Michael Morpurgo event for World Book Day 2023

Schools who ordered their FREE Readathon kit by Friday 24 February 2023 were invited to join our exclusive and free LIVE virtual event with world-renowned author and former Children’s Laureate, Michael Morpurgo on World Book Day.

Eligible schools have been emailed links to watch a recording of the event.

Left image: Author Michael Morpurgo with arms folded. Right image: The front cover of the War Horse novel featuring a dark coloured horse looking away towards red barbed wire

In this Q&A session, Michael chatted with to one of the Read for Good storytellers, Jen Lunn, about his inspiration for War Horse as well as reading an extract from the book, plus a bonus reading of a poem Michael wrote during lockdown. Over 650 schools joined this amazing event with more than 75,000 pupils. The event ran for approximately 45 minutes, including time for questions from schools and an interactive mini-quiz.

First published in 1982, War Horse was inspired by accounts told to Michael by First World War veterans and by witnessing first-hand the connection between animals and a young boy at his ‘Farms for City Children’. War Horse follows Joey the horse from the fields of Devon to the deadly chaos of trenches during the First World War, a powerful story of friendship and humanity on both sides of the war.

Would you like to run Readathon at your school and benefit from future free events like this? Want to motivate your pupils to read for pleasure, earn free books for your own school AND help get books to children in hospital across the UK?

Order your FREE Readathon kit now!

Any money raised through Readathon supports our hospital programme, bringing a regular supply of brand new books and storyteller visits to children in hospitals across the UK. Plus, you’ll earn free books worth 20% of your donations for your own school.

Everything you need to run your Readathon comes in our free kit and is supported by a host of online resources.

JAM-PACKED READATHON KIT

Terms and conditions

  • All schools who order a kit by 24/02/2023 to run Readathon during 2022-2023 will be eligible for free access to the Michael Morpurgo event
  • An exclusive link to register for the event will be emailed to all eligible schools starting on Monday, 6th February
  • Schools have to register to attend the event
  • The event will be broadcast live at 10am on Thursday 2nd March
  • The event will be made available after the live event to watch on catch up
  • The event will be made available to all schools in the summer term