Reading and Writing—Two Essentials for a Happy Writer!

This week Edge Author Dave Cousins asks how much does the ability to write, depend on your dedication as a reader.

Finding time to write alongside the demands of a family and a job—even if that job is being a writer—can be a balancing act. Before I was fortunate enough to be published and had to squeeze writing time into early starts, late nights, train journeys and lunch breaks, I sometimes found that I didn't have time to read. Free time was so scare, it seemed more important to spend it creating my own stories rather than reading somebody else's. I eventually found that logic to be somewhat flawed – in my case at least. Now I firmly agree with Stephen King, who said, “If you don’t have time to read, then you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.”

It may look like I'm taking it easy with a book.
In reality this is an intensive training workout!

Over the years I’ve noticed that when I’m not reading every day, my writing flows less freely. An obvious analogy would be the sporting one: that reading is an important part of maintaining a level of writing fitness, like an athlete training every day. When I’m reading a lot, my writing feels natural, instinctive – fitter, if you like. Or as The King puts it: “Constant reading will pull you into a place where you can write eagerly and without self-consciousness.” For me, it’s about filling my subconscious with words and stories – the rhythm of sentences and paragraphs, the pace of a well spun yarn.

“Every successful writer I know is also a great reader.” – Robert Cormier

When I started to write, I worried that my own stories, or rather my voice, would start to sound like whatever I was reading, but that didn’t happen. Instead, I find that reading somebody else's words helps to clear my head, and stops me thinking about my own for a while, so I'm fresher when I return.

But what about you? Here at the Edge we are always interested to hear other people’s experience. How does reading sit alongside your writing? Does it help? Does it interfere? Does it matter what you read? Leave a comment in the box below and let us know. Thanks.

Meanwhile, here are a couple of posts you might enjoy by fellow Edge authors on a similar theme:

Reading For My Writing by Miriam Halahmy

Writing Tips Part 6 by Sara Grant

Dave Cousins is the author (and sometimes illustrator!) of a number of award-winning books for young people. Visit www.davecousins.net for more info.

Love Football, Loathe Reading? Premier League Reading Stars Can Help.

Edge author Dave Cousins explains how a love of ‘the beautiful game’ can inspire an interest in reading for reluctant readers.

Premier League Reading Stars is an innovative programme run by the National Literacy Trust in partnership with the Premier League. The scheme is designed for schools to use with target groups of children aged 9-13 years who “love football but lack motivation to engage with and achieve in literacy.” Building on evidence that footballers can influence the way young people view reading, PLRS offers a range of resources for schools that tap into children’s passion for football. Results show that participation in the project can have a significant impact on attainment and attitudes to reading and writing, particularly among boys and those on free school meals.

Here's a short video about the scheme.

Since kicking off its inaugural season three years ago, thousands of children have enjoyed taking part in Premier League Reading Stars. A 2014 evaluation reported that three out of four children taking part made at least six months’ reading progress during the ten week scheme, with one child in three making a year’s worth of progress! 

“On average, the reading progress of participating pupils was 50% higher than peers not taking part in the programme.”

A third of participants go on to join their local library, and the number of children who develop a daily reading habit as a result of the course is more than double. Nearly two thirds of the children involved say that seeing Premier League footballers read, made them want to read more. One of the participating school’s Ofsted report stated: “Both their reading and writing scores rose considerably as a result of their involvement in this initiative.”

The closing date for enrolling your school is Wednesday 30th September 2015. 

The new enhanced programme for 2015-16 includes a wealth of resources and benefits, including:

—1 year membership to the National Literacy Trust Network. 

—Author events with a range of venues, dates and authors.

—New season resource pack (for 20 children) including teacher’s manual, children’s activity books, certificates, stickers and posters. 

—recommended reading list for 2015-16, including the best of football-related reading online. 

—staff training sessions, held regularly across England and Wales, (September to November). 

—NEW mixed box of 20 books specially chosen to appeal to reluctant readers .

—NEW access to our updated website, with interactive challenges, competitions and quizzes, plus entry to the National PLRS Competition with the chance for pupils to win tickets to Premier League matches.

Visit the National Literacy Trust Premier League Reading Stars website for more information.

Charlie Merrick’s Misfits in Fouls, Friends and Football, written and illustrated by Dave Cousins is out now, published by Oxford University Press.

