Book Review by Aarene Storms: War Horse

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
audiobook read by John Keating

Joey is a big farm horse, born in England before the start of WWI...and when England went to war, the horses as well as the soldiers shipped out to France to fight.

Joey himself narrates the story of his life in the tradition of Black Beauty. He tells about the hard work during basic training, comfort and companionship of his friend Topthorn, about his fear of the noise of cannons, as well as the injury, illness and death that horses and humans experience in wartime.

The audiobook is capably narrated by John Keating, who tells Joey's tale with a gentle and sometime incredulous voice that is totally appropriate to the character of a horse sent into bewildering circumstances like war.

This story was adapted for the stage in London using life-sized puppets; the production came to New York's Lincoln Center this year. View some amazing footage of the puppetry here. 

Stephen Spielberg's live-action film version of the story will be released in December 2011. The trailer for the film is located here.

Rating:

Recommended for animal lovers, and also readers who enjoy realistic historical fiction. Ages 10 to adult. Minor cussing, no sex, wartime violence and injury.


The events may not have happened; still, the story is true. --R. Silvern

Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach Library, KCLS