At the end of the summer term, my dad kindly gave our three children a book token each for their good school reports and hard work over the academic year. Whilst browsing in Waterstones, our eldest daughter and I spotted a pile of books on the bottom shelf of a trolley, which were waiting to…
I recently won a copy of ‘The Girl of Ink and Stars’ by Kiran Millwood Hargrave on Girls Heart Books for my eldest. She has a high reading age, which can be problematic in that some books that are suitable for her reading age are not always suitable for her biological age of nine. The…
Some of my earliest memories are of lying in my darkened bedroom, holding my breath and listening for the sound of someone else breathing, or hiding under the covers, sweat sticking my hair to my head, crying for my mum or dad. The curse of an overactive imagination! Shadows in the corners, shapes cast by…
Today is National Poetry Day here in the UK. The theme this year is ‘light’ to mark the UN International Year of Light 2015. October is also National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month with a special remembrance day on October the 15th, where people all over the world are encouraged to light a candle…
I saw this book reviewed by Jo Cotterill and, from her description, I knew it was a book my eldest would enjoy. When it arrived whilst she was at school, I just had to start reading it myself and I was immediately hooked. What a great starting point for a story! It is 1890 and…
It’s National Poetry Day today. I have so many favourite poems it’s impossible to pick just one. So many poems and poets over time have inspired and influenced me. I was always encouraged to read poetry as a child and I think poetry is great for children. When I have run author workshops based around…