Top Ten Best Book Covers by Edge Author Dave Cousins

There is a saying that you should never judge a book by its cover, but I suspect it's something we all do. What's on the jacket has a huge impact on how many potential readers will pick a book off the shelf, (or click for more information). While I own many books with artwork I don't particularly like, I'm fairly certain I would never have picked them up, had I not already been a fan of the author. It makes me wonder how many great stories I've ignored because the cover didn't grab me.

I've spoken to school librarians who offer students "book blind dates"—covering the jackets with brown paper, so the reader has no preconceptions or prejudice against what might be inside. It sounds like a great idea, and places focus back on the content, rather than the smoke and mirrors of packaging and marketing hype! 

I recently received the cover roughs for my next young adult novel (due out next year). I was delighted—the artwork perfectly captured the mood of the story, and had the right balance of intrigue and information. I'm afraid I can't share it with you just yet—the book itself is still in progress! Instead, I thought I'd put together a top ten of favourite covers from my bookshelves. 

Simple eye-catching design that
captures the essence of the story.

Humans are drawn to faces. The eyes in this
seek you out across the bookshop. Brilliant.

The spoof diary cover has been popular.
I think this one works really well.

The book is filled with atmosphere and
a great sense of time and location.
This cover captures it perfectly.

Dated by the furniture perhaps, but I like the way the
kids look like real kids, unlike the airbrushed models
appearing on many current young adult novels.

Another retro cover, but one of
my favourites. Eye-catching, and sums
up the mood and subject of the story.

A classic cover for a classic adventure story.

Great piece of design this, plus there's something
about maps and pins that screams adventure!

A great cover for a brilliant book.
The point where all the elements meet
and cut the lizard in two draws your eye.

I love the simplicity of this.
Exactly the right shade of yellow too.

It would be interesting to hear your thoughts, so please do leave a comment below.

Dave Cousins writes books for children and young adults. For more information, you can find him on the web at www.davecousins.net

World Book Day and Beyond! by Edge author Dave Cousins.

Books are important—they teach us empathy, make us think and question, help us navigate our way through life—they’re also a lot of fun, which is why I'm a big supporter of World Book Day.

Last week on the roads and railways, you could hardly move for authors, illustrators, poets and storytellers on their way to schools for World Book Day events—David Walliams even took to the air to avoid the congestion! 

My own World Book Day tour started on Monday with a 5am start. Seven days and nineteen presentations to over 1500 young people later, I'll admit I’m a wee bit tired and my voice is a little more croaky than usual, but it was worth it.

Some wonderful displays in the library at Montsaye Academy!
(Thanks to Lisa Shaw)

With schools being increasingly forced to focus on exam results and league tables, I worry that reading for pleasure will be marginalised, despite the important role it plays in a young person's development. The perilous state of our library service, both public and in schools, is a worrying indication of the low value attributed to books by those currently in power. In this climate, World Book Day feels like a festival of defiance—an excited, noisy, costumed parade—a demonstration of just how important stories are. Visiting schools this week, seeing the work staff have put into World Book Day celebrations and the enthusiasm of the students, proves that not everything of value can be tested and entered onto a balance sheet. 

But don’t take my word for it, here are a few photos and some feedback about World Book Day that I received from staff and students at the schools I visited:

Acting out a story at Bishop Stopford School
(photo: Hilary Sutton)

“Seeing 200 faces rapt, involved and amused … was a joy. Introducing them to new books in such a lively manner will undoubtedly lead to more reading enjoyment.” —Hilary Sutton, Librarian, Bishop Stopford School

“I’m so excited I could burst!” — Year 7 student, Bishop Stopford School (I have to admit, that one is my favourite!)

Discussing comics and graphic novels with students at Parmiter's School
(Thanks to Angus for the photo)

“World Book Day is an incredibly important time for school libraries, as it's the perfect opportunity to promote everything that's great about books and reading for pleasure. At Parmiter's we embrace it wholeheartedly by putting on a week's worth of activities for all year groups. From author talks and signings to books sales and competitions, the world is your oyster! We look forward to planning something new every year.” — Nicola Davison, LRC Assistant, Parmiter’s School

Developing ideas during a writing workshop at Skinners' Academy
(Thanks to Skinners' Academy for the photo)

"They were so inspired that we sold out of books and have had to buy many more copies for the library." —Susannah Phillips, Librarian, Skinners’ Academy

I would like to thank all of the staff and students at Holloway School, Parmiter's School, Bishop Stopford School, Skinners’ Academy, Littleover Community School, Ashcroft Academy and Montsaye Academy for their hospitality, enthusiasm and inspiration! Thanks also to booksellers Brenda and Terrie, with help from Zoe and Mia at Parmiter's, and Stuart Cleaver from Quinn's Bookshop at Montsaye. 

