Poppy Field by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Michael Foreman
Michael Morpurgo and Michael Foreman have partnered with the Royal British Legion to produce this book which explains the significance of the poppy.
Poppy Field is based on the poppy's history, following one family over four generations. Young Martens knows his family's story, for it is as precious as the faded poem hanging in their home. From a poor girl comforting a grieving soldier, to an unexpected meeting of strangers, to a father's tragic death many decades after treaties were signed, war has shaped Martens's family in profound ways.
The book also includes an unabridged copy of John McCrae's poem 'In Flander's Fields' and an Afterword by the Right Revd Nigel McCulloch which explains the history of the paper poppy which is sold every year by the Royal British Legion and worn by many to honour the memory of those who in two world wars and other conflicts since have lost their lives in service to others.
The story is told by the young boy, Martens. As often happens in Morpurgo's novellas, the main narrator goes on to retell a story that has been told to him. This narrator, Marten's Grandfather, also recounts the story he has been told by his mother, Marten's great-grandmother. It is worth mentioning here that on page 27 Morpurgo does make an error and refers to Marie and Piet as being Martens's grandma and grandpa rather than his great-grandma and great-grandpa as they are referred to on all other occasions in the book. This may confuse children as they read and try to determine the relationships between the characters in the story. Nevertheless, the fact that this is a story that has been told and retold in the traditional sense emphasises the purpose of the story (the meaning of the poppy): that we should ensure that the memory of war and those who have lost their lives in service to others should be kept alive and never forgotten.
Parts of the story are quite poetic: ' lanes like ribbons running through farmland', Very few cars, Very few people.' There is also a strong reflective tone that comes through Grandpa’s narration. He doesn’t simply recount the events of his life but tells them with feelings of both loss and hope. One particular part which evokes that sense of loss is when he tells Martens about how he and his father worked the land ‘putting it to rights….This land needs healing still, Martens, still does. So much healing.’
Michael Foreman’s illustrations are beautifully subtle, using grey tones throughout. The only colour that is used is red. This is on the whole reserved for the poppies but also Martens’ Grandpa’s hat, his Great-Grandmother’s ribbon, the cross on the first-aiders’ bags and ambulance, the soldier’s pencil, Marie’s father’s chisels, the flower’s on Marie’s dress, the bugle cords and the kite. This serves to connect the events and people of the past with those of the present in the story. The images of the poppy field also serve as a reminder of the amount of blood that was shed during those battles.
Although not factually accurate this is a touching story which does explain the significance of the poppy and why we use it as a symbol of remembrance. The Afterword provides a factually accurate account of the origin of the poppy as a symbol. A beautiful book published in time for the centenary of the end of the first World War.
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 978-1-407181-42-4
Date of Publication: 2018
