Spring

Michael Morpurgo spins his magic and invites us to look at something as familiar as springtime with new and loving eyes. Uplifting and enchanting, it is a celebration of life by our master story-teller. – JOANNA LUMLEY‘This book has the same effect as spring itself, it brings hope and joy. It is full of vibrant colour and most of all, heart and soul.’ – CLARE BALDINGMichael Morpurgo’s Spring is a delight, just as the season is. It’s the voice of a good man talking about things he loves, and in focusing on the spring he doesn’t neglect the presence in the past and in the future of the other seasons, and their inevitability., and he’s probably done more than anyone to foster these qualities in generations of children, through his books as well as his charity ‘Farms for City Children’. But one of his greatest qualities is that he sees things clearly and writes about them well; like Thomas Hardy, “He was a man who used to notice such things.” We are all the richer for what he sees. – PHILIP PULLMAN[He writes] as if he were personally introducing us to his favourite blossom trees and most beloved birds. As we accompany him on this informal wander, we learn that he often - perhaps unsurprisingly - talks to the trees and sings to ‘his’ blackbirds… this is a book full of love for, and gentle humour about, the rural lifestyle amid the most cherished of seasons. * COUNTRYLIFE *A lyrical portrait of spring on the Devon farm where the author of Warhorse has lived for nearly half a century. * GUARDIAN, books to look forward to in 2025 *

Much-loved British author Morpurgo takes us on a deeper journey of discovery as the frost begins tomelt and a world of possibilities unravel around his Devonshire farm. Migrating birds beginreturning home to nest after the bitter chill, as wild flowers and trees start to blossom and thedays grow longer… Morpurgo’s friendly tone gives us an insight into spring on Nethercott Farm, andthe circle of life in this season of hope.

Michael Morpurgo is one of Britain’s best-loved writers. He has written more than 100 books and has won the Smarties Prize, the Whitbread Award, and most recently the Blue Peter Book Award for PRIVATE PEACEFUL. He is also the author of WAR HORSE, which has been made into a Tony Award-winning Broadway play and a Golden Globe-nominated film. Michael was Writer in Residence at The Savoy Hotel from January to March 2007, and previously he was Children’s Laureate from 2003-2005, a role that took him across Britain to inspire a love of reading in children.

Michael and his wife Clare founded Farms for City Children in 1976 at Nethercott Farm, deep in Devon river country, and Michael has called the project his ‘greatest story’. The charity now operates three working farms: Treginnis Isaf on the Pembrokeshire coast opened twenty years ago and Wick Court in Gloucestershire opened in 1997. They aim to expand the horizons of children from towns and cities all over the country by offering them a week in the countryside living together on one of their farms.