It's a long hot summer, and Pintsize the piglet wonders if it might be cooler in the sky. But when he tries to fly, he annoys just about everyone. It's time he learned his lesson... In November 2016 Michael Morpurgo won the J M Barrie Award for his contribution to children’s literature.This award is given every year by Action for Children’s Arts to a “children’s arts practitioner” whose lifetime’s work has delighted children and will stand the test of time. David Wood, chair of Action for Children’s Arts, said Morpurgo is “one of our greatest storytellers”.

Jigger the sheepdog has just one day off a year. Just one day to chase all those little animals hiding in the corn. But even the best made plans can go wrong… Design and create your own puppets using recycled objects and bring them to life in this workshop for children ages 3-11 and their adults. These explorative sessions are created by professional performers and puppeteers. Something strange is going on at Mudpuddle Farm. Egbert the goat is not himself at all. Instead of grumbling, he’s singing and dancing! And he’s even greedier than usual… A fox is on the loose, and all the animals except Albertine the goose have hidden themselves inside. Albertine is safe on her island in the pond - at least so she thinks, until the fox starts swimming towards her...Mossop the old farm cat likes to sleep - and not much else! So when Farmer Rafferty tells him to catch twenty-six mice by sunset, all the animals have to pull together to give Mossop one last chance... A son and grandson of actors, Michael has acting in his blood and enjoys collaborating and performing live adaptations of his books at festivals, concerts and theatres.

Looking for even more? Browse our full collection of Michael Morpurgo resources here! What is the book ‘Mudpuddle Farm’ about?A charming series of adventures for younger readers, featuring a family of all sorts of animals that live in the farmyard behind the tumble-down barn on Mudpuddle Farm… Golden Toad Theatre presents a new farmyard musical about the joy of unlikely friendships. Musical adaptation by Caroline Wigmore & Jen Green. Mossop the old farm cat likes to sleep – and not much else! So when Farmer Rafferty tells him to catch twenty-six mice by sunset, all the animals have to pull together to give Mossop one last chance…

It’s a long hot summer, and Pintsize the piglet wonders if it might be cooler in the sky. But when he tries to fly, he annoys just about everyone. It’s time he learned his lesson… Michael Morpurgo is a master storyteller, weaving captivating stories full of drama and intensity that are coming to be regarded as true classics. Exploring the most profound subjects with a light yet powerful touch, his books tell unforgettable stories in simple, direct words.A fox is on the loose, and all the animals except Albertine the goose have hidden themselves inside. Albertine is safe on her island in the pond – at least so she thinks, until the fox starts swimming towards her… A charming series of adventures for younger readers, featuring a family of all sorts of animals that live in the farmyard behind the tumble-down barn on Mudpuddle Farm... Meet the creatures that live behind the tumble-down barn on Mudpuddle Farm! There’s farmyard adventure galore in this pair of exciting stories. In Mossop’s Last Chance, the farmer is very cross with the lazy farm cat, who likes to sleep – and not much else! When Farmer Rafferty tells him to catch twenty-six mice by sunset, can all the animals give Mossop one last chance? And when poor Albertine the goose is terrorized by a crafty fox, how will she escape? From a former Children’s Laureate, this simple book for younger readers has a wonderfully fresh outdoor setting. This bold and energetic new musical follows the air-raising adventures of Pintsize, the youngest and most daring piglet on Mudpuddle Farm. Pintsize loves nothing more than playing with his next-farm-neighbour and best friend Diana the sheep, but one day Pintsize wakes up to discover a tall fence built between their two farms. Michael Morpurgo discovered his talent for writing while working as a teacher. “We had to read the children a story every day and my lot were bored by the book I was reading. I decided I had to do something and told them the kind of story I used to tell my kids – it was like a soap opera, and they focused on it. I could see there was magic in it for them, and realised there was magic in it for me.”

Official Michael Morpurgo Book Review Template - Write a fantastic book review about one of six Michael Morpurgo books using this handy template. For more information about the work of Farms for City Children, please visit www.farmsforcitychildren.org Mudpuddle Farm’ by well-loved author and storyteller, Sir Michael Morpurgo, is a collection of six short stories, written for younger readers aged 5-7 years old. The stories are: Jigger the sheepdog has just one day off a year. Just one day to chase all those little animals hiding in the corn. But even the best made plans can go wrong...You can also read about his life in War Child to War Horse,a collaborative biography with Maggie Fergusson.