Kensuke’s Kingdom is a true children’s classic by former Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo, the creator of War Horse.
“I heard the wind above me in the sails. I remember thinking, this is silly, you haven’t got your safety harness on, you haven’t got your lifejacket on. You shouldn’t be doing this … I was in the cold of the sea before I could even open my mouth to scream.”
Washed up on an island in the Pacific, Michael struggles to survive on his own. With no food and no water, he curls up to die. When he wakes, there is a plate beside him of fish, of fruit, and a bowl of fresh water. He is not alone…
The novel explores themes of friendship, survival, and cultural differences. It also touches on the devastating impact of war on families and individuals.
Kensuke's Kingdom is a heart-warming and thought-provoking tale of resilience, courage and hope, and reminds us of the importance of human connection even in the most isolated of places.
Michael Morpurgo has written over one hundred books and won many awards. In 1976 Michael and his wife Clare started the charity Farms For City Children, which aims to relieve the poverty of experience of young children from inner city and urban areas. In 1999 they were awarded the MBE for their work in creating these farms and in 2006 Michael received an OBE. His novel War Horse has been adapted into a hugely successful and critically acclaimed West End play. Michael is a tireless champion for children's books and was formerly the Children's Laureate.
Extent : 186 pages
Publisher: Farshore (1999)
Primary Agent: Veronique Baxter
Film/TV Agent: Berlin Associates
Rights Sold: ****Bulgarian - Fiut; Cambodian - SIPAR; Chinese (Simplified) - Beijing Double Spiral; Chinese (Complex) - Global Kids; French - Gallimard; Greek - Patakis; Hebrew - Miskal; Italian - Piemme; Swedish - En bok for alla; Turkish - Tudem; Korean - Sa Kye Jul; Polish - Kropka; Romanian - Paralela; Spanish - Seix Barral; Thai - Thai Quality Books.
Co-Agents: Chinese - Bardon Media Agency; Japanese - Tuttle Mori
The screenplay has been written by BAFTA nominee Frank Cottrell-Boyce (Goodbye Christopher Robin, The Railway Man, 24 Hours Party People, Hilary and Jackie) and will feature the voices of BAFTA winner and Academy Award nominee Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water, Happy-Go-Lucky), BAFTA nominee Cillian Murphy (Dunkirk, Inception), Academy Award nominee Ken Watanabe (Letters from Iwo Jima, The Last Samurai) and fast-rising young star Raffey Cassidy, whose recent credits include The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Vox Lux and Tomorrowland. Premiere date: 13th June 2023.
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