Billy The Kid (book) facts for kids
Billy the Kid is a book about a young boy who dreams of becoming a professional footballer. The story was published in 2000 and was written by Michael Morpurgo. Michael Foreman created the illustrations for the book.
Contents
The Story of Billy
Most of the book takes place during World War II. Throughout the story, Billy, the main character, faces many difficult times and challenges. While playing football in a local park, he is noticed by his favorite club, Chelsea FC.
Billy's Wartime Challenges
However, Billy's happiness changes when a very sad event happens to his brother during the war. This leads Billy to decide to join the army himself.
How the Book Was Inspired
The idea for Billy the Kid came about when Michael Foreman took Michael Morpurgo to a Chelsea football game. At the game, Foreman pointed out the Chelsea pensioners, who are older fans who get free tickets to every game.
The Loyal Fan's Story
Michael Morpurgo was very interested to learn that one of these pensioners still chose to pay for his ticket. He did this so he could sit with the same fans he had watched games with since he was a child. This showed great loyalty and inspired part of the book's story.
