A group of year 8 pupils from Greenfield Community College have been involved in an exciting opportunity aimed at raising aspirations and encouraging reading for pleasure.
Their English teacher and writer Eileen Wharton was challenged to motivate a group of reluctant and/or struggling readers. Not an easy task. How could she give young people the gift of the love of reading? How would she inspire them to want to pick up a book and get lost in its pages? Who better than the school librarian, Dawn Botham to help her take up the challenge.
In an attempt to create a ‘buzz’ around books and reading, they decided to take a group of year 8 pupils to Seven Stories, National Centre for Children’s Books on Thursday 20th November. Pupils spent the whole day celebrating children’s literature, immersed in the pages of various children’s books, from Mary Norton’s ‘The Borrowers’ to Lewis Carrol’s ‘Alice in Wonderland.’
Seven Stories, which was opened in 2005 by Children’s Laureate Dame Jacqueline Wilson and author illustrator Nick Sharratt, brings books to life and helps to foster a love of children’s literature. Pupils explored the exciting new ‘Moving Stories’ exhibition, which showcases innovative and influential film and television adaptations inspired by children’s books, before engaging in a creative writing workshop inspired by the innovative, prize-winning picture book and short film ‘The Lost Thing’ by Shaun Tan.
They then visited the Independent Bookshop, which has been recognised by the Booksellers’ Association as one of the biggest and best independent children’s bookshops in the country. Pupils excitedly chose a book they’d like to buy. Judging by the animated chatter and laughter filling the air, it was clear that the aim of the project had been met.