Finally, if you haven't already done so, please check out the World Book Day Teen Fest website which has loads of exclusive author videos, playlists and blog posts to keep the festival going!

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Dave Cousins is the author of a number of award-winning books for children and young adults. Visit www.davecousins.net for more information. 

Celebrating Rock Cake Day and the Great Readers in our Lives.

Edge Author Dave Cousins on books, baking and inspirational readers.

In our house, January 16th is Rock Cake Day!

My nan would have been ninety-four today, and each year we mark her birthday by baking a batch of Rock Cakes, using the closely guarded secret recipe (don't even ask!) she developed and passed on to us.

At this point some of you may be thinking—“Hang on a minute! I thought this was the Edge? The home of gritty YA fiction. Why’s this bloke babbling on about buns?” 

Let me explain …

Apart from her legendary baking skills, my Nan was also a great reader. (She is the only person I have ever met who managed to read the entire works of Charles Dickens—twice!) Her love of books started when she caught whooping cough as a child and had to spend long periods of time in hospital. Her dad was a big reader and, worried that his daughter might be missing out, took books in for her. When she got home, my nan still wasn’t strong enough to play outside, but found plenty of adventure and excitement in the stories she'd discovered.

Her first job, aged 16, was as a seamstress with a small firm in Birmingham in the 1930s. Keen that her workforce of young, sometimes poorly-educated, girls should find further enrichment, the owner started a tradition of reading aloud during the lunch break. My nan told me how they worked their way through the Old and New Testament of the Bible, before moving onto Dickens and Shakespeare—a bit different to Radio One blasting away in the staff canteen!

As I little kid, I remember Nan as always having a book on the go. It made me think that there might be something in this reading business—so I copied her, and started carrying A Bear Called Paddington around with me! I’ll admit that to begin with I didn’t open it that often, but after a while I gave it a go—and of course, I was hooked.

As I got older, I began recommending what I was reading to her. I’m not sure how much she actually enjoyed The Three Investigators series, but she read them, and we talked about how great they were. In turn, she lent me The Wind in the Willows and Watership Down (the first book to make me cry, sitting up in bed at 2am, sobbing by torchlight!) But the greatest passion we shared was Robert Westall. We were on a mission to collect and read his entire works. Sadly, my Nan died before we could complete the quest, but we did a pretty good job. I am now keeper of the collection—still guarded by the pig bookends she used to keep them in place.

Readers need each other—just as much as writers need readers, and readers need writers! I suspect that human beings have an innate need to share the things we like. (Have a quick look at Facebook or Twitter if you don't believe me.) We see a fantastic film, hear a great record or read a brilliant book, but it’s as though the process isn’t complete until we can tell somebody about it—and stories are meant for sharing.  

So, to all the great readers I have known and talked books with—but especially my nan—Happy Rock Cake Day! And if there is one special person who first introduced you to this wonderful world of books, why not give them a call—find out what they're reading, or meet up and share stories over a brew and a rock cake! You know it makes sense.

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Who is your inspirational reader? Please leave a comment and let us know your story.

Books on the Beach—The Edge Guide to Summer Reading! by Dave Cousins

I write this in haste. We go on holiday tomorrow, and I should be packing. Clothes aren’t a problem, but choosing which books to take requires time and some serious thought. No e-reader for me, so there are space and weight issues to consider.

Summer breaks have always been a great opportunity for reading. Memories of childhood holidays tend to blur into one compilation vacation, but I often remember places we visited because of the book I was reading at the time. I doubt Hound of the Baskervilles would have affected me quite so much had I not read it while staying in a remote cottage on a wind-blasted Cumbrian hillside. Each night I peered from my bedroom window convinced that the lights from the houses across the valley were signalling to me!

