Joey, being a horse and all, has no idea why he's going to war. But you know what? Albert the human doesn't really have much of a clue either. Many soldiers in World War I were fighting because they had to, not because they cared about—or even knew the reasons—why.

Music is a language that can be understood by all ears, human and animal. But the bells are also a language of peacetime, so you won't be hearing them again for a long time. This is War Horse, not Church Bell Horse.

What else do Albert and Joey have in common? We can think of a love of running around fields and a dislike for Albert's father. Oh, but Albert doesn't kick his father in the shins.

The bond between Joey and Albert is much stronger than just boy and pet, or boy and partner, or even boy and best friend. These first chapters serve to tell us just how strong their relationship is.

While some people (like, um, the ones being kicked by Joey) think he's just fiery and disobedient, seeing things from his perspective gives us more insight into his character. How do you think Michael Morpurgo got into the mindset of a horse to write?

Joey admires everything about Albert, and that encourages him to follow his instructions. He tries to find characteristics he admires in other riders he's forced to work with, like Perkins, but with Albert, it's easy.

Albert proves early on that he won't abandon Joey when the going gets rough. He devotes every spare moment of his time to keeping Joey from being taken away from his first family.