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!

The Tales of Beedle the Bard

I don't really understand some of the reviews of this book that I've just read on Amazon. They seem to talk about the literary short falls of the stories, the fact that there aren't enough stories, and the weakness of having Dumbledore supposedly writing his own comments about the stories.

But can't they see that this book is meant, quite simply, to be enjoyed? There are five great stories, and as I read each one, I got more and more excited wondering what Albus would have to say about it at the end. Just because Miss Rowling has written huge books before shouldn't mean that she always has to!

I am loving this book and only have one story to go. I found them light of touch (though not of heart...especially not the 'hairy heart') and extremely entertaining.

So there!

The Rookeries - Carleton

Yesterday was a first for me - I got to see brand new chicks that had hatched just the day before - of course, I should have been teaching creative writing, but this was a legitimate break. Afterwards I felt like we should be writing chicken poems, but we wrote about a Vicious Viking instead. Not much difference there, then...

The Rookeries is a lovely school and I'm going to be going back there next half of term. And thanks to Christine's suggestion, I've already been booked by Woolley Hall to do a seminar to NQT's in the Autumn term. So it was a truly productive day yesterday and a hugely enjoyable one too.

Calvin and Hobbes - The Complete Collection

Well, after an extended Christmas break from my blog I'm back! And I'm bringing with me my favourite Christmas present - the complete Calvin and Hobbes - all ten years of Bill Watterson's cartoons. As a child I read and reread these cartoons in the Daily Express newspaper; as an adult I'm reading and rereading them in this fabulous collection. It's big, it's heavy, and it's monstrously funny.

There are some cartoons that make me laugh and laugh and laugh. Last night saw me giggling into my pillow trying not to wake up Clare and the kids. The resulting snorts, however, had the opposite effect and resulted in a rather grumpy wife. Such is the price I'm willing to pay for a set of books that make me feel so happy.

Calvin and Hobbes are the best cartoon strip I've ever seen and, I'm sure, ever will see.