Michael Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful is a story of innocence, love, courage and cowardice, and recommendable not only for middle school/junior high school students, but also for adults. The story originally takes place in England and later on in Belgium, where the British have to fight the Germans during the First World War.
I read this book in four nights and enjoyed young Thomas Peaceful’s childhood memories, agonized with him on the battlefield, and learned a bit more from its historical background.
Private Peaceful was awarded the 2003 – 2005 Children’s Laureate, and shortlisted for the Whitbread Award.
Quoting the book’s postscript:
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 traumatised by shell shock. Court martials were brief, the accused often unrepresented.
To this day the injustice they suffered has never been officially recognised. The British Government continues to refuse to grant posthumous pardons.
Private Peaceful 
Private Peaceful 
Private Peaceful 
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