When Fishes Flew : The Story of Elena’s War: the stunning new 2021 children’s novel from master storyteller Michael Morpurgo

I just love how every book written by the author has a very humane feel to it. All the raw emotions and the portrayal of how people suffered during the times of war.This is the story of a girl travelling to her ancestral land to search for her missing great-aunt with the help of a very unlikely creature.I love how honest the writing is regarding the fear and the helplessness we humans feel when we cannot see any way other than pray and look upto a god we believe in. It can be in any form or disguise I can tell you from this story!The girl will get to know much more than she already knows about her great aunt to be a hero. The survival skills, the difficult memories and the determination she has indeed needs to be told.Well, about the flying fish it depends on you whether you truly can believe in it or not!

I was extremely lucky to have been read the first few pages by Michael Morpurgo himself! Two days ago my class and I were delighted to go to Henley Literary Festival and listen to Michael Morpurgo. I think he is an inspirational author and this is one of his best books; not just because he has a female protagonist and a female Hero! It is a great story of discovery, intrigue, with a mythical creature (the flying fish) and hope, set in beautiful Ithaca full of Greek legends and history. It is so brilliantly written, that I pleaded with my parents to let me read on and I finished it in just 2 sittings. (It would have been 1 but I had to do my homework.) I would recommend this book to children aged 8-12 who like reading adventurous & intriguing books, woven with legends & unshaken heros.

Great book. Always enjoy the diary entry style and it works well again here. Kids in my Year 5 class loved it.

I gave this four stars as I did not find this quite so absorbing as others of yours. A gentle book, which left me wanting more!

Brought as a gift for a boy who loves to read. It loved it.