Walter Tull's Scrapbook

Publisher: Frances Lincoln

Walter Tull (1888-1918) was one of Tottenham Hotspur's top players, and when World War I broke out, he joined the Footballers' Battalion. His leadership and courage won him a commission and a recommendation for the Military Cross. But Walter Tull wasn't just a great footballer and a heroic British officer. He also happened to be black, at a time when people thought that only white men could be officers.

Walter's extraordinary and heartbreaking story is powerfully told by Michaela Morgan in this fictionalised scrapbook, incorporating illustrations, personal jottings and original material such as photographs and newspaper cuttings. The book even includes a copy of the telegram sent from Buckingham Palace offering sympathy after his eventual death on the battlefield of the Somme. This visual material helps to bring Walter's story vividly to life for young readers, touching on everything from his childhood in an orphanage, to his footballing years, to his time on the Western Front. Inspiring, thought-provoking and informative, this is a lively and intriguing history book with a difference, offering a fascinating insight into the life of a man who broke across boundaries to challenge the prejudices of his day.

Download WWI activity sheets for schools

More books like this

A Medal for Leroy

Author: Michael Morpurgo Illustrator: Michael Foreman

A moving story of love, loss and discovering your identity, inspired by the true story of Walter Tull, the first black officer in the British army

Read more about A Medal for Leroy

Archie's War

Author: Marcia Williams

In 1914, ten-year-old Archie is sent a scrapbook in the post by his Uncle Colin, and through the years that follow, we see the world through Archie's eyes.

Read more about Archie's War

Share this book with your friends

Use our Bookfinder to discover the perfect children's books for every age...