Intrigue, mystery and the Second World War were on the curriculum when an award-winning author dropped in at a Teesside school.
Elizabeth Wein’s latest novels for teens, Code Name Verity and its companion volume Rose Under Fire, are spy thrillers set in World War Two, when young girls find themselves captured by the Germans.
Both are changes in direction for the Scotland-based, New York-born author, whose first five books were set in Arthurian Britain and sixth century Ethiopia.
But they all fire young people’s imaginations, with Code Name Verity shortlisted for a host of awards. And yesterday, in a visit arranged through Stockton’s Libraries Service, the author dropped in at St Patrick’s Catholic College, Thornaby, to pass on some tips and encourage budding writers.
In sessions with Year 9 students, and one Y10 English group, she used props, flip charts and her own thoughts to explain the backgrounds to her books.
School librarian Sue Bellwood said: “It can be tough to get young people reading for pleasure.
“With so many things competing for their free time, interest in reading can drop off - particularly once they get to secondary school.
“However, I know that if you capture a young person’s imagination and get him or her involved then they can, and do, get fired up by reading, and that is why at St Patrick’s we have author visits and literacy events all year.”
No comments:
Post a Comment