Private Peaceful (original 2003; edition 2003)

Two young brothers, Tommo and Charlie Peaceful, are faced with the reality of trench warfare and life as soldiers during World War I. As Tommo reflects back on his childhood, this touching and emotional story intertwines his past family struggles with his current soldier life.

This is an amazing novel...so powerful in its brevity. As readers we need to keep this book alive. At the bookstore where I work we haven't had the book for quite a few years. I was determined to read it again (having read it years ago) and then keep it stocked on my recommend shelf. Michael Morpurgo wrote this after his now renowned WARHORSE. And PRIVATE PEACEFUL is certainly as gripping as that story. As Morpurgo says in his Postcript he was amazed to discover that "in the First World War, between 1914 and 1918,over 290 soldiers of the British and Commonwealth armies were executed by firing squad, some for desertion and cowardice, two for simply sleeping at their posts. Many of these men we now know were traumatized by shell shock. Court martials were brief, the accused often unrepresented." This is the story of the Peaceful brothers who fight side by side during some of the harshest trench warfare of WWI. The story will take your breath away. ( )

I enjoyed this book (not as much as War Horse, though). Morpurgo's writing is excellent as are his characters. The constant flash forward-flashback was very jarring and kind of hurt the book for me. ( )

RGG: 100 pages describing the bond between two brothers before they both enlist to fight for England during WWI, leading to one brother sacrificing his life for the other. Death by firing squad may be a distraction for those not familiar with the horrors of WWI.

Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo is a coming-of-age novel (grades 7 and older) that sets readers up for the dreary and devastating life of a young boy, Tommy Peaceful, whose father dies unexpectedly at work as a forester. Tommy and his brother Charlie are inseparable, and their other brother Big Joe has special needs and is often protected by the family whether it is in the school yard or at home from their Great Aunt. Tommo tells the story in a series of flashbacks about his father’s death, his regret about how it happened, his friendship and kinship with his brother Charlie and their schoolmate Molly, and The Great War that invades their lives. Readers will not immediately grow close to Tommo in the beginning, but as he opens up about his past and present situation overseas, it is revealed that things have changed far more and far too quickly for him. He’s fallen in love, rushed to become an adult, and headed off on an adventure that was far less exciting and far more harrowing than he expected. Each chapter begins with a little snippet of his present situation before Tommo relives his past happinesses, until the two moments meet in time.

Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2012/01/private-peaceful-by-michael-morpurgo.html ( )