Favourite Dog Stories: Shadow, Cool! and Born to Run

Favourite Dog Stories: Shadow, Cool! and Born to Run
Michael Morpurgo

Tales from the nation’s favourite storyteller about man’s best friend who will do anything to protect their loving owners.‘Shadow’:Aman and his mother live in war-torn Afghanistan. When a Western dog appears at the mouth of their cave, it soon becomes Aman’s constant companion, his shadow as he calls her. But life is becoming increasingly dangerous for Aman and his family…‘Cool!’:Michael Morpurgo’s inspiring new story of Robbie, a boy in a coma – victim of a car accident. Locked inside his own head, able to hear but not move or speak, Robbie tries to keep himself from slipping ever deeper into unconsciousness.‘Born to Run’:When Patrick saves a litter of greyhound puppies from the canal, he can’t bear to hand them all over to the RSPCA. He pleads with his parents: couldn’t he just keep one of them? Patrick christens his puppy Best Mate, and that’s what he becomes. Until one day Best Mate is kidnapped by a greyhound trainer, and begins a new life as a champion race dog. Suzie, the greyhound trainer’s step-daughter, loves Best Mate on first sight and gives him a new name, Bright Eyes. But what will happen when he can’t run any more?

Michael Morpurgo

Favourite Dog Stories:

Shadow, Cool! and Born to Run

Contents

Cover (#ua4473d37-3860-56cf-9a4e-0c32d194acfe)

Title Page (#uc5ed74d5-e8a4-50dd-9fcc-7e49042852d9)

Shadow (#u14516761-6c69-5409-bfc7-b9cf67944400)

Cool! (#litres_trial_promo)

Born to Run (#litres_trial_promo)

Keep Reading (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Author (#litres_trial_promo)

Also by Michael Morpurgo (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

For Juliet, Hugh, Gabriel, Ros and Tommo

Contents

Cover (#u66cb6ec4-177b-5ab5-aa9b-0d2b9d40d9d8)

Title Page (#u14516761-6c69-5409-bfc7-b9cf67944400)

Dedication (#u1f812b3e-359a-56d3-8d1f-a62d739f1a60)

Introduction

Preface

When the Stars Begin to Fall

“And They Keep Kids in There?”

We Want You Back

Shadow

Bamiyan

“Dirty Dog! Dirty Foreign Dog!”

“You Must Come to England.”

“Walk Tall, Aman.”

Somehow

Counting the Stars

Polly

“Quite a Hero”

Silver, Like a Star

“The Whole Story, I Need the Whole Story.”

“God is Good.”

The Little Red Train

All Brothers and Sisters Together

“It’s Where We Belong Now.”

Locked Up

“We’re Going To Do It!”

Shooting Stars

“Just Two of Them And a Dog.”

Singing in the Rain

Time To Go Home

Postscript

Introduction

So many have helped in the genesis of Shadow. First of all, Natasha Walter, Juliet Stevenson and all involved in the writing and performing of Motherland, the powerful and deeply disturbing play that first brought to my attention the plight of the asylum-seeking families locked up in Yarl’s Wood. Then there were two remarkable and unforgettable films, that inspired and informed the Afghan part of this story: The Boy who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan, directed by Phil Grabsky, and Michael Winterbottom’s In This World. And my thanks also to Clare Morpurgo, Jane Feaver, Ann-Janine Murtagh, Nick Lake, Livia Firth, and so many others for all they have done.