Kindle
$3.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Hardcover
$27.81
Paperback
$6.29
Buy new:
$27.81
FREE delivery Monday, May 20 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon
Sold by: Shelf Safari
$27.81
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Monday, May 20 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Thursday, May 16. Order within 12 hrs 8 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$27.81 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$27.81
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon
Ships from
Amazon
Sold by
Shelf Safari
Sold by
Shelf Safari
Returns
30-day easy returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$5.65
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Shipped fast and reliably through the Amazon Prime program! Book may contain some writing, highlighting, and or cover damage. Shipped fast and reliably through the Amazon Prime program! Book may contain some writing, highlighting, and or cover damage. See less
FREE delivery Saturday, May 18 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Thursday, May 16. Order within 12 hrs 8 mins
Only 2 left in stock - order soon.
$$27.81 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$27.81
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Michael Morpurgo
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

War Horse Hardcover – April 1, 2007

by Michael Morpurgo (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 8,650 ratings
Teachers' pick
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$27.81","priceAmount":27.81,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"27","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"81","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"y3KQ1CdJc%2BkRRpVRuC4%2BWrEfJocKO0QgNyygxNjFMzqoHeLgKBlF4UDCZKeKsnPcz6o2eYNkI5JQagi1yVMNBQDtVUpsLcrzOBlnneJ%2BWeowd9yuHQZ2%2F3FJYfsDR4Uugr83wHrevkJYa4qCGvPhcRWAXSLgFt41T67HANeT8N3LS5JJx%2FPgFQDVvBPpw0Kr","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$5.65","priceAmount":5.65,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"5","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"65","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"y3KQ1CdJc%2BkRRpVRuC4%2BWrEfJocKO0Qgfrs4oGAZPLCphujmwaU5iuqUK2qnES8xgUCwaEqUs9JD4i6e2pXttrcZmhKlWUuuuRU1jGHsdPd9NPNfyfcquGKqd5QW52pnaCHZ61proKp%2FxIV42jPYLGVXwxlBSUwbQ5IpOdr0jkGUhgE4oR0ywe6m84ph8n9F","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

A powerful tale of war, redemption, and a hero's journey.

In 1914, Joey, a beautiful bay-red foal with a distinctive cross on his nose, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western Front. With his officer, he charges toward the enemy, witnessing the horror of the battles in France. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey's courage touches the soldiers around him and he is able to find warmth and hope. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer's son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again?
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    10 - 12 years, from customers
  2. Print length
    176 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    3 - 7
  5. Dimensions
    5.75 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
  6. Publisher
    Scholastic Press
  7. Publication date
    April 1, 2007
  8. ISBN-10
    0439796636
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0439796637
  10. See all details
Next page
Amazon First Reads | Editors' picks at exclusive prices

Frequently bought together

War Horse
$27.81
Get it as soon as Monday, May 20
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by Shelf Safari and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
+
Shadow
$11.49
Get it May 17 - 20
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by YourOnlineBookstore.
+
An Elephant in the Garden: Inspired by a True Story
$8.99
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 18
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Like Morpurgo's Private Peaceful (2004), this searing World War I novel reveals the unspeakable slaughter of soldiers on all sides fighting against people who are just like them. The story is told by an English farm horse, Joey, and, as in Cynthia Kadahota's Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam (2007), the first-person narrative blends the animal's physical experience with what men say. On the farm, Joey has close ties to Albert, who is too young to join up when his dad first sells Joey to the army. Charging into battle under machine-gun fire, Joey is captured by the Germans, who train him to haul ambulances and guns. His reunion with Albert in battle is sentimental and contrived, but the viewpoint brings close the fury of the thundering guns, the confusion, and the kindness of enemies who come together in No Man's Land to save the wounded horse. Joey's ability to understand the language wherever he is--England, France, Germany--reinforces the novel's antiwar message, and the terse details speak eloquently about peace. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Michael Morpurgo, former Children's Laureate of Britain, is the author of War Horse, called “Superb" by the New York Times Book Review, and now a major motion picture. His other prize-winning books include Kensuke's Kingdom, Private Peaceful, and The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips. Michael lives in Devon, England, with his wife, Clare. Together, they founded the charity Farms for City Children, which gives children from urban areas an opportunity to spend a week working on a farm in the countryside. You can find out more about him and his books at michaelmorpurgo.org.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scholastic Press; Reissue edition (April 1, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0439796636
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0439796637
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 10 - 12 years, from customers
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 8,650 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Michael Morpurgo is one of Britain's best-loved children's book 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. You can visit him online at www.michaelmorpurgo.com.

