under another sun

A Guernsey Double arrives, and a day of children A spot of French work, before walking in the hot sun to Stanford School, arriving just after nine. Feedback day, and the year five children had read the first seven chapters of Skelton Yawngrave in the Second Kind of Darkness. I spent three sessions in three classrooms talking to the children about it. When I arrived at the school (to kids saying there's Peter Kenny and telling me they liked the book) I felt an overwhelming desire to puke, as I have a minor stomach bug. Pictured myself spraying the children Exorcist-style, which was not helpful. Interesting how the different classes had different ideas about the story, and the children themselves were delightful, and very well behaved. In a nutshell they liked it, but thought the opening could be speeded up a bit. They seem hooked now on the story. Lots of full and frank feedback, and book reports, and a tape of conversations to take home with me. All went without a hitch and was fa...

Back to school Up and off to Stanford school this morning. Slightly apprehensive, but once I started to talking to Mark Rodericks beforehand, I felt instantly relaxed. Mark is plainly an outstanding teacher, and he introduced me to the year, putting the whole thing in context. The session lasted an hour in the school gym, and the 90 ten year old kids were excellently behaved. Very much winging it, not knowing what to say particularly, but I outlined life as a writer, and then told them how I got the idea for the story and so on. Some interesting questions from the children. And again, they particularly liked Mum's paintings, and seemed to enjoy the first chapter of the book when I read it to them. They all applauded at the end, and bemusingly, several of the children approached me with scraps of paper so I could autograph them. They persisted, even when I explained again I was not famous, so I gave in and did it. I really hadn't expected that. Home and it was only 12ish, so I ...

Back to school Up early and working on poems today. Making progress on a companion piece to the Vineries one, about the ruined glasshouses still dotted about the island after the tomato industry died. Into Stanford School this afternoon to meet Mark Rodericks and two of his colleagues to discuss Skelton Yawngrave in the school, and we arranged that I am going to do some work there in June, which should be fun. Mark is a really likeable guy and appears excellent at his job. Some interesting feedback from the teachers too who are reading Skelton. The test will be when 90 kids look at it, and I get their feedback. Yikes. Funny how easy it is to get quickly lost in a school, felt quite mazy as Mark walked me through it. He also told me they have a wartime bomb shelter in the grounds, and describing this makes for a great creative writing exercise for the kids. Walked away in teeming rain, and down towards Sainsburys. I found myself near Lorraine's house, and as she was working from hom...