Adventure

Kensuke's Kingdom

Author Michael Morpurgo

  • Story

    The day before his twelfth birthday, Michael falls from his parents’ yacht. Washed up on a deserted island with only his dog, Stella, for company, he feels hopeless. Until he realises they are not alone… As a stranger becomes a friend, Michael learns a lot more than just how to survive on the far away island...

  • Why we chose it

    Kensuke’s Kingdom is one of Michael Morpurgo’s most popular stories. An adventure story - a story of survival and the story of an extraordinary friendship

  • What a young reviewer said

    I like all the themes in the book and I like the friendship between the main characters. (George, age 12)

  • First published

    1999, Egmont

Story Reviews

Our reviews come from a team of young story lovers! If you’re aged 8–16 and keen to join in, learn how to become a reviewer for The Story Museum. 

Kensuke's Kingdom finds the main character, Michael and his family on an adventure around the world on their boat. Michael falls into the Ocean and later finds himself on an island, on which he struggles to survive. He soon realises that someone else is on the island. In this very well written book, Michael uses themes of emotion, friendship and loyalty. Overall it is an adventure story that I highly recommend to someone that is both interested in Historical fiction because it is based on a story of a real Japanese Soldier and is set 40 years after World War 2, I also recommend this to someone who enjoys adventure stories. I like all the themes in the book and I like the friendship between the main characters.

George