Photo by Georges Seguin (Okki) (English: Own work Français : Photo personnelle) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
8,650 global ratings
Heartwarming, Tragic, and a Great Story!
4 Stars
Heartwarming, Tragic, and a Great Story!
DaVinCat Book Review: As an adult, I’ve wanted to go back and read some of the books I either loved as a kid, or missed out on as a kid. War Horse is one of the ones I missed out on. I heard people say great things about the movie, and even though books and movies aren’t always the same, I decided to give War Horse a chance. I’m glad I did! It was a thoroughly touching tale. Telling the story through the perspective of the horse made the experience better for me. If the story had been told through the eyes of the humans surrounding Joey, the reader would have to experience a bias for the side of the war they’re on. From Joey’s perspective, these are all just people and his opinion of them is derived by the way they treat him, not from the war that they’re in. Joey does encounter a great deal of kindness, but he also encounters a great deal of tragedy that pulls at your heart.I would recommend this to anybody. Kids, adults, teenagers, people who like horses, people who like war stories and so on. It falls into a number of categories and is still a great story. It’s not too violent or graphic, but it does depict war and the things that happen during a war, so there is some element of violence and graphicness but not to the point that you can’t continue reading. I’m looking forward to checking out the movie and seeing how it compares to the book, although I tend to have a bias towards the book when I read it first. Really, a very entertaining read and well worth the small amount of money to get it!
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Sam Foster
5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful Beyond Words
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2011
Verified Purchase
This has been an interesting day in that I saw the preview for the film, 'War Horse', and being so moved by that, I had to read the book. I downloaded it to my iPad and proceeded to read it in one sitting, taking time out only to eat dinner. I will not go into a lengthy review, as there are plenty of good reviews of that type already available. I will say that this book has moved me in ways that quite possibly no other book has managed previously. 'War Horse' achieves four things for me, and achieves them in a most brilliant fashion: 1) It is extremely well-written (there is something about the style that reminds me of my favourite author, Hermann Hesse), contains outstanding character development, and seamlessly incorporates the other three achievements to which I refer; 2) It speaks of the futility and madness of war, several times bringing to mind scenes from 'All Quiet on the Western Front' (1930); 3) It deals with horses, and while containing some elements that were difficult to read due to my all too visual mind, it is realistic yet hopeful and inspiring; 4) It is set during an historical event and is believable in its settings. I experienced every emotion while reading this, and became attached to its characters, as though they were old friends. There's not much more you can ask for from a book than that. I have a distinct feeling that this was only the first time I will have read 'War Horse', as I suspect I will revisit Joey, Albert, Topthorn and the others many more times.
18 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
elaine feith
5.0 out of 5 stars Eloquent story of war with multiple messages
Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2013
Verified Purchase
This is a powerful short story originally written in 1982 for young readers. It was recently recc'd to me by a close relative, who like myself and maybe 90% of all female children, grew up with a fascination for horses. Black Beauty, Chincoteague and National Velvet and all the various genres and spin offs were and are some of our fondest reading and movie/TV joint recollections. Though published 20 years ago and though I was an Elementary school classroom teacher at the time, I did not come across the story until this very recent conversation, spurred by the upcoming local premiere of the stage touring troupe production with its innovative life-size puppetry. We then researched it. Apparently, it was developed through live interviews of some of the REAL people from WWI mentioned by name, Albert, himself, a villager and Captain Bludgett of the cavalry. The picture of Joey by the soldier is really in a museum. Still I had not read the book nor seen the Spielberg movie (even tho' THAT alone should have peaked my interest in 2011). Anyway, I immediately booked tickets to the stage production here in Rochester, NY for Nov. 2013. Then I ordered the kindle book version so I would be a somewhat enlightened theater goer. I was totally enamored with the book and found it captivating.
The narrative style of the book, told primarily from the perspective and 'voice' of the horse, Joey, was a wonderful vehicle to interest a child as well as an adult reader. As a children's book, some caution is necessary for a responsible educator or parent. Some 'scenes', even on the farms, are graphic and war is not a comfortable topic in any event. This book offers a unique opportunity to bring the gruesome reality and history of war and specifically, WW1 to the child audience to open understanding and time for conversation. The message is softened by the bond of loyalty, endurance and total unconditional love between the boy and horse that many kids can identify with, say that between them and their house pets. It also depicts the sadness of loss and death, something many kids are forced to learn to handle. Friendship, kindness and sacrifice are part of the fabric of all our lives.
The use of the animal as narrator was a major plus for me, to tell a heart-wrenching/ warming story with a strong anti-war message, in a style suited and familiar to children (think Charlotte's Web). Most of us, at any age, have never had a great understanding of WHY We Go To War at all and this is portrayed in the book, "Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do or die". To Joey, the farm and what 'his boy', Albert asked of him is answered by Joey's struggles to do what IS asked of him. This ethic carries on to his time in service to England's cavalry, Joey's 'communications' in a teacher/student role concerning how to cope with humans, war and relationships with the other war horses is symbolic of all our life's lessons. The war scenes are graphic, the fighting is frightening and chaotic -- a fluent statement about the insanity of the violence. Horse lovers may find it gruesome abuse, but it was reality.
Obviously I cannot say enough good things about this book. As an English major, however, though padding an essay is often worth more grade points, eloquence is often about brevity, being terse and to the point. Think haiku and famous quotes. If this review were so... I would say in ONLY a brief and to the point comment, that; "this book IS brief and to the point".
6 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Pat in Kenwood California
5.0 out of 5 stars From the horse’s point of view
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2024
Verified Purchase
Great perspective on horses and war
Helpful
 Report
Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Very unique words
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2023
Verified Purchase
It's unique because there are a lot of words that I did not know and word wise help me with it
Helpful
 Report
NoBooksNoLife
5.0 out of 5 stars well-told [anti-]war story
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2024
Verified Purchase
The misery of trench warfare of WWI, the simple loyalties of men and beasts, the love of home and willingness to sacrifice for that love—those are themes of this excellent book. A meaningful read for young and old alike.
Helpful
 Report
Tara Gibson
5.0 out of 5 stars War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2012
Verified Purchase
I had to read the book before seeing the movie. I couldn't watch War Horse without knowing what was going to happen. Michael Morpurgo definitely put together an incredibly touching story when he decided to put pen to paper (so to speak) for this one.

