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Showing posts with the label #mglit

#HistFicThursdays - Well, it's Byron, isn't it?

 As it's National Poetry Day, I thought I'd share a few thoughts on Byron. The celebrity cult of Lord Byron began while he was still alive, boomed when he died, and still continues today. He remains an object of fascination, scandal, and appeal. I've been interested in him since I first read about him in a "Famous People" encyclopaedia. It was a children's book, so it did not explore the more infamous aspects of his life. But it was enough to inspire me to delve further into research on the man and the myth - including the puzzle of the mirror . Ultimately, Byron went on to become a major inspiration for my first published book Day's Dying Glory , right down to its title. His early poems (generally my favourite ones) feature heavily in the book, and I enjoyed weaving in lines and references which Byron-fans would spot where others might not even notice them. Poets and poetry have inspired hundreds of writers. It is fascinating that language can be so power...

All the Time in the World - Fun and Games: Colouring-In Sheets

 Today is our final Fun and Games  blog post, but don't worry! We have three sheets for you this time! We've created these three colouring-in sheets, and each one has an extra drawing challenge, so you can have twice as much creative fun! We would love to see your finished pictures, so remember to share them with us via email , Facebook , or BSky ! Let the colouring begin!

All the Time in the World - Fun and Games: Crossword

 Today, we have another fun activity lined up for you. We're now only a week away from the launch of our new book, All the Time in the World , and we're so excited! In this crossword, all the answers relevant to the book, but we've given you some unrelated clues as you won't know how they fit into the story until next week. Once you've solved the clues, all you have to do is try and fit them into the grid. Enjoy!

#MGMonday Books Teachers Shouldn't be Without

 I've been clearing out my school cupboard over the last couple of weeks, and trying to clear some books. Most of them, I send my sister's way, and let her pick out which ones she wants for her classroom. The others go towards the Bring and Buy Sale one of my colleagues is organising. Some, a select few, I chose to keep. So here's a list of books that I wouldn't be without as a teacher: First Aid for Fairies and Other Fabled Beasts by Lari Don It's one of my favourite class novels, and the kids love  it. What's more, there's three more books. I was once a little star struck when I arranged for Lari Don to come and do an author visit with the class. The class were delighted that the author of their class novel was coming to talk to them, and she was great. There was the option for the children to buy signed books, but Lari Don also brought some signed postcards as not every child could afford a book. One pupil, in particular, was thrilled with this gift. Can ...

#BookReview "Norman Space Bat" by Jake Evanoff

This is a lovely story about Norman, a little bat who is perfectly happy with his “particularly average life” until he accidentally ends up going on a series of amazing adventures. He is kidnapped, he goes into space, he is trained to save the world! It’s a great thing to teach children about how exciting things can happen despite modest beginnings! Throughout the book, he meets friends like him and others who are very different, a fantastic thing to encourage children to embrace friendships with others from various backgrounds. The story is enhanced by exciting illustrations which show the variety of characters as they undertake their adventures. I absolutely fell in love with the Overwatchers, and the villains were wonderfully dastardly! The tone is perfect for 5-7 year olds, but the language used in the story is really advanced for a child to read themselves. It is somewhere between a picture book and a chapter book. I would recommend it as a book for an adult to read  to  ...