The Great Fire of London

Over the last few days I've been researching the Great Fire of London, ready to do some writing on the topic with Year 1s and 2s at Streethouse school in Pontefract. I've been to this school a number of times and I LOVE it. The children are extremely enthusiastic, and Mrs Barlow is very much on my wavelength.

I had loads of fun writing a story about the Great Fire - now I just need to learn it so that I can tell it to the children tomorrow!

Fact I didn't know: The Lord Mayor of London, on seeing the fire in its early stages, said simply that a lady could urinate on it and put it out. Bet he felt bad four days later, and 13200 destroyed houses later. Wonder what happened to him?

Super school!

On Monday I was invited to Wombwell Park Street Primary school in Barnsley to attend a planning morning in preparation for a week long writing project that I am leading there in November.

And what a school! I've never seen anything like it. Inside it was like my mum's classroom on a whole school scale. Huge displays of different moments in history, a wall of writing revealing the 'Writers of the Week', all manner of transport models made out of recyclable materials, murals, paintings, and much more besides.

By the time I discovered that the Year 6 pupils ALL have access to individual laptops ALL the time I knew that I was somewhere special.

I've got a REALLY good feeling about the week in November. The creativity within school oozes out from its every pore. I haven't even met the children yet (apart from the ones I met on the school website's very own introductory film!), but I know that they are going to bring SUCH a lot to the project.

This is a brill school. I just know it.

Alone on a Wide Wide Sea

I only hope that I have not just read the best ever Michael Morpurgo book. I've got loads left to go, but I just can't imagine how any of them could eclipse this. It's only taken me a couple of days to read, amidst planning for all my workhsops, looking after our three girls, and trying desperately to get to bed early (which didn't work AT ALL last night). I was up till nearly midnight to finish this book, and boy did it make me cry! There are not many books that are 'chest huggers' but this is one. And by that I mean when I've finished a 'chest hugger' book, I hug it to my chest and just sit in silence. As Paul Sweeney once said (Dunno who he actually was / is) 'you know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend'. I do feel that way. It is unbelievably well written and exciting, and in some ways reminded me of the narrative voice from Kensuke's Kingdom. I think this book may be for slightly older children, but still, it's brill.

The War of Jenkins' Ear

I recently received some vouchers for my birthday - best present I can ever get! And so I decided to go on a bit of a Michael Morpurgo Blitz. Starting with this book, I'm aiming to read about five of his over the next few weeks. And this was a good start. It is a highly unusual story, and when Christopher revealed his 'true' identity I thought 'Oh, Please!'. But I'm so glad I kept on reading as by the end of the book I was captivated.

I would agree with some of the reviews I've read that the story is at times slow moving, but the characters make up for this. A highly enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to more!

Holes

I read this straight after reading 'There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom'. I was hoping that it was going to be as good...and...it...wasn't quite. Probably because emotionally it didn't quite grab me in the same way.

Having said that, I really really enjoyed it. It is such a strange concept to have a load of young boys digging holes in the middle of the desert. Yet it works so well. The climax to the book is fantastic and had me desperate to know what would happen.

Louis Sachar is an author I'd not read before, but after these two books I'll be looking out for his others. Brill brill brill!

What a brilliant book - one of the best I've read for AGES. I read it after a recommendation from Mrs Stenton at Mapplewell Primary School. She read it to her class because she had a 'real life' Bradley Chalkers and wanted to help him see that there was a way to be better behaved! Following the rather tumultous life of Bradley, the story is so real to life it's hard to imagine that it isn't true. And the funny thing is that though Bradley is a little terror, you can't help but like him. His counsellor is wonderful and there are so many moments in the book where you want to cry (I did).

I went to bed late one night feeling exhausted and thinking I'd read a few pages - I finished the whole book in one go and was rather tired the next day! But it was worth it. There are so few books that grab me like this did. One of the scenes that stuck with me is the parents' reaction to the Counsellor (whose name temporarily escapes me). I wanted to shout at them 'Don't you GET it?!!!! She's helped one of your kids. She's helping LOADS of your kids.' It was frightening just how intimidated they were by her.

Brill brill brill and I can't recommend it highly enough.

It's been a while

I better mention the fact that it's been a while since I last posted on here (apart from the two posts I've just posted! And this one, which makes it three).

Since my last post (apart from the three I've just mentioned) we've had a new arrival! Mabel Grace Burdekin arrived at 407am (!!!!!) on 18th August (our 8th wedding Anniversary) weighing 8lb 13oz. So things have been pretty busy leading up to the birth and especially since! But hopefully I'm back on the 'blog horse' again, and will be posting more regularly.

Pyjamas in School?!

Yesterday I visited Mapplewell Primary School where I've worked a number of times before. Lovely big school in Barnsley, extremely friendly staff, and enthusiastic kids. After (almost) losing my voice by lunchtime, I recovered sufficiently to end the day with the 'Bedtime Stories' event - about 60 children and various parents dressing in pyjamas and coming into the hall to listen to and read stories. Tiring, but lots of fun.

My highlight of the day? Working with the Year 5s and 6s in the outdoor ampitheatre. Great venue and great weather (why wasn't summer like this?!).

You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum

I'm still not sure of my reaction to this book and I finished it a few days ago. ALL the reviews are about how funny and brilliant it is, but I've got a funny feeling that it didn't quite hit my funny bone like it hit everyone else's. I definitely enjoyed it, but not in the 'oh wow, this is the best book ever' type way that other people seem to have. And I definitely don't think it's as brill as Roald Dahl books. Am I showing my age? Aarrgghh! Hope not!

I loved the opening to the book, and actually having read the first two pages, thought that it was gonna be gob smackingly brilliant. Somehow, though, I felt some of the jokes were slightly too obvious with Andy Stanton saying 'look how clever I can be'.

Having said all that, this was pretty much my reaction to the first Lemony Snicket book, and I went on to absolutely LOVE the rest of that series. So I'll persevere. And if you're reading this and shouting 'No, Conrad, you don't know what you're talking about' then apologies!