Here at the Edge, we like to spread the word about good books, so in honour of the season I asked a few friends for their favourite summer reads, and what they would be taking wrapped up in their beach towel this year.

Natasha Radford from the Chicken and Frog Bookshop in Brentwood 

So much to choose from! I took E. Lockhart's We Were Liars and loved it. It had a fantastic twist that I didn't work out and was, quite simply, an enchanting read. Set in a beautiful location, there are vivid descriptions which whisk you away. My 12 year old is working through the Death Note graphic novels by Tsugumi Ohba, at an alarming rate. Great illustrations and a gripping (very dark) plotline.

Fellow Edge writer and author of the superb Salvage, Keren David 

Helen Grant’s Silent Saturday and the Demons of Ghent, both atmospheric thrillers set in Flanders. Rae Earl's  My Mad Fat Diary—Funniest teenage diary ever. Better than Adrian Mole. Keris Stainton's Starring Kitty—A sweet romantic first love story, about a girl with a crush on another girl.

Librarian and CKG Judge Matt Imrie 

I recommend The Shining Girls and Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes—for people who would like a chill over the high summer. Serial killers, time travel and the monsters that humans can become! Grown up reading for anyone who wants to be drawn into a web of darkness. This One Summer is a graphic novel by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki—a coming of age story set over a summer “about the awkward transition from carefree childhood to jaded, self-conscious young adulthood” beautifully drawn and gripping.

Edge author Miriam Halahmy’s Hayling Cycle of young adult thrillers set on Hayling Island off the south coast of England, make perfect summer reading—sea, sun and lots of action! She would also recommend:

For children: Five Children and It by E. Nesbitt, about a grumpy sand fairy who offers them one wish each day which will turn to stone by sunset. This sets the children near impossible choices.

For teens: This year I loved Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell, a thoughtful romance to get lost in on the beach.

For adults: The Lie by Helen Dunmore, set in Cornwall after WW1. Beautiful descriptions and a different take on life after that terrible war.

Beth Khalil, LRC Manager at Charles Thorp School in Ryton

The books I would recommend with summer themes are That Summer by Sarah Dessen, Jim Carrington's Drive By and Jackdaw Summer by David Almond. I love any books by Sarah Dessen, they are perfect for teen readers to relax with when away from school and this was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Drive By was excellent and the characters stayed with me for ages after I’d finished reading it, especially Summer whom I loved! It was the first book I’ve read by Jim Carrington and have now bought the others. Jackdaw Summer is a great read especially for lads who want something particularly engaging. I loved in particular the first line: "It starts and ends with the knife …" Highly recommended!

The books I have piled up to read this summer are: RIOT by Sarah Mussi (I read that. It was brilliant—Ed.); The Bubble Wrap Boy by Phil Earle; Haunt – Dead Scared by Curtis Jobling; Exposure by Kathy Reichs (Virals – 4); Rockaway by Charlie Fletcher; The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

My full summer reading list is here http://bethreads.wordpress.com/

Megan, who writes The Book Addicted Girl blog
My perfect summer read … if you're into contemporary, I think a great one would be We Were Liars: set at a beach, full of mystery. Don't read it on a beach though—unless you enjoy crying in public … Ooh, I'm also reading Simone Elkeles' new book Better Than Perfect—which is a brilliant beach-side read if ever there was one! But for me, a paranormal addict, my perfect summer read would be either the Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo or Paula Weston's Rephaim series. The Grisha series has a Sun Summoner (suitably summery, right?) along with loads of action, romance and magic. The Rephaim series is set in Australia: insta-sun!! As for what I'll be taking on holiday …well, that'll probably be Jennifer L. Armentrout's Opposition and the second in the Game of Thrones series. What can I say? I'm just a fantasy girl! 

SCBWI Undiscovered Voices winner and author of the extremely funny Who Ate My Brain blog, Nick Cross 

I recommend Lousie Rennison's Georgia Nicolson books - they're perfect summer reading. Teenage Georgia is self-obsessed, but in no way self-aware, which makes her diary especially hilarious. As a forty-two-year-old man, I should probably be embarrassed at reading about fourteen-year-old girl stuff like boys, spots and unexpected leg hair, so I shall have to claim that I'm doing it all in the name of research. This is because I have my own fourteen-year-old daughter, although she reads the same books with a furrowed brow, as though it's all a true-life documentary about the misunderstood plight of modern teenagers!

