The General

A new edition of Michael Foreman's glorious anti-war picture book, featuring a message from the author and illustrator reflecting on the book's enduring relevance now and then.

There was once a general who wished to be famous and rule all the land...

One day he fell off his horse and landed on the soft grass. It smelled so sweet that he decided to lay there for a while and enjoy the warm sunshine. He saw squirrels, rabbits and hedgehogs and walked through a field of beautiful flowers. From that day on he vowed never again to march his armies across the land and to change the world around him into one of peace and beauty, for which he became the most famous general of all.

Michael Foreman OBE, one of the UK's best-loved and most prolific creators of children's books, illustrated The General, his first picture book, in 1961. Now, over sixty years later, it has been reproduced in all its glory, featuring new endnotes from the author and illustrator to bring this well-loved and important story to a new generation of readers.