*
In 1914, Joey, a beautiful bay-red foal with a distinctive cross on his nose, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western Front. With his officer, he charges toward the enemy, witnessing the horror of the battles in France. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey's courage touches the soldiers around him and he is able to find warmth and hope. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer's son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again?
*

This story is told from Joey's point of view. It's unbiased and incredibly observant and completely heartwrenching. Joey's sold right out from under Albert's nose by an alcoholic father who is desperate for money. The man who buys him promises Albert he'll take wonderful care of him. And he does, but it doesn't last forever. Joey's story is full of miracle after tragedy after miracle and it's so sad to read. But warms your heart at the same time. Just when you think things couldn't get any worse, they get better. Only to get worse again... only to get better. It's an incredible roller-coaster of a story.

War Horse is a fast read. And I wasn't sure I'd be able to make it through without sobbing because I HATE seeing animals hurt or neglected... I can't stand it when they die in movies (seriously, I was a blubbering mess in King Kong and I Am Legend when the dog dies saving Will Smith).

It was really interesting to read it from Joey's point of view... kind of gives you a look into the mind and soul of these big, beautiful creatures that we can't get otherwise. He's got an incredibly huge heart and a gentle spirit and there were several places in his story that had me tearing up. I kept having to put my Kindle down because I just didn't think I could read any more. The poor thing just couldn't catch a break! But every time I read something that broke my heart, it was followed by something that put it right back together.

I think this would have to be one of my favorite novels. It's absolutely wonderful. I STILL don't know how watching the movie will go (I'll be sure to have lots of tissues) but if it's anything like the book it has to be wonderful.

Definitely recommended for everyone.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Ananda
5.0 out of 5 stars Increíblemente bueno
Reviewed in Mexico on January 26, 2023
Verified Purchase
Tengo diez años y me gusta mucho leer, este fue uno de mis libros favoritos y la historia estuvo muy padre porque va de triste a emocionante.
Report
⚡Kathylaughter101⚡
5.0 out of 5 stars Epically emotional Novel
Reviewed in Canada on August 19, 2021
Verified Purchase
Incredible story and fast shipping from Uk to Canada. Amazingly polite and respectable customer service. A joy to deal with. Thank you guys!
Report
ana
5.0 out of 5 stars Lectura en inglés
Reviewed in Spain on April 21, 2024
Verified Purchase
Lectura para el instituto. Parece interesante
Report
Sola
5.0 out of 5 stars Endearing book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 12, 2024
Verified Purchase
I loved this story, it moved me, and had so many messages, and lessons to learn. Great storytelling and I would recommend to everyone.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Costa Giuseppe
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfetto
Reviewed in Italy on December 22, 2023
Verified Purchase
Ottimo
Report