An Eagle in the Snow

by Michael Morpurgo

Overview

Enemies meet. A life is spared. But is mercy always moral?

An extraordinary middle-grade novel about a the young man who met a young Adolf Hitler and could have stopped WWII, from the author of War Horse.

England, 1940. Barney’s home has been destroyed by bombing, and he and his mother are traveling to the countryside with all their worldy belongings in one suitcase. When German planes attack, their train is forced to take shelter in a tunnel and there, in the darkness, a fellow passenger—a stranger—begins to tell them a story about two young soldiers who came face to face in the previous war. One British, one German. Both lived, but the British soldier was haunted by the encounter once he realized whose life he had spared: the young Adolf Hitler.

The British soldier made a moral decision. Was it the right one? Readers can ponder that difficult question for themselves with Michael Morpurgo's latest middle-grade novel An Eagle in the Snow.

Praise for An Eagle in the Snow:

"What if a British soldier had a chance to shoot Hitler on a WWI battlefield but opted to let him go instead? . . . The stranger’s descriptions of Billy’s compassion and emotional turmoil are gripping in their own right, but Morpurgo will catch some readers off guard with supernaturally tinged twists he drops in the final chapters and epilogue. Originally published in the U.K. in 2015, this is an intricately crafted contemplation of the wrenching consequences of good intentions gone awry." —Publishers Weekly

"World War II has ravaged England, including the homes on Mulberry Road. Ten-year-old Barney and his mother are headed out to the country to Aunty Mavis’s home with all they have left in the world inside their luggage. A stranger boards the train and takes the seat across from them. After some small talk, the train begins to trudge forward, and they settle in for the ride. Suddenly, a German fighter plane surges from the sky and attacks the train. With the rat-a-tat of bullets pelting the train, the conductor races down the track toward a tunnel. As he slams on the brakes, everyone is plunged into total darkness. ... To pass the time, the stranger tells the story of two young soldiers from the previous war. The British soldier was the most decorated private of the First World War. The German soldier just might have been Hitler himself. This work of historical fiction, divided into four parts, will leave middle grade readers on the edge of their seats as they try to determine who the stranger is and how this random encounter during World War I could have altered history. Another gripping historical novel from the author of War Horse." —School Library Journal

"Morpurgo’s gentle WWII tale is loosely based on a real British soldier who may or may not have spared Adolf Hitler’s life during WWI. ...The casual tone of the story the stranger tells is in compellingly sharp contrast to the powerful questions it raises about duty and honor. A couple of light twists at the end are not entirely unexpected. Morpurgo concludes the book with information about Henry Tandey, the real Billy Byron." —Booklist

Praise for Listen to the Moon:

“A poignant and life-affirming story from a master.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Morpurgo offers powerful descriptions of shipwreck, mass drowning, and devastation, as well as healing and growth.” —Publishers Weekly

“Superbly written. . . . This is one of Morpurgo's best works to date; a first purchase for middle grade and teen collections.” —School Library Journal

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250105141
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	01/16/2018
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Michael Morpurgo, a Member of the Order of the British Empire, is the author of more than 100 books, including An Elephant in the Garden, Shadow, A Medal for Leroy, and Listen to the Moon. He is also the author of the New York Times-bestseller War Horse, which was adapted for the stage and became a film by Steven Spielberg.

Editorial Reviews

"...Morpurgo will catch some readers off guard with supernaturally tinged twists he drops in the final chapters and epilogue. Originally published in the U.K. in 2015, this is an intricately crafted contemplation of the wrenching consequences of good intentions gone awry." —Publishers Weekly

"This work of historical fiction, divided into four parts, will leave middle grade readers on the edge of their seats as they try to determine who the stranger is and how this random encounter during World War I could have altered history. Another gripping historical novel from the author of War Horse." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

11/14/2016
What if a British soldier had a chance to shoot Hitler on a WWI battlefield but opted to let him go instead? Morpurgo’s incisive historical novel draws inspiration from the life of Henry Tandey, the war’s most decorated British private, who allegedly had just such an encounter. Naming his protagonist Billy Byron, Morpurgo tells the story in flashbacks, as a boy named Barney and his mother flee Coventry on a London-bound train in 1940. Another passenger, who introduces himself as one of Billy’s lifelong friends, describes Billy’s self-doubt, guilt, and dismay when lingering battle wounds prevented him from serving in WWII, since “as far as Billy was concerned, this whole war is his fault.” The stranger’s descriptions of Billy’s compassion and emotional turmoil are gripping in their own right, but Morpurgo will catch some readers off guard with supernaturally tinged twists he drops in the final chapters and epilogue. Originally published in the U.K. in 2015, this is an intricately crafted contemplation of the wrenching consequences of good intentions gone awry. Ages 10–14. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

10/01/2016
Gr 4–6—World War II has ravaged England, including the homes on Mulberry Road. Ten-year-old Barney and his mother are headed out to the country to Aunty Mavis's home with all they have left in the world inside their luggage. A stranger boards the train and takes the seat across from them. After some small talk, the train begins to trudge forward, and they settle in for the ride. Suddenly, a German fighter plane surges from the sky and attacks the train. With the rat-a-tat of bullets pelting the train, the conductor races down the track toward a tunnel. As he slams on the brakes, everyone is plunged into total darkness. Barney, being afraid of the dark, starts to panic. The stranger dispels the boy's fears with a small box of matches. He has four and will light them only when Barney feels he needs the light. To pass the time, the stranger tells the story of two young soldiers from the previous war. The British soldier was the most decorated private of the First World War. The German soldier just might have been Hitler himself. This work of historical fiction, divided into four parts, will leave middle grade readers on the edge of their seats as they try to determine who the stranger is and how this random encounter during World War I could have altered history. VERDICT Another gripping historical novel from the author of War Horse, and a first-rate addition to historical fiction collections.—Annette Herbert, F. E. Smith Elementary School, Cortland, NY

School Library Journal