Latest news with #MichaelMorpurgo
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Michael Morpurgo: Children's authors should stop sugar-coating war
Sir Michael Morpurgo has urged children's authors to stop sugar-coating war in their books. The best-selling author, 81, said children should not be 'patronised' about challenging periods of history so they 'can better understand the world of today'. Writing in Radio Times magazine, Sir Michael said: 'There has always been a tendency, a temptation, in children's books and films, to shy away from darker, more difficult issues.' The former Children's Laureate explained that 'children have to know of war', and books, film and theatre 'play an important, even essential, part' in developing their understanding of sadness and loss. It comes ahead of the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, which falls on August 15 and commemorates the end of the Second World War. His comments also come amid the backdrop of the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, and growing fears of a larger conflict engulfing several major countries. Sir Michael said children growing up now can 'see snatches of war and suffering often enough on their screens,' meaning they 'witness the horror and destruction of it'. 'They can switch it off, change channels, but they do not forget,' he said. The author continued: 'To learn of sadness and loss is part of growing up, as is an understanding of the turbulent history of ourselves and other peoples and cultures.' His children's books dealing with the subject of war include War Horse (1982) and Private Peaceful (2003), which describe different perspectives during the First World War. He has also tackled more topical conflicts, including Shadow (2010) about a young boy's journey through war-torn Afghanistan and The Kites Are Flying! (2009), highlighting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the West Bank. Though the author insists he 'never shies away from the issues around war', his books always feature a hopeful message. 'The mind of a child is fragile,' he said, adding: 'In every one of these stories there is always hope, not happy-ever-after-hope, but the belief that reconciliation is the only solution and is always possible.' Sir Michael previously wrote in The Telegraph about the importance of not shying away from these topics with children, something he learnt in his previous career as a teacher. He said: 'As a teacher and a parent I did not want my stories to traumatise them. But to see them saddened, deep in thought, working out the rights and wrongs, the fair and the unfair, was important. Many would have known grief already. 'Some would have serious difficulties at home. I felt that the stories I was telling should not avoid the painful side of life.' Sir Michael added the children of today see images 'of bombs falling, of whole towns destroyed before their eyes' as well as 'families grieving over dead bodies'. 'War is part of the world into which they have been born,' he said. 'They hear and see stories, vividly told, of the consequences of war, too: the starvation, the disease, the drowning of migrants escaping conflict.' It comes as real-time footage of war has never been so readily available, with images of infants who are on the brink of death from starvation coming out of Gaza. Aid organisations and human rights groups have warned of 'mass starvation' on the war-torn Strip. 'I'm sure the instinct often is to switch off, or to look away, but once seen, such images are difficult to forget, and they can be deeply troubling,' Sir Michael wrote, adding that children want to understand more 'even if it is disturbing'. He added in Radio Times: 'I've found that to look the child in the eye as I tell the story is key… so that they can better understand the world of today, the world that they are having to come to terms with.'
