Katy Donnelly is one of our school managers. Katy also has a MA in children's literature and is a fabulous book blogger. We love the book The Griffin Gate by Vashti Hardy, illustrated by Natalie Smillie. It's also published by Barrington Stoke, who publish super-readable,...
This month our What to Read Now recommendations shine a light on important subjects. We also have special reviewers. First up is Seamus, who is in Year 6. Seamus completed an Olympic triathlon over three days and raised over £2,000 to help young people read and...
PRESS RELEASE NOVEMBER 2020 Book Clubs in Schools (BCiS), announces award-winning children’s author Alex Wheatle MBE as its patron. BCiS is a charity that delivers interactive, inclusive and lively book clubs. The charity creates a pathway for young people...
It's true. The simplest ideas are often the best. And this is a straightforward but genius idea! And we think it's really going to snowball. Unfortunately, coronavirus has put paid to Christmas party plans. But it has left lots of companies with an unused staff party...
The story follows Sami, a typical 13-year-old boy living life in a comfortable home in Damascus. Sami has no real worries, apart from whether he will get to play in the football trials with his friends or go to an ice skating party. Although the...
Here are our three What to Read Now recommendations for this month. The Tigers in The Tower - Julia Golding (suggestion for ages 9+) It’s 1830, and we meet Sahira, a brave and feisty heroine, newly orphaned on a voyage to England from India. The story focuses...
Book clubs can be an important part of providing a rich and varied offer to pupils and help support pupils catch up with literacy skills and build confidence. However, we recognise that there are specific challenges around running book clubs in a Covid-19 secure format....
When did you first know you were a writer? I guess I first wanted to be a writer when I was 7,8.9 years of age when I wanted to write my own comic strips. I was inspired by the Beano, Whizzer & Chips and Shoot magazine. What...
It’s 1830 and we meet Sahira, a brave and feisty heroine, newly orphaned on a voyage back to England from India. Suitable for ages 9+, it’s an historical and adventure novel rolled into one. Did you know that for 600 years, wild animals were kept at the...
The author Julia Golding has written a blog post for us about tigers to celebrate the launch of her new book, Tigers in the Tower. In my new historical novel, The Tigers in the Tower, I tell the story of the ancient menagerie in the Tower...