Why the Whales Came

Why the Whales Came

By Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo’s book Why the Whales Came is a captivating, quick and easy read. First published in the UK in 1985 by William Heinemann Ltd, Why the Whales Came is an interesting and exciting book by one of my favourite authors that I really enjoyed reading. It is well written with a hint of a mystery and the genre is historical fiction.

            Why the Whales Came is set on Bryher in the Isles of Scilly during World War One. The main characters are two children called Gracie and Daniel, who are friends, and a scary and mysterious man called the Birdman. The story is about Gracie and Daniel’s journey to lift the curse of Samson and, when they become friends with the Birdman, to show the other islanders that he isn’t what he seems. The gripping mystery in this book made it interesting and exciting to read.

            When Gracie’s Father joins the army, Gracie and Daniel go fishing to get food. They get lost in fog and accidentally land on the haunted island of Samson. Years ago, many whales were beached on Samson. The greedy islanders killed the whales for food and money. After that, many bad things happened and everyone left Samson, believing the island was cursed. You’ll have to read the book if you want to know if Gracie and Daniel are now cursed!!! The curse of Samson is the mystery in the book and it makes the book exciting to read!

            I would definitely recommend Why the Whales Came because it is exciting, gripping and extremely interesting. I would recommend Why the Whale Came to people who have read other Michael Morpurgo books like War Horse or Butterfly Lion. The plot is easy to follow and it makes you want to keep reading. There are a small number of characters who are all well developed; this makes the book easy to read. With Why the Whales Came Michael Morpurgo has written another amazing book which is suitable for all ages.

Eleanor MS