"Out of the Ashes" by Michael Morpurgo

Written in the form of diary entries, the diarist being the 13 year-old daughter of the farmer, this harrowing YA novel charts the visitation of foot and mouth disease to a farm in Devon. The reader knows from the outset what is going to happen ... but there is still a twist in the tale.

It made even cynical old me tearful.

Selected quotes:

• “As I was praying I got angry, angry with God. Why did he let it happen?” (Monday, March 5th)
• “The smell of death is stronger than perfume, and lasts longer.” (Friday, March 9th)
• “I want tomorrow never to come. But tomorrow always comes.” (Monday, March 12th)
• “This evening the farm is still, is silent. The fields are empty, and it's raining.” (Tuesday, March 13th)
• “So the worst wasn't the worst. Some prayers do work after all.” (Thursday, April 5th)

March 2026; 112 pages

First published in 2001 by Macmillan

This review was written by

the author of Bally and Bro, Motherdarling 

and The Kids of God