The Edge’s own Savita Kalhan author of the chilling YA thriller, The Long Weekend

The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson: Light, funny and ridiculous in equal measure! Loved the main character - a young black orphaned girl from the slums in Soweto who's ever changing circumstances, and extremely high IQ, take her on a path that leads to hobnobbing with presidents and royalty. Thoroughly enjoyed it. How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid: This comes highly recommended by a friend. It's received great reviews too, so really looking forward to reading this. And looking forward to a re-reading of The Earthsea Quartet by Ursula Le Guin.

Edge author Sara Grant, whose Half Lives was one of my summer reads of last year, just returned from holiday with our third recommendation for E. Lockhart's We Were Liars.

My wife Jane, is my first reader, harshest editor and best critic! It takes a good book to win her praise so I’ll certainly be stealing this from her pile. 

My holiday reading this year has been Tove Jansson’s The Summer Book. Famous for her Moomins series of childrens’ tales, the author also wrote ten novels for adults. The lives of the inhabitants of a small Finnish island are documented through snapshots of odd days and events. It is ideal as a ‘dip-in’ book as each chapter can be read in isolation; but the parts add up to a fascinating portrait of the two main characters: a grandmother and her grandchild, Sophia. The book has a quietness to it that echoes the long summer days, but covers much more than relationships. Philosophy, religion and comments on the environment are touched upon through the conversations and actions of the characters. The wisdom, wit and imagination of the old woman and young girl appeals to all generations, and it reminds us not to dismiss those at either extremes of their lives. I can see why it is regarded as a classic in Scandinavia and look forward to reading the The Winter Book when the weather turns.

Finally my own book of the summer:
Butter by Erin Lange was one of those special stories that grabbed me on page one, and didn’t let go—or let me down. A potentially dark subject handled with subtlety, humour and heart. The voice and characters are particularly well crafted, in fact I can’t praise this highly enough—one of my reads of 2014 without a doubt. Great cover too!

Now all that's left is to choose which of my stack of "books to read" will make it into the suitcase. After much deliberation I've gone for: Tape by Steven Camden (I’ve heard good things about this, but Keri Smith’s cover alone would have made me read it!), The Bubble Wrap Boy by Phil Earle (I’m a big fan of Mr Earle, and this one sounds great), plus Dark Satanic Mills, written by Marcus and Julian Sedgwick, illustrated by John Higgins and Marc Olivent (I do like a good graphic novel, and I’ve been waiting to get my hands on this since I bought it back from Hay for my lad.)

So, that's it. If you wouldn't mind just sitting on this case while I try to close it … 

Huge thanks to everyone for taking the time to offer their recommendations. Have a good summer and happy reading.

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Waiting for Gonzo by Dave Cousins recently won the Grampian Children’s Book Award. It is out now in paperback and audiobook—read by the author!

At the Edge of the World Cup: Football and Reading—a winning combination?

By the time this post goes live, we will be eight days into the 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals. It’s hard to escape football, with news and comment from Brazil dominating the airwaves and filling the streets. I like football, but I appreciate it’s not for everyone. In fact, I imagine some readers will be on the verge of clicking away to another post—but stay with me.

There are a lot of young sports fans out there, most of whom would much rather be outside kicking, or hitting, a ball than settling down with a book—but maybe sport and reading have more in common than we think. 

As a supporter of an extraordinarily unsuccessful football team, I’ve long been aware of the drama inherent in the game—in fact, what is a football match if not the classic quest story? All the ingredients are there: a closely knit band of brothers (a fellowship if you will) in search of a mythical trophy (believe me, for many fans, such trophies are indeed the stuff of legend). These protagonists are watched over by a manager or coach—an older, sometimes enigmatic figure—guiding them with words of wisdom from the sidelines. We have conflict—adversaries trying to stop our heroes from obtaining their goal. These opposing forces are often more powerful and ruthless than our plucky idols. There is a beginning, a middle and an end; a repeating series of try/fail cycles where our players attempt to use what skills they have to achieve their aims; we have characters, heroes and villains: the angry one; a young hopeful; the mercurial maverick; the legendary almost magical one; the unlikely hero waiting on the bench. As for the setting—what could be more dramatic and evocative than a full football stadium? That palpable sense of anticipation, hope and fear, carried across the floodlit field by thousands of voices raised in song. If you like stories containing heroism, a struggle against the odds, conflict, glory and failure … the World Cup Finals might not be such a bad place to look.

