A seriously busy term started with a visit to Unity Academy, Blackpool at the beginning of January and ended back at Unity just before Easter. Between those visits, I stopped off at just short of thirty schools as well as eight libraries. Visits to Bolton, Wigan, Redditch, Preston, Stockport and Stoke-on-Trent to name but a…
If I’m honest, I was worried that WBD 2021 might not be able to happen. Covid and repeated lockdowns had changed everything and rather than visiting schools I was busy creating virtual options to keep the book buzz alive. Well I need not have worried! Schools and youth groups adapted, evolved and completely embraced the…
After six months out of schools due to Covid-19 it was wonderful to reboot my school events with a visit to St Johns CE Primary, Blackpool. Year 4 had been studying one of my Impossible Tales and reading Eric Appleby: Zero To Hero as their class reader. During the morning, we picked apart an ‘unseen…
This was my first visit to Brookfield Park and it was a morning to remember. I had a fantastic time! The visit kicked off with an author assembly in the hall. It was a joy to share my writing adventure with Year 2 – 6. They discovered the process involved in writing and editing the…
It’s always one of the highlights of the year when I visit my local libraries to share some stories. Six library visits took place across two weeks in August. These gigs are always important because I usually take some time off from performing in the summer, so they are great to get back into…
It had been over two years since my last visit to Stanah, so it was great to return for a trio of visits. The first visit kicked off the week. I shared my writing adventure with Years 3 – 6 in morning assembly. The children discovered how a book is made from initial daydreaming to…
It was lovely to spend three mornings at Briercliffe Primary, Burnley, during late April. Visit one kicked off with a KS2 author assembly where I explained the writing and illustrating process. The children listened so well as the multiple drafts of Danger Zone were displayed and I revealed how Martin draws Eric. The session finished…
I had a fantastic time at Padiham Green. The morning kicked off with a KS2 author assembly. As it was my first visit, I just about managed to share the events of the last five years with the pupils. They heard about Eric’s adventures and even saw a performance of one of the Tales. It…
A busy term ended with two author assemblies. It was a joy to share Danger Zone with the pupils at both schools. They got to see the manuscripts from the different stages of the writing process and Martin’s beautiful illustrations. It would have been rude not to take along the storytelling waistcoat to perform one…
It was 2016 when I last visited Medlar with Wesham Primary so I was very excited to return. The morning kicked off with an author assembly. I shared my writing adventure with the Y2 – Y6 pupils and they were an absolute joy. They listened intently as I explained how Eric’s latest story was created…