypres and how each generation has been shaped by 'the war to end all wars'. The origin of McRae's iconic 'In Flanders Field' and the meaning of the poppy emblem are movingly explained by Martens, living in the present.
Exquisitely produced to honour the centenary of the end of WW1, the Michael Foreman illustrations add real poignancy at every stage.
Exquisitely produced to honour the centenary of the end of WW1, the Michael Foreman illustrations add real poignancy at every stage.
August 11, 2019
Every year I contribute to the Poppy Apeal by purchasing a metal Poppy pin (last time I also bought a Poppy lunch bag). My only one concern is paper-plastic Poppies knowing there is huge problem with plastic ending up in our oceans. To honour the memory of those who lost their lives is very important and noble but to do this, we should also think about our planet and do not harm IT at any cost.
November 10, 2019
I bought this to read and share on Remembrance Day. It is a great story to help children understand the poppy symbol at this time of year. It also has facts at the back of the book once they’ve read the story. A very simple, but poignant book with beautiful illustrations. Just wish it was available in paperback then it would be 5/5!
November 6, 2022
This was beautiful and poignant about how the poppy became a sign of respect and commemoration of lives lost during wars and conflict. It tells the story of Martens family and his family's history with poppy fields. The pencil drawings really compliment the beautiful words written by Michael Morpurgo.
October 15, 2023
This was a sweet story of how the famous World War One poem, In Flanders Field by John McCrae, came to be. Written by Michael Morpurgo and illustrated by Michael Foreman, Poppy Field explains to young readers the symbol of the poppy, and introduces them to Remembrance Day and WWI. A touching read.
January 4, 2024
“We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields”
- In Flanders Fields
By John McCrae
Poppy Field by Michael Morpurgo and illustrated by Michael Foreman is a story written to understand the sacrifices of the wars. It is about the soldiers who died during the two world wars. The story follows one family over four generations and how the war has shaped their lives and millions of other families like them. It is to understand why a poppy is given so much importance and how poppy has given us the sign of hope in return.
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields”
- In Flanders Fields
By John McCrae
Poppy Field by Michael Morpurgo and illustrated by Michael Foreman is a story written to understand the sacrifices of the wars. It is about the soldiers who died during the two world wars. The story follows one family over four generations and how the war has shaped their lives and millions of other families like them. It is to understand why a poppy is given so much importance and how poppy has given us the sign of hope in return.
January 22, 2020
Michael Morpurgo writes so sensitively and Michael Foreman’s illustrations capture the mood perfectly. A touching tribute to John McCrae and all who died in the battlefields, followed by a history of the poppy emblem. Huge lump in throat.
November 9, 2020
Realistic fiction. Easy and quick read. Hope in times of conflicts and war and the best way to communicate to young is difficult to my understanding. Michael Morpurgo always writes to keep the spirit of humanity. I enjoyed reading this book.
September 12, 2022
Reminded me of this phrase from a tamil poem "நம்மில் யார் இறந்தாலும் ஒரு தாய் அழுவாள்" which means regardless of dies among us, a mother will cry.
Michael Morpurgo does it again, moves the readers with his words.
Let us be kind to one another while also standing for what we believe in a strong and peaceful manner.
Michael Morpurgo does it again, moves the readers with his words.
Let us be kind to one another while also standing for what we believe in a strong and peaceful manner.
December 24, 2024
"In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below." - John McCrae
Absolutely beautiful, a 5-star read. Thank you.
Absolutely beautiful, a 5-star read. Thank you.
February 4, 2025
3.5 Stars
Poppy Field is a sweet short story and the 2nd part of the book is very informative. The poem In Flanders Fields isn't one I'm all that familiar with as shocking as it sounds but I'm off to remedy that now.
Poppy Field is a sweet short story and the 2nd part of the book is very informative. The poem In Flanders Fields isn't one I'm all that familiar with as shocking as it sounds but I'm off to remedy that now.
October 27, 2018
Another fantastic book by the brilliant Michael Morpurgo. I shall definitely be reading it to my class during our remembrance week.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews