Michael Morpurgo Reading Order

19 books (1975–2023)

Michael Morpurgo edited seventeen anthologies across nearly five decades, beginning with Living Poets in 1975 and concluding with Only Remembered in 2023. These collections span fantasy, young adult fiction, and adventure stories, featuring contributions from various authors rather than Morpurgo's own works alone. The series should be read in publication order to experience how the anthology themes and selections evolved over time. The complete collection includes titles like Horse & Pony Stories, Ghostly Haunts, Simply the Best, and Ox-Tales: Water, offering diverse stories suited to different interests and age groups.

Start with Living Poets, the first of 17 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	Living Poets 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Horse & Pony Stories 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Ghostly Haunts 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Simply the Best 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Centuries of Stories 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Fantasy: Red Hot Reads 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Three for Tea 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Canon Fire 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Birthday Book 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Free?: Stories About Human Rights 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Ox-Tales: Water 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Just When Stories 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Magic Beans 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Everywhere 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Only Remembered 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	The Great War 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Flights of Fancy 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	War Stories 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	The Puffin Book of Bedtime Stories: Big Dreams for Every Child 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

30 books (1995–2024)

This 27-book children's series by Michael Morpurgo spans from 1995 to 2022 and should be read in publication order, beginning with Mum's The Word. The collection includes original stories alongside retellings of classic tales like Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Hansel and Gretel, and Pinocchio, blending fantasy and adventure for young readers. With the final book published in 2022, the series appears to be complete.

Start with Mum's The Word, the first of 27 books in the Children's series.

#	Title
1	Mum's The Word 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Cool as a Cucumber 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	A Visit to the Farm 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Fox Friend 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Hansel and Gretel 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The King in the Forest 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	This Morning I Met a Whale 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Kites Are Flying 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Homecoming 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Meeting Cezanne 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Pinocchio 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Snug 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	The Castle in the Field 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Half a Man 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Minikid 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Clare and her Captain 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	My Father is a Polar Bear 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Peter and the Wolf 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	The Giant's Necklace 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Owl or Pussycat?(With: Polly Dunbar) 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Carnival of the Animals 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	A Song of Gladness: A Story of Hope for Us and Our Planet 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Barney the Horse and Other Tales from the Farm(With: Guy Parker-Rees) 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Flying Scotsman and the Best Birthday Ever(With: National Railway Museum, York) 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Jemima The Pig & The 127 Acorns 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	There Once is a Queen 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	Michael Morpurgo’s Tales from Shakespeare 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	Cobweb 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	Finding Alfie 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1995–2001)

Michael Morpurgo's Muck & Magic series comprises two fantasy adventure books for young readers, published between 1995 and 2001. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Muck & Magic and continuing with More Muck and Magic. These action-packed fantasy novels showcase Morpurgo's signature storytelling style for middle-grade and young adult audiences.

Start with Muck & Magic and read in order.

#	Title
1	Muck & Magic 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	More Muck and Magic 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

8 books (1983–2018)

This complete eight-book series by Michael Morpurgo spans from 1983 to 2018, following adventures at Mudpuddle Farm through fantastical and humorous scenarios. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with Martians at Mudpuddle Farm and concluding with Hee-Haw Hooray!. Each installment combines fantasy, action, and adventure elements with young adult appeal, featuring a mix of animal characters and imaginative situations on the farm.

Start with Martians at Mudpuddle Farm, the first of 8 books in the Mudpuddle Farm series.

#	Title
1	Martians at Mudpuddle Farm 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Mossop's Last Chance 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Albertine, Goose Queen 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Jigger's Day Off 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Pigs Might Fly! 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Cock-A-Doodle-Doo! 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Alien Invasion! 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Hee-Haw Hooray! 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2025–2026)

Michael Morpurgo's two-book non-fiction series launched in 2025 and continues to grow, with books best read in publication order beginning with Spring: The Story of a Season. The series currently includes Spring and Down Burrow Lane, with more volumes forthcoming. Despite Morpurgo's reputation in fantasy and adventure fiction, this series represents his work in non-fiction for young adult readers.

Start with Spring: The Story of a Season and read in order.

35 books (1975–2024)

The Picture series is an ongoing collection of 34 fantasy and adventure stories for young readers by Michael Morpurgo, spanning from 1975 to 2024. Each book features its own complete standalone story with imaginative characters and settings, from Thatcher Jones through to the most recent entries. These books should be read in publication order to experience Morpurgo's evolving storytelling style across nearly five decades. The series combines action-packed narratives with fantastical elements, making it ideal for readers seeking short, self-contained adventures that can be enjoyed individually or as part of the complete collection.

Start with Thatcher Jones, the first of 34 books in the Picture series.

#	Title
1	Thatcher Jones 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Conker 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Jo-Jo the Melon Donkey 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Snakes and Ladders 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Blodin the Beast 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Sam's Duck 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Rainbow Bear 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Wombat Goes Walkabout 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Silver Swan 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Mairi's Mermaid 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Colly's Barn 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Gentle Giant 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Cockadoodle-doo Mr. Sultana! 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Dolphin Boy 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	It's a Dog's Life 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Little Albatross 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	The Best Christmas Present in the World 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	On Angel Wings 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	King In The Forest 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	The Best of Times 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	The Pied Piper of Hamelin 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	The Marble Crusher 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Where My Wellies Take Me 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Beauty and the Beast 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	The Goose Is Getting Fat 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	All I Said Was 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	Mimi and the Mountain Dragon 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	Didn't We Have a Lovely Time! 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	We Are Not Frogs 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	Coming Home 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31	Grandpa Christmas(With: Jim Field) 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
32	Our Jacko 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
33	Poppy Field 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
34	The Puffin Keeper 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
35	The Ogre Who Wasn't 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2010–2016)

Michael Morpurgo's two-book plays collection spans from 2010 to 2016 and is now complete. Both works should be read in publication order, beginning with The Voices of Children followed by 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips. These dramatic adaptations blend elements of fantasy, young adult storytelling, and adventure to create engaging theatrical experiences.

Start with The Voices of Children and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Voices of Children 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

6 books (1996–1999)

The Red Hot Reads series is a six-book collection of short story anthologies published between 1996 and 1999, now complete. Each volume features different authors and themed stories spanning mystery, ballet, detective work, and animal tales, making them ideal for young readers seeking diverse short fiction. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with Mystery Stories and progressing through the final Animal Stories collection.

Start with Mystery Stories(By: Helen Cresswell), the first of 6 books in the Red Hot Reads series.

#	Title
1	Mystery Stories(By: Helen Cresswell) 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Mystery(By: Helen Cresswell) 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Mystifying(By: Helen Cresswell) 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Ballet Stories(By: Sally Holmes) 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Detective Stories(By: Philip Pullman) 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Animal Stories 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

26 books (1974–2025)

Michael Morpurgo's Short Story Collections comprise 23 books published between 1974 and 2018, showcasing the acclaimed author's fantasy, adventure, and young adult storytelling across standalone collections. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with It Never Rained. Each collection features distinct short fiction exploring themes ranging from folklore and animals to war and coming-of-age experiences, making them suitable for readers seeking bite-sized narratives from a master of children's literature.

Start with It Never Rained, the first of 23 books in the Short Story Collections series.

#	Title
1	It Never Rained 1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	All Around the Year 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The White Horse of Zennor and Other Stories 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Marble Crusher and Other Stories 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Beyond the Rainbow Warrior 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	From Hereabout Hill 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Kingfisher Book of Great Boy Stories 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Because a Fire Was in My Head 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The McElderry Book of Aesop's Fables 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Old Sticky 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	War 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Singing for Mrs Pettigrew 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Wild at Heart 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Animal Tales 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Christmas Stories 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Snow Tales 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Island Tales 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Of Lions and Unicorns 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Stories of War 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Such Stuff: A Story-maker's Inspiration 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Greatest Animal Stories 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Greatest Magical Stories 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Magical Myths and Legends 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Katerina the Cat and Other Tales from the Farm 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Funny Thing, Getting Older 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Lucky the Dog and Other Tales from the Farm 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

33 books (1991–2010)

Sprinters is a complete series of 33 books published between 1991 and 2010, featuring contributions from multiple authors including Michael Morpurgo alongside writers like Anne Fine, Brian Patten, and Dick King-Smith. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with Shape up, Monty! by Colin West. This collection spans fantasy, young adult, and action-adventure genres, offering standalone entries that appeal to early readers.

Start with Shape up, Monty!(By: Colin West), the first of 33 books in the Sprinters series.

#	Title
1	Shape up, Monty!(By: Colin West) 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Impossible Parents Go Green(By: Brian Patten) 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	My Little Brother(By: Debi Gliori) 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	New Big House(By: Debi Gliori) 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Finger Eater(By: Arthur Robins,Dick King-Smith) 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Haunting of Pip Parker(By: Anne Fine) 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Snow Maze(By: Jan Mark) 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Holly and the Skyboard(By: Ian Whybrow) 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Baked Bean Kids(By: Ann Pilling) 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Art, You're Magic!(By: Sam McBratney) 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Beware the Killer Coat(By: Susan Gates) 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Hector the Rat(By: Tony Wilkinson) 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Impossible Parents(By: Brian Patten) 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	The Magic Boathouse(By: Sam Llewellyn) 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Easy Peasy(By: Sarah Hayes) 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Fighting Dragons(By: Colin West) 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Little Stupendo(By: Jon Blake) 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Ronnie and the Giant Millipede(By: Jenny Nimmo) 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Care of Henry(By: Anne Fine) 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Cup Final Kid(By: Martin Waddell) 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Emmelina and the Monster(By: June Crebbin) 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	The Polecat Cafe(By: Sam Llewellyn) 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Flora's Fantastic Revenge(By: Nick Warburton) 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Little Stupendo Files High(By: Jon Blake) 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Patrick's Perfect Pet(By: Annalena McAfee) 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Cool as a Cucumber 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	Tricky Nelly Nickleby(By: Berlie Doherty) 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	No Tights for George(By: June Crebbin) 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	Fearless Fitzroy(By: Alex Merry Kathy Henderson) 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	Lady-long-legs(By: Jan Mark) 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31	Molly and the Beanstalk(By: Pippa Goodhart) 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
32	Tarquin the Wonder Horse(By: June Crebbin) 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
33	The Most Impossible Parents(By: Brian Patten) 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

63 books (1975–2021)

Michael Morpurgo's collection of standalone novels spans from 1975 to 2021 and comprises 63 independent works that can be read in any order, though publication order is recommended for following the author's development. These fantasy and adventure novels for young adults begin with Long Way Home and continue through titles like Why the Whales Came, Waiting for Anya, and High King of Britain. The series appears to be complete as of 2021. Each book stands alone as a separate story, making any title an accessible entry point for readers new to Morpurgo's work.

Start with Long Way Home, the first of 63 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	Long Way Home 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Friend or Foe 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Nine Lives of Montezuma 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Miss Wirtles Revenge 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Twist of Gold 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Little Foxes 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Why the Whales Came 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Tom's Sausage Lion 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	King of the Cloud Forests 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	My Friend Walter 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Mr. Nobody's Eyes 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Waiting for Anya 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	The Sandman and the Turtles 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	The War of Jenkin's Ear 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Arthur, High King of Britain 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	The Dancing Bear 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	The Wreck of the Zanzibar 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Robin of Sherwood 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	The Butterfly Lion 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	The Ghost of Grania O'Malley 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Escape from Shangri-La 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Joan of Arc 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Red Eyes at Night 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Sparrow 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Wartman 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Kensuke's Kingdom 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	Billy the Kid 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	Black Queen 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	Dear Olly 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	Who's a Big Bully Then? 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31	Out of the Ashes 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
32	Private Peaceful 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
33	Toro! Toro! 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
34	Cool! 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
35	Mr. Skip 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
36	The Last Wolf 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
37	The Sleeping Sword 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
38	I Believe in Unicorns 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
39	The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
40	Alone on a Wide Wide Sea 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
41	Beowulf 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
42	Born to Run / Best Mates 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
43	The Mozart Question 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
44	Kaspar the Titanic Cat 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
45	Kaspar: Prince of Cats 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
46	An Elephant in the Garden 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
47	Running Wild 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
48	Shadow 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
49	Little Manfred 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
50	A Medal for Leroy 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
51	Outlaw 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
52	Listen to the Moon 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
53	An Eagle in the Snow 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
54	The Fox and the Ghost King 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
55	Lucky Button 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
56	Toto 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
57	Flamingo Boy 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
58	In the Mouth of the Wolf 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
59	The Snowman 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
60	Boy Giant: Son of Gulliver 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
61	The Day the World Stopped Turning 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
62	Not Bad for a Bad Lad 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
63	When Fishes Flew 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1982–1997)

Michael Morpurgo's War Horse series consists of two complete books published between 1982 and 1997 and should be read in publication order. The first novel, War Horse, was followed by Farm Boy, which was released fifteen years later. This action-adventure series for young adult readers is now finished, with both books available to read in sequence from beginning to end.

Start with War Horse and read in order.

#	Title
1	War Horse 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Farm Boy 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible