The Butterfly Lion

Name: The Butterfly Lion
Brand: Harper UK
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: Michael Morpurgo
ISBN: 9780007452859

Author: Michael Morpurgo

Narrator: Michael Morpurgo, Virginia Mckenna

Unabridged: 1 hr 33 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: 08/04/2011

Categories: Children's Fiction, Regional Stories, Animal Stories, Historical Stories, Children's Social Themes

Synopsis

“All my life I’ll think of you, I promise I will. I won’t ever forget you.” A lyrical and moving tale of a young boy growing up in Africa, and his lifelong friendship with a white lion. A lyrical and moving tale of a young boy growing up in Africa, and his lifelong friendship with a white lion. Bertie rescues an orphaned lion cub from the African veld. They are inseparable until Bertie is sent to boarding school far away in England and the lion is sold to a circus. Bertie swears that one day they will see one another again, but it is the butterfly lion which ensures that their friendship will never be forgotten.

About Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo OBE is one of Britain's best loved writers for children, with sales of over 35 million copies. He has written over 150 books, has served as Children’s Laureate, and has won many prizes, including the Smarties Prize, the Writers Guild Award, the Whitbread Award, the Blue Peter Book Award and the Eleanor Farjeon Lifetime Achievement Award. With his wife, Clare, he is the co-founder of Farms for City Children. Michael was knighted in 2018 for services to literature and charity.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Ken on May 21, 2019

After the success of War Horse my local theatre had an upcoming production of this Morpurgo classic. Debating to get tickets for the show, I opted to read the book first. Having run away from boarding school, young Michael meets an old lady who tells about a boy he’s age called Bertie who adopts a Lio......more

Goodreads review by Sophie on September 27, 2023

A beautiful story of a young boy’s experience when he runs away from a school he hates. Vivid story-telling transports you to Africa and back. An extremely moving tale of help comes to you from mysterious sources when you need it. Made me smile and cry!......more

Goodreads review by Trish on August 23, 2022

Michael Morpurgo appeared on the map for me after I first saw the movie and then read the book War Horse. Eventually, I came across this gem of an edition. The story is that of a boy, Michael, running away from boarding school and meeting an old woman who tells him of another young boy, Bertie, who......more

Goodreads review by Maeve on December 02, 2012

The Butterfly Lion is a heart warming yet bitter-sweet story. Bertie is a lonely little boy in South Africa who one day adopts an orphaned white lion cub, who then becomes his best friend. They have a wonderful companionship but things take a turn for the worst when Bertie is sent to boarding school......more

Goodreads review by Denisa on December 18, 2020

A very short, but almost magical story. A bit sad... Reading it you are under the impression of being in a magical land. I fell in love with the little white lion. And I was sad to discover the thread of the story. But, in the end, this is how life is: every being is born, leavs and dies. The cycle......more

Quotes

“The Butterfly Lion is unique among animals and books, and will touch all hearts – both young and old.” Virginia McKenna, Born Free Foundation Praise for Michael Morpurgo:“A master storyteller at his best” The Sunday Times