Book Review: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips

Author

Michael Morpurgo

Publication date

February 2006

The story

This is the tale of Michael's grandma's experiences as she grew up in Slapton in Devon during World War Two, told through her diaries when she was 12 years old.

It's based on a true story.

It's 1943 and Lily's village is needed for soldiers to prepare to invade France so they must all move out of their homes.

But Tips, Lily's treasured cat, has other ideas and stays in the danger zone.

Lily has no choice but to crawl through the barbed wire and see if she can find her beloved pet.

The characters

We first meet Lily through the eyes of her grandson, Michael (or Boowie as she calls him). She's quite old and her husband has just died after a long illness.

Then you find out all about her through reading her teenage wartime diaries. She feels like a real teenager - she thinks thoughts she wishes that she didn't and she gets upset and doesn't know why.

You get to know all her family - her grumpy grandfather, her scruffy Uncle Tom and her mum, who's sad because her husband has gone off to war.

There's also Barry, a townie who's been evacuated to Devon and ends up moving in with Lily's family.

Then there's Harry and Adie - Adolphus T Madison - who are black American soldiers in England preparing to invade France - once they've helped Lily find her cat first, of course.

Highlights

There's a couple of really sad bits especially the tear-jerker part when Lily's teacher Mrs Blumfeld persuades her grandfather to leave his farm.

It's also really exciting when Barry and Lily have a narrow escape from the practice explosions.

And the end - which we can't give away - makes you smile.

Any weak bits?

No, this book even makes you think about history and what it was like for ordinary people living through the war years without being too educational, sentimental or nostalgic.

Unputdownable?

If you think a book made up of a girl's wartime diaries is going to be boring, then think again.

This is the sort of book you read at one go because you simply can't wait to see what happens next. As Lily would say, this book is supreme.

NR rating:

Have you read this book?

I have read The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips by Michael Morpurgo and, as usually am when reading a book by Michael Morpurgo, excited to find out what happens next. It's full of funny moments plus a few tearjerkers to! lol. I definitely recommend this to any Michael Morpurgo fans out there, well actually, to anybody really!

Dan, 13, Oswestry

I think it sounds brilliant and I love reading about World War 2 I think it is fascinating.

Jessica, 11, Liverpool

I read this book when it came out in hardback a few months ago and I loved it, I thought it was a really absorbing read. I like cats and books about the Second World War so it was a really good choice for me! If you like either of those I think you'd enjoy the book.

Immy, 13, Tunbridge Wells

I think Adolphus Tips is amazing but I have not read all of it.

Caitlin, Kirkintilloch