Alone on a Wide Wide Sea Award-winning by Michael Morpurgo (author) (UK edition)

Author/Illustrator

Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo is a master storyteller, weaving captivating stories full of drama and intensity that are coming to be regarded as true classics. Exploring the most profound subjects with a light yet powerful touch, his books tell unforgettable stories in simple, direct words.

Michael Morpurgo discovered his talent for writing while working as a teacher. “We had to read the children a story every day and my lot were bored by the book I was reading. I decided I had to do something and told them the kind of story I used to tell my kids – it was like a soap opera, and they focused on it. I could see there was magic in it for them, and realised there was magic in it for me.”

Living in Devon, listening to Mozart, and working with children have provided most of the stimulae Michael needs to discover and write his stories. He spends about half his life mucking out sheds with the children, feeding sheep or milking cows; the other half he spends dreaming up and writing stories. “For me, the greater part of writing is daydreaming, dreaming the dream of my story until it hatches out – the writing down of it I always find hard. But I love finishing it, then holding the book in my hand and sharing my dream with my readers.”

Reviews

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What kids think

1. diamondforever786
   on 24 December 2014

   So sad.

   4out of 5

2. Chise2504
   on 9 June 2014

   I would be awsome if they got a book that’s like the musical wicked and had the songs in and this book looks amazing and intresting

3. Jacquelinewilson677
   on 10 March 2014

   Athur is separated from his sister and sent to the other side of the world.This extraordinary journey continues as he and his friend Marty survive brutal captivity on a working farm…will the threads of Arthur’s life finally come together?

   4out of 5

4. AngelofDeath
   on 9 March 2014

   The story plot was similar to another book i had read so i thought it was okay.

5. MagicSand6125
   on 4 March 2014

   Book for the young and old, this story will take the reader on the journey of a lifetime.

   5out of 5

6. aoife343
   on 16 November 2013

   what is it like sounds kinda boring should I read it ???

7. Emster123
   on 6 August 2013

   At first I didnt like this book and i was very tempted to stop reading it at the beginning as I found it quite boring and not that gripping, but it grew on me as I read more and more. It was one of those books which takes a long time to enjoy but once you are in the middle and you have got more of an understanding of the story-line and the characters, it’s hard to put down! i was recommended by one of my friends to read this book as I have read many of Michael Morpurgo’s books. This one has got to be one of my favourite with ‘Shadow’, (another really really good book!). This book is sad but also happy and more of an adventure book, which was a perfect genre for me.

   I would recommend this book to anyone without a doubt, but I would say the recommended age to read this book would be around 8 or 9 years+ seeing as it quite sad and you witness some horrible scenes at the beginning when arthur was a child. This book would be perfect to be made into a film actually! THIS IS A MUST-READ BOOK!!! X

   5out of 5

8. Nashdasher
   on 9 March 2013

   This book is great I could not put it down it made you go though every emotion happiness sadness it all.

9. totalbookworm
   on 2 March 2013

   Really good book. So interesting and very gripping. A range of stories, all with lots of different times.

10. jods
    on 18 December 2012

    this book is brill, brill, brill….i luv all Michael Morpurogo books…but this is 1 of the best….

    5out of 5

11. elliethebookworm3
    on 23 June 2012

    it is very exciting and loving book but does he find his lost sister or not??

    5out of 5

12. indigobeam
    on 5 March 2012

    This book is so powerfully written. I loved every minute.

13. nikki657
    on 3 March 2012

    Great, sad and made me want to cry but laugh especially at the end. Its about a young boys life in australia and his search for his sister. Best book ever

14. pilgrim55
    on 2 March 2012

    good

15. monkey00
    on 1 March 2012

    I loved this book because you never knew what was coming round the corner!

16. loi77
    on 16 December 2011

    Great, sad and made me want to cry but laugh especially at the end. Its about a young boys life in australia and his search for his sister.

17. BookxLoverx11
    on 27 November 2011

    This tale is a of hope, friendship and kindness but it does have a dark side of cruelty, wounds and hard, unfair work. If you’re thinking of reading this, don’t think twice. Get hold of a copy and read through the real life story of Arthur, Allie and Kitty Hobhouse.

    5out of 5

18. kizziefizzy
    on 23 September 2011

    this is a powerful tale and a sad one

    highly reccommended

    5out of 5

19. majicunicorn
    on 26 July 2011

    loved it

    5out of 5

20. emilythetiger
    on 9 July 2011

    i have read this and i love mical mapogo he is relly good. if you like this book i like you a lot.

21. lynnie23
    on 18 April 2011

    it was sad in the begining

22. megsi
    on 4 April 2011

    What a brillient book! It gripped me untill the end. Tears were in my eyes… turning the very last page. Murpugo strikes again! A fantastic book for anyone. Give it a read. You’ll love it!

23. gethi
    on 3 March 2011

    it’s different!

