Primary school hosts author visit
School pupils’ reading has been put at the heart of learning by a special author visit to Ravensthorpe Primary School in Peterborough.
The primary school, part of Peterborough Keys Academies Trust, has been working closely with the National Literacy Trust this academic year and presented the school with the opportunity for London-based author and illustrator Louie Stowell to visit.
Best known for her Norse God series about the mischievous Loki who is banished to the human world to live as a normal boy, Loiue hosted an hour assembly with the children where some children were selected to participate in a re-telling of a short story that appears in one of her books.
Miss Paige Nunn, Year 6 class teacher and Reading Lead said: “We were delighted to host Louie Stowell at our school where her books are really well like by our children. Reading is loved by our children and her visit was very inspiring.”
Louie discussed what it is like to be an author and illustrator. Three children who asked the best questions were selected as winners and took home a signed copy of her illustrations – the children decided what it was she illustrated. The session ended with Q&A’s and she answered questions about what it is like to be an author, where she gets inspiration from and the publication process.
Elizabeth, a Year 6 pupil said: “‘I really enjoyed the part where we were asked what animals or items we wanted the author to draw. I have never seen someone draw like that before and I liked that every item looked like the main character Loki.”
Natalia, a First Year 5 child said: “‘The re-telling was so fun. There was a runaway bride and the gods were mischievous and tricking each other. It was really funny. I have her book from World Book Day and I liked it, but I am excited to read her big book when it arrives in our classroom library.”
Ollie, a Second Year 5 Child said: “I asked the author how she gets inspiration. She said it comes from everyday things and some topics you are interested in. That means we can write stories about everyday things as well.”
There are 200,000 copies of the Loki series in print at the moment and her new book, the fourth in the Loki series is set to release in September 2024.