But can sport provide a way into reading? Once the finals are over, there will be many young fans feeling a sense of loss—a World Cup shaped hole in their lives—and there are thousands of great books that could plug that gap. Apart from the many biographies and magazines, there is a wealth of sports fiction available. I wish authors like Mal Peet, Tom Palmer and Helena Pielichaty had been writing when I was growing up, not to mention the impressive list of authors who have written about football on the National Literacy Trust’s Premier League Reading Stars website.

Here are a few links to resources that may be helpful in tempting young sports fans to pick up a book …

Premier League Reading Stars FREE World Cup resources

The Reading Agency Kick Off! Football Action Chatterbooks Activity Pack

Oxford University Press Charlie Merrick Free Football Resources

A list of my top 11 football books

Charlie Merrick's step by step guide to drawing a football action scene

Charlie Merrick’s Misfits in Fouls, Friends and Football by Dave Cousins, is out now, published by Oxford University Press.

Getting Edgy at Hemel Hempstead Library for Herts Lit Fest

Edge Authors Sara Grant and Dave Cousins

On Tuesday 25th March, two-eighths (or one quarter!) of the Edge were at Hemel Hempstead Library for a morning of book-inspired edginess as part of the Hertfordshire Literary Festival. Sixty year seven students and staff from The Hemel Hempstead School made it through a Spring downpour to spend the morning at the library.

Dave and Sara with Hemel Hempstead School students.
(Thanks to Tom for the photo.)

The session began with an entertaining tour of the vast range of library services on offer from Young Persons Librarian Karen Stephens—who managed to find an something available at the library for every letter in THE EDGE!

Next, Edge authors Sara Grant and Dave Cousins gave the students an introduction to themselves and their books.

Sara reveals the inspiration for her latest Young Adult thriller HALF LIVES

Dave wonders if this is the HEAD that's been missing for 15 DAYS!

In the week leading up to the event, Edge ‘Graffiti Walls’ had been installed in Hemel Hempstead Library and at the school.

Graffiti Wall bookshelves ready for student comments
at The Hemel Hempstead School Library

Students and library visitors were invited to write book-related questions and opinions on the walls for discussion by a panel at the event.

The Graffiti Wall at Hemel Hempstead Library.

Joining Sara and Dave on the panel were librarians Emma and Naomi, plus year seven students Gus and Dan. The aim of the Graffiti Wall is to spark a discussion about books and reading with as many different perspectives on books and reading as we can, so it was brilliant to have young readers and librarians sharing their opinions, not just the authors!

The Hemel Hempstead School students provided a steady stream of thought-provoking questions, and the morning passed far too quickly.

All that remained was time for some book borrowing, buying and signing.

Sara and Dave would like to thank everyone involved for their time and effort in making the event possible, especially Emma Scott, Shirley Everall, Karen Stephens, Naomi and Mobeena at the library, Mrs Krajewski and her fellow staff at The Hemel Hempstead School, and Hemel Hempstead Waterstones for supplying the books.

Finally, our thanks to the year sevens—their company, questions and opinions made sure the event was a lot of fun for everyone involved. The final words we will leave to them. Thanks for your kind comments guys … 

"Our trip to the Library was great. We loved the authors because they were really funny. We both went on the panel which was super fun. All in all it was a great trip and I would love to do another. Thanks Dave Cousins and Sara Grant."

Gus & Dan

"We thoroughly enjoyed the event. Dave Cousins was very entertaining and Sara Grant was interesting to listen to. It was a wonderful experience and we learnt a lot. We wish we’d bought all their books!"

Maya & Eve

"I really enjoyed meeting Sara Grant and Dave Cousins, it was an amazing opportunity. We got to ask them both some very interesting questions and heard what other people said as well. We were lucky enough to have them read us parts from their books too. Afterwards their books were on sale and we all got a signed bookmark. I’m so glad that I could go."

Talia

"Meeting Dave Cousins and Sara Grant at the Library was a fantastic experience. I loved asking them questions and learning about them. It was a very inspiring trip."
Harriet

The event was covered by the Hemel Hempstead Gazette.
(Thanks to Becca Choules and David Satchel (photo))