    4out of 5

24. Lolaloo1
    on 3 March 2011

    I love this book so much. It was so gripping I could not put it down and the storyline was amazing. It was a mixture of happiness and sadness all the way through but in the end it is a happy ending and I felt really good for reading it.

    5out of 5

25. Egghead
    on 14 February 2011

    Magical

    5out of 5

26. stardustbell
    on 16 January 2011

    The first time I had ever ‘read’ this book was in Year 6, when we had to read it as a class. Now obviously, the majority of people in my class were thinking about break, and lunch, and were distracting others as usual. Therefore no-one could actually understand what was happening. However when we finally managed to get to the end of the book, the teacher explained to us the ending, (for those who didn’t understand) and I remember thinking: ‘What a shocking ending!’ And ever since that day, I decided to get the book out again. Then it came round to Year 8, and I took it out of the library. Now I remembered the ending was shocking, but only vaguely remembered what had actually happened. So I read it, and I was no-where near prepared for such a lovely ending. Everytime I look at this book, I feel like I have to start crying all over again. A beautiful, beautiful story, with the most tragic events that could possibly occur. I love the way Mr Mopurgo, writes in full detail of the emotions and the clearly frightening events this boy goes through. The ending really was the icing on the cake.

    5out of 5

27. skinnylatte
    on 9 December 2010

    Superb!!

    5out of 5

28. biddyb
    on 11 September 2010

    This is a fantastic book. It is with out a doubt my favourtie book ever!! Your emotions all want to just come out at once. It really gets to you at some parts. I hope everone else loved it as much as i did!!

    5out of 5

29. icedgem
    on 9 August 2010

    This is definitely my most favourite book, from anything I have ever read. I don’t think I can even put into words how good it is. The author has written it so well that the emotion really gets to you, especially as there are some happy and sad parts. I would really recommend this to anyone who wants more than a normal read, and it will be staying with me for a long time. I think it is specifically good for readers aged 10 – 14. And it is about a boy – so its not only a girls book!

    5out of 5

30. strawberryshake999
    on 1 August 2010

    we read this book for our class reader. it was so good i read ahead and had finshed befor everyone had got onto part two. I thought it was a great book.

    5out of 5

31. alpaca
    on 20 March 2010

    My favourite book ever!!!

    5out of 5

32. YellowDog1892
    on 31 January 2010

    i liked the bit where alexa (allie) was sailing across the sea to find kitty

    5out of 5

33. hornet
    on 31 August 2009

    This story is about a boy in the avacuation to America losing his sister who gave him a key? He first is sent to a bootcamp farm then runs away making a new best friend only to be captured by Indians and brought to a strange lady thatlooks after sick animals.

    5out of 5

34. Tottenham4lyfe
    on 13 August 2009

    AMAZING!!!!!!!! 2 of my friends had allready read some of this and said it was rubbish but i still read it regardless and i luved it!!!! It just came out to me i was there i was one of the children being kept i felt i was there and running away with arthur . i felt really sad in some parts of this book because it was sad and i felt really happy in some of it . if anyone is reading this and havent read alone on a wide wide sea i wont tell you what happenes at the end but it is amazingly fantastic i would defenately reccomend it to anyone and everyone ! I would also give this book a 10/10

    5out of 5

35. CharlieGiraffe22
    on 29 March 2009

    I havn’t read the book yet but I know that ALONE ON A WIDE WIDE SEA is very, very sad.

36. sweetpie
    on 25 September 2008

    I want to read this as it looks great the same as all the other michael Morpurgo book

37. ilovetoread11
    on 21 March 2008

    Alone on a wide wide sea is a book about a boy who is shipped to australia to work there. he meets another boy who helps and treats him like his own brother. the place where they work is dreadful and eventually they run away. they meet a woman who looks after them and cares for but she dies so does arthurs friend. it is a very sad story but shows young children how life was and how lucky they are.

    5out of 5

38. emska
    on 19 March 2008

    The best book by Morpurgo.But really,really sad.

    5out of 5

39. Eeyore07
    on 7 March 2008

    This book is amazing! I hadn’t read anything by Michael Morpurgo except in school so I didn’t really like him (shocking I know!). That is until I read this and I absolutely loved it! It is written so clearly it’s like you’re there with Arthur (the main character), experiencing everything he is! And finally without trying to spoil it I think the ending is lovely! =]

    5out of 5

40. bookworms4eva
    on 29 February 2008

    This is the story of Arthur Hobhouse who has been orphaned and sent to Australia. He only has vague memories of England and his sister Kitty. This is on my tear-jerker list so keep some tissues spare. This book is based on a true person and Michael Morpurgo has really captivated the feeling and emotion of this story and is very well-written.

    5out of 5

41. bridgley
    on 9 January 2008

    a good book vey exciting and i think some bits are a bit crule though!

    4out of 5