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
‘Breathtaking' desert island movie with rare Rotten Tomatoes score is streaming for free
One of the best animated movies in years with top scores from critics has just been added to BBC iPlayer BBC iPlayer has just added a critically acclaimed animated film that is guaranteed to knock your socks off. Based on one of the most popular children's books ever written, this beloved tale of adventure and friendship has been brought to life in stunning hand-drawn animation that harkens back to classic Disney films. Following its broadcast on BBC One this afternoon (Sunday, 3rd August), this heart-racing journey of discovery will be available to stream completely free of charge for a limited time. Viewers can be assured of the film's quality as it scored an impressive 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Even better, the film's runtime clocks in at a breezy hour and 16 minutes, making it the ideal watch for a lazy afternoon. Kensuke's Kingdom, based on the acclaimed 1999 novel by Michael Morpurgo, follows the thrilling voyage of a young boy (voiced by Aaron MacGregor) at sea who eventually finds himself stranded on a desert island. Thankfully, he soon discovers he's not alone. The boy, along with his dog Stella Artois, strikes up an unlikely friendship with a Japanese man named Kensuke (Ken Watanabe) and the orangutans who have made the island their home, who help him survive. Although not able to speak much English, Kensuke slowly reveals his own tragic life story of fleeing Japan during the terrors of the Second World War. This poignant tale is perfect for families with slightly older children keen to get sucked into an epic journey of adventure, history and survival. An audience review on Rotten Tomatoes described Kensuke's Kingdom as 'a breathtakingly beautiful film that's gentle on the senses as its delicately delivered themes.' A five-star Google review agreed, writing: 'Magical and emotionally powerful film that deserves to become a family classic. 'Avoiding spoilers here is hard, but there is one drop of ink in the film that took my breath away and had my throat in knots. It's beautiful, powerful, emotional, yet comfortingly familiar. 'A film to cosy up on the sofa under a blanket with your favourite young family and rewatch every year to remember the important themes of anti-war and respect for nature that run through it. Beautiful film.' A third concurred, adding: 'Awesome movie with beautiful visuals and meaningful storytelling.' Praise continued over on Letterboxd, where one fan raved: 'Beautiful and full of heart! 'Simple, familiar concept but so well executed. It's Cast Away mixed with Avatar and shades of Planet of the Apes. 'Very good dosage between feel good and tragedy, had a smile on my face most of the time but I also had tears in my eyes twice.' Viewers were also impressed by the film's voice cast, which also includes Oppenheimer Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy and Paddington star Sally Hawkins. 'Went to the theatre to hear Cillian's voice and to have a fun time. Left sobbing uncontrollably,' one fan admitted. 'This film's message is so beautiful and moving, knowing that Cillian wanted to be part of this project makes me love him even more and I didn't even know that could be possible.' Kensuke's Kingdom is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
TikTok star PinkPantheress gets honorary University of Kent degree
Singer PinkPantheress is to receive an honorary degree from the University of Canterbury-raised musician, who kickstarted her career on social media, is to be recognised for her contribution to and achievements in music in the digital three-time Brit Award nominee – whose real name is Victoria Beverley Walker – will be made a Doctor of Music at Canterbury Cathedral during one of the university's graduation ceremonies on Tuesday."I am so honoured to get this, this is so cool," the 22-year-old said. PinkPantheress shared her first song, the Michael Jackson-sampling Just A Waste, on TikTok on Christmas Day in the next 18 months, she shared 15-second online snippets of her then, she has signed with record label known for her Top 40 singles Just for Me, Pain and Boy's a Liar, she has won BBC's Sound of 2022 poll and Best Female Act at the MOBO awards in the same year. She also performed at Glastonbury last she posted on social media that years of exposure to loud music had left her 80% deaf in her right last year she cancelled a number of tour dates, stating that she had to "focus on my physical health and overall wellbeing".Others receiving honorary degrees throughout the week include writer Sir Michael Morpurgo MBE, presenter Iain Dale, filmmaker and former actress Andrea Arnold and conservationist Giles Clark.
