Michael Morpurgo

This series is designed to help primary teachers plan focused sessions on the work of popular, well-loved and valued authors, both classic and contemporary.

Each book contains a range of activities for use directly in the classroom, covering: biographical information about the author; a review of the author's work and a summary of the major themes in his or her key texts; key language features of the author; frameworks to help children analyse, evaluate and compare texts, and to develop opinions of authors' works; ideas for writing modelled on or developed from key texts; speaking and listening opportunities, drama and role play ideas; and references to video, CD-ROM, websites and ICT activities.

Inside each book is a colour poster illustrating the work of the author, which also has a set of challenges on the back.Michael Morpurgo is the author of over 60 books for children, including "Sam's Duck", "The Butterfly Lion", "The Wreck of the Zanzibar" and "Kensuke's Kingdom".

Beginning with a detailed plan for structuring a half-term's work on Michael Morpurgo, this book presents activities which focus on narrative structure, character development, settings and themes.

Activities and games include: focus on biography - writing blurbs, role-playing "ask the author", creating a magazine article/web page about the author; exploring key themes - bullies, not liking school, caring for animals, relationships with older people; farm and country life; creating a character sketch; writing in role; focusing on time with a story web; analysing setting; and an in-depth study of "The Butterfly Lion".