Author Michael Morpurgo answers your questions....

[RachelMumsnet]

Great news! Award-winning children's author Michael Morpurgo has kindly agreed to answer YOUR questions. Michael has written more than 100 books, including The War Horse, The Butterfly Lion and Private Peaceful, and founded Farms for City Children with his wife. His most recent book, This Morning I Met a Whale, is the story of a little boy who meets the whale that turned up in the Thames a couple of years ago. Please use this thread to post your question - or your children's questions - to Michael. You don't have to give any details about your children, although their age may be useful. The last day for sending in questions is next Friday, 12th December. Michael will then answer as many as possible and they'll be published on the site before Christmas.

[ahundredtimes]

Hello I got the round-up email, and rushed here in the hope of alleviating this really really quite cross making problem for ds2

[LadyGlencoraPalliser]

We have tickets to War Horse too! My 8 year old is very interested in World War One and War Horse is her favourite of your books.

[Niecie]

Hi Michael, I just wanted to ask what did you enjoy about being the Children's Laureate and did you achieve any goals you had when you were awarded the post?

Also, how important do you think it is for parents and children to share books (like having a bedtime story) or do you think that once a child can read properly they should be left to their own devices to enjoy them at their own pace? (Slightly control freaky mother here who would love to have a say in what my boys read but wonder if I am not doing them a disservice)?

[uptomyeyes]

Michael, DS1(11) is a huge fan of yours and Dear Olly was the first book that he read independently.

His question is

How difficult was it to get your books published?

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas

Uptomyeyes' family

[HAPPYHEL]

Hi Michael,
I have pretty much finished writing a children's book, with illustrations, but i'm not sure where to go now? I would be so grateful if you could tell me what my next steps should be, i.e. who should i contact about trying to get it published? Do i need an agent? i've already got plans for a whole series..! Thanks so much Helena

[FestiveGardenia]

Just a message, no question, from DS1 who is 10:

Dear Michael Morpurgo, I have read Twist of Gold and I really enjoyed it. My granny gave me the Wreck of the Zanzibar and Kensuke's Kingdom. Merry Christmas.

[WillburyNibbleQC]

DS1 (12) says:
"could you please tell me what inspired you to end The Butterfly Lion the way you did - was it one of those large chalk drawings that you get on hillsides eg: The White Horse? I enjoyed the book - it was a great read".

[fortyplus]

We're off to see War Horse at the National Theatre just after Christmas - taking the hankies!

It's great to be able to introduce disturbing concepts into children's literature.

I have 2 boys 15 & 13. So... no questions... just a HUGE 'Well done' and 'Thank you'.

[Doobydoo]

Hello Again.Ds1 would like to know if Bertie Andrews is real?

[ahundredtimes]

Sorry Mr Murpurgo - there is a high maintenance 9 y-o update.

'It's not so much that it was sad, some things are a bit sad aren't they? It's that he like actually did it on purpose to make me cry, when he didn't need to because I thought he would be with the boy at the end, and it made me cross because why not do that, why make it so like it was, like was it just to be mean? But then I've thought about this a lot haven't I, so perhaps it was okay? But I would like to know what he thinks.'

[Swedes]

I heard you interviewed (on R4) during the Bath literary festival and it was a real treat.

I have two children from a previous marriage and two children with my partner. I think we are mostly a very happy family, but I am acutely aware of the pitfalls for step and blended families and your life-story made me cry (with all four children in the car). Family breakdown is now very common in our society, but we have yet to get to grips with continuing to cooperate as parents to our children after a relationship ends (often it is the opposite of cooperative). I have written a parents' charter that would operate like a pre-nuptial agreement. May I please send it to you for your observations? It is two sides of A4 in Word.

[vet50]

My son (10) loves your books but is finding The Sleeping Sword makes him 'too sad'. Perhaps he is over sensitive or too young, but it does seem to contain a lot of upsetting material in one book. How can I help him (and me) to see the light side please?

[Swedes]

Btw DS1 (16) says your endings are great. He thinks it makes your books more thought provoking.

[lisalisa]

I also haven't got a question but just wanted to thank you for being the trigger to start a reluctant 9 year old reading.

My son had meningitis as a baby and subsequently struggled with reading and writing. Used to being near the bottom of the class he had already written reading off as something only the clever kids did and too much hard work to be worthwhile ( (it was hard work to read for him).

He was persuaded to read one fo your books about 6 nmonths ago and really enjoyed it. Full of excitement I rushed out to our local bookshop and after having sought advice from teh assistant there bought an armful - yes, literally, of your books for 7yrs up ( I wanted to start him easily).

Cue 6 months later he's read about a quarter of all the books yhou've writen ( yes - really) and reads easily a book or two every week and has his nose permenantly stuck in a book. He loves to ashare them with me so I am familiar with many of your characters and ideas.

I want to thank you for being such an exciting and inspiring childnre's author and for giving my son the gift of reading . He is now making terrific progress at school all thanks to his new foudn love of reading!!!!

[Katw3kitts]

Sorry if these have been asked previously ...

Q1 What is your favourite book out of the ones you have written ?

Q2 Who is your favourite author and do you have a favourite book ?

Q3 Have you written your Christmas list and is what would you like Father Christmas to bring you this year ?

Q4 Are you having turkey on christmas day ?

Lottie (aged 11)

Q4 Has writing made you rich and do you drive a sports car ? (james 7)

[harman]

Message withdrawn

[Lemontart]

Hello. I have a quick question from my 7yr old (off school ill and dictating this to me). She is a big fan of Adolphus Tips and finished reading it with her dad last weekend.
She wants to know:
"is the cat on the cover really how you imagine Tips to look? Do you ever wish you could illustrate your own books so they look exactly how you see them in your head?"

[janinlondon]

Hello, My name is Isobel and I am nine. Nearly everyone in my class is reading one of your books, and we all love them. Our teacher Mrs Lock is your biggest fan! Could you tell us which one of your books makes you the most proud, and why? We think you are a fantastic author, but we all have different favourites. Thank you for writing such great books for us.

[bonty]

My question is -

What exactly is your connection with the Isles of Scilly, and were you annoyed that they changed the title of your book for the film When/Why the Whales Came?

Just curious as I was born on Scilly and attended the film premiere in St Ives many years ago.

Thanks

[GerryChristmasMumsnet]

We're going to send the questions over to Michael at the end of the afternoon, so if anyone has anything else they'd like to ask him, this is a last call for questions

[nettie]

Both my sons are reluctantly writers, even though they love reading, have fab vocabularies and imaginations. So Iwould love to know if you enjoy writing as a child. Both boys (6 & 11) love your books, I've just finished reading Kasper to them. I think your books should come with a box tissues

[MorocconOil]

Hi Michael, We are all fans of your books in our family. My 9 year old son says that 'Alone on a Wide, Wide Sea' is his favorite because he likes the way you describe things. He would like to know where you got the ideas for that book from.

Many thanks

[MrsWeasleyStrokesSantasSack]

Has there been another thread with the answers to our questions or is this still a work in progress?