Quotes from Michael Morpurgo

Access to books and the encouragement of the habit of reading: these two things are the first and most necessary steps in education and librarians, teachers and parents all over the country know it. It is our children's right and it is also our best hope and their best hope for the future.

One of the great failings of our education system is that we tend to focus on those who are succeeding in exams, and there are plenty of them. But what we should also be looking at, and a lot more urgently, is those who fail.

A lot of children, like I did, move away from words because of the fear - which is something you have to take out of education: the fear of worrying about what marks you'll get, detention, worrying about letting people down, your parents, teachers.

Don't worry about writing a book or getting famous or making money. Just lead an interesting life.

Everyone is interested in war, in that people don't want it to happen. I'm much more interested in peace than in war but it's important to understand why we fight.

It is the child's understanding that teaches the adults the way of the future. They're still doing it today with modern technology.

I can hate you more, but I'll never love you less.

Being his real brother I could feel I live in his shadows, but I never have and I do not now. I live in his glow.

stories make you think and dream; books make you want to ask questions

Any problem can be solved between people if only they can trust each other

cause when there's life there's still hope

They fight a war and they don't know what for. Isn't that crazy? How can one man kill another and not really know the reason why he does it, except that the other man wears a different color uniform and speaks a different language?

That's what this war is all about, my friend. It's about which of us is the crazier.And clearly you British have an advantage.You were crazy beforehand.

We're much alike, bee, you and me," I said. "You may carry your pack underneath you and your rifle may stick out of your bottom. But you and me, bee, are much alike.

Life must not be spent always hoping, always waiting. Life is for living. -Kensuke

I must survive. I have promises to keep.

Tonight, I want very much to believe that there's a heaven, that death is not a full stop, and that we will all see one another again.

There's a mouse in here with me. He's sitting there in the light of the lamp, looking up at me. He seems as surprised to see me as I am to see him. There he goes. I can hear him still, scurrying about somewhere under the hayrick. I think he's gone now. I hope he comes back. I miss him already.

It's no good wishing for the impossible. Don't wish. Remember. Remembrances are real.

That's what sailing is, a dance, and your partner is the sea. And with the sea you never take liberties. You ask her, you don't tell her. You have to remember always that she's the leader, not you. You and your boat are dancing to her tune.

I tell you, my friends,' he said one day. 'I tell you that I am the only sane man in the regiment. It's the others that are mad, but they don't know it. They fight a war and they don't know what for. Isn't that crazy? How can one man kill another and not really know the reason why he does it, except that the other man wears a different colour uniform and speaks a different language? And it's me they call mad!

If it is possible to be happy in the middle of a nightmare, then Topthorn and I were happy that summer.

He laughed to himself he said because if he did not laugh he would cry.

Genuinely good people are like that. The sun shines out of them. They warm you right through.