Michael Morporgo was born in 1943 in Hertfordshire, England. He began writing at a young age and wrote children's books such as The Butterfly Lion. Some of his most famous works include War Horse, Private Peaceful, and Why the Whales Came. Morporgo was inspired to write by his father and initially worked as a teacher before becoming a full-time author. He is now 69 years old and married with three children. Several of his books have been adapted to film, including War Horse by Steven Spielberg.