Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo, born Michael Andrew Bridge Morpurgo in St Albans, grew up smack in the middle of wartime chaos. His parents, both actors—Tony Van Bridge and Kippe Cammaerts—probably didn't expect their second son to become one of Britain’s best-loved storytellers. He and his older brother Pieter (yeah, the director) got evacuated up to Northumberland during the war, bounced around a few places, then landed in London and later Bradwell-on-Sea. Boarding school grabbed him at seven—can’t imagine he loved that—but it set the tone for his future stories, you can tell. He tried his hand at the Army, thanks to a nudge from his dad, but after nine months at Sandhurst he bailed. Army life? Not for him. King’s College London sounded way more appealing, so he dove into English, French, and Philosophy. Before making it big, Morpurgo taught for a while—that probably explains why his books connect with kids so well. His writing journey kicked off with All Around the Year, co-written with his mentor Ted Hughes, and honestly, he just never stopped. The guy’s written stacks of books—classics like Friend or Foe, When the Whales Came, and Private Peaceful, all hitting the big screen at some point. Oh, and the stage adaptation of War Horse? Massive. We’re talking Olivier and Tony Awards galore. Outside the pages, Morpurgo’s big on children’s charities. Married to Clare since ’63, three kids in tow. That’s Michael Morpurgo—storyteller, teacher, family man, and all-around legend in children’s lit.