Western Telegraph
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Western Telegraph
Sir Michael Morpurgo to open Friends of Treginnis fete
Sir Michael Morpurgo and his wife Lady Clare will officially open the annual Friends of Treginnis fete at 2pm this Saturday, July 19. The War Horse author is the co-founder of Farms for City Children and has been known to delight children staying at Treginnis with readings from his books and stories during their stays there. (Image: Western Telegraph) The fete raises essential funds for Treginnis Farm for City Children, which offers children who have grown up in urban settings a 'week of muck and magic' in Pembrokeshire. The fete was put on hold for six years after it was scuppered by Covid and wild weather. It returned last year but without Sir Michael who had had a health scare. The fete is a great way to fundraise for the farm and to visit this spectacular spot at the end of the St Davids Peninsula, one of the the furthest flung farms in the UK. (Image: Friends of Treginnis) This year's fete opens at 1pm. Entrance costs £5 per person, children of school age are free. There will be children's games such as giant Connect Four, hop-scotch, hula hoops, giant noughts and crosses and many more, as well as bouncy castles. There will be plenty of stalls including craft, bric a brac, books, cakes, RNLI, and a tombola and Treginnis Farm will be selling home-grown own vegetables and flowers. There will also be the big raffle with some wonderful prizes to be won. (Image: Western Telegraph) Refreshments include tea, coffee and cakes, beefburgers and hot dogs from the St Davids Penknife Club barbecue, strawberries and cream and beer brewed at St David's Old Farmhouse Brewery. The Pembrokeshire Ukulele Band, Vox Angelica and Mike Chant will provide musical entertainment St David's Fire Engine will make an appearance during the afternoon and St John's Ambulance will be in attendance all day. (Image: Western Telegraph) Four legged friends are also welcome and can enter the dog show to with a rosette for the friendliest face, the waggiest tail or just a lovely temperament. Richards Bros will be running a free bus from the Cross Square to Treginnis, starting 1pm all afternoon. The bus will run all afternoon with the last bus returning from Treginnis at 5.30pm. There is also plenty of parking at the farm. 'This is an important date, please put it in your diary and come along and enjoy an afternoon of fun at Treginnis,' said Mary Edey, secretary of Friends of Treginnis. The friends are always looking for volunteers to help us on the day. If you can you spare a few hours to come along and join in the fun, please contact the secretary Mary Edey on
The Guardian
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Michael Morpurgo to recite Vivaldi-inspired poetry at inaugural Cornwall festival
The author Sir Michael Morpurgo has spoken of the importance of taking the arts to places off the beaten track as he prepares for a recital of new poetry inspired by Vivaldi at a festival on and around Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. Morpurgo agreed to perform at the inaugural Music on the Moor festival, partly to draw attention to inland areas of Britain's far south-west often missed by visitors heading for the coast. He said the festival, which begins on Wednesday, was being staged in 'the middle of wonderful nowhere'. Morpurgo, who lives across the border in Devon, said the arts survived relatively easily in towns and cities. 'There are more people there to come to concerts and plays and theatres. We are left certainly down in the West Country with very little. When someone starts up something like this in the middle of wonderful nowhere, it must be supported. Local people have a longing for this sort of thing. I love it when someone says, we're starting up a festival.' The events are taking place in the villages of Blisland, St Breward and St Neot, as well as the town of Bodmin. Murpurgo will recite his re-workings of poems believed to have been written by Vivaldi as an accompaniment to The Four Seasons. The poems will be heard at St Petroc's church in Bodmin alongside renditions of Vivaldi's Four Seasons by musicians including Krysia Osostowicz, the first violinist of the Brodsky Quartet and players from Cornwall and Devon. Morpurgo said: 'It's a church in not the richest town in Cornwall. It has high levels of unemployment and difficulty but we're doing it in that place. The thought of bringing Vivaldi to Bodmin with the grey skies and the storms is so completely wonderful.' The writer said The Four Seasons was as relevant and vital now as it had always been. 'We are so often detached from our seasons. Seasons become a nuisance to us. We complain about the weather, and the seasons are changing because of global warming. But it is the case that there is this rhythm to life. And we have been guided by this rhythm for centuries and centuries and centuries. It's in our DNA. And I love to be reminded of that.' Osostowicz, who is also the festival's artistic director, said: 'When you read about Cornwall in the news it's all about the coast and tourists and fishing. Nobody seems to think about inland Cornwall very much and it's just a wonderful area.' A focus of the festival is 'music bouncing off other art forms', Osostowicz said. Other highlights include the poet Ruth Padel and the Brodsky Quartet performing together at the church in St Neot. Earlier, there will be a talk on the church's medieval stained glass. The festival opens at Blisland on Wednesday with How Pots Sing, a demonstration by the potter Chris Prindl accompanied by music by Bach, with tea and cakes also available. Music on the Moor festival takes place around Bodmin, Cornwall, from 9 to 13 July
