Soon, the horses’ peaceful life on the farm is interrupted again by the arrival of more German soldiers. Albert's father, troubled by his inability to keep his farm financially sound, drinks to excess weekly.

Perhaps the most widely regarded novel about the extreme mental and physical trauma that soldiers endured during the first World War, Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front was first published in German in 1928. It was originally supposed to be aimed at an adult audience, but was changed to appeal to all demographics. To Joey, the fighting is cacophonous, chaotic, and random -- an eloquent statement about the pointlessness of the violence.

The Germans also take a liking to these animals, and Joey is awarded a bloodied Iron Cross medal for bravery by a German soldier whom they rescue from the battlefield. Morpurgo recognises the three men in the dedication section of the book, naming them as Albert Weeks, Wilfred Ellis and Captain Budgett. W. Reed - is dated 1917, and depicts a British cavalry charge on German lines, with horses entangled in barbed wire. After a relatively undistinguished (and rather unhappy) educational career in boarding schools and college, Morpurgo became a schoolteacher. Topthorn, ridden by Captain Stewart, and Joey, ridden by Captain Nicholls, are at the front of the cavalry.

The bond between horse and master is sweet and profound, and a love of animals shows the commonality between people on both sides of the conflict. I came in the last evening into the yard behind this big Victorian house where they all live, and there he was, Billy, standing in his slippers by the stable door and the lantern above his head, talking. Before she died, Grandfather made her a promise that he would do everything he could to find the horses again and take care of them.He is Joey's best friend and constant support, almost dying due to illness but fighting his way back.

Morpurgo mentions a fictionalised version of this painting in his 'Author's Note' at the start of the book. Playwright Nick Stafford adapted War Horse into an award-winning play in 2007, and the play was received with critical acclaim, winning an Olivier Award, Evening Standard Theatre Award, and London Critic’s Circle Theatre Award for design. Although he instills confidence in his men, Captain Nicholls is in fact scared on account of the battles to come, and he confides in Joey his feelings about the futility of war. Finally, following the stage play and film adaptations, Morpurgo commissioned an old-fashioned painting of a horse matching Joey’s description to hang in the town hall for the benefit of his fans. Parents need to know that War Horse uses simple language, meant to display the limited awareness of its animal narrator, to tell a poignant story with a strong anti-war message.

War Horse is one of five children's books that deal with war that was featured in a special exhibition titled Once Upon a Wartime – Classic War Stories for Children at the Imperial War Museum in London, that ran from 11 February – 30 October 2011. Joey stays at his friend’s side as long as he possibly can but must abandon Topthorn’s corpse when “the first tank [he] ever [sees]” comes lumbering toward him. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. During another charge, Topthorn and Joey carry Warren and Stewart into the enemy lines, and are the only two of many, but they are captured by the Germans. The end of the war arrives suddenly; when the men are about to leave for home, Albert asks Major Martin about the fate of the horses.