A powerful, moving adventure inspired by the extraordinary true story of the French Drummer Boy of Waterloo, COBWEB is a stunning tale of courage and kindness - a book about humanity, animals, and the heartbreak of war, from a writer at the height of his powers. 'Thank goodness for Michael Morpurgo' The Telegraph 'Moving, unique and utterly charming. This is why Michael Morpurgo is the nation's favourite storyteller' Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear "They call me Cobweb. I'll tell you why later. I may be a dog, but I know and understand a lot more than people think I do." Britain. 1815. After years of loss and sacrifice, the end of the war with Napoleon is approaching.
Cobweb knows nothing of the war - he loves being a young puppy and playing with his owner, Bethan, exploring the countryside and chasing rabbits. But when he is taken away from Bethan and sold, Cobweb must learn to become a Drover's Dog - herding sheep and cattle for hundreds of miles on the long, treacherous journey to London. And after the Napoleonic wars finally come to an end with the Battle of Waterloo, Cobweb meets an unexpected stranger with an incredible tale to tell on his journey home . Gold title An exciting return to classic Morpurgo storytelling with beloved animal hero in a war setting Annual marketing and publicity campaign, celebrating Michael's legacy and recruiting new readers His books have sold over 35 million copies worldwide in almost 40 languages to date A former Children's Laureate current President of BookTrust, Michael was knighted in 2018 for services to literature and charity He has won many prestigious awards including the Smarties Prize, the Writers Guide Award, the Whitbread Award, the Blue Peter Book Award and the Eleanor Farjeon Lifetime Achievement Award His novels have been adapted in a number of plays and films including War Horse directed by Stephen Spielberg (2011), Private Peaceful, Waiting for Anya and Kensuke's Kingdom (2023) which has been nominated for 'Best Feature Film' at the 2024 British Animation Awards The National Theatre's adaption of War Horse has been seen by over 10 million people and is returning to theatres around the UK throughout 2025 Competition: Goodnight Mr Tom;When the Sky Falls;Code Name Bananas;Letters from the Lighthouse;The Diary of Anne Frank;Private Peaceful;Butterfly Lion;Kensuke's Kingdom;Skylark's War;Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. Phil Earle;Anne Frank;Emma Carroll;Hilary McKay;Michelle Magorian;Judith Kerr;David Walliams;John Boyne.