Henley Literary Festival

Posted: 12th October 2021

Across Lyndhurst took part in the Henley Literary Festival through the online workshops.  We were given the opportunity to hear from a fantastic line-up of UK’s bestselling and much-loved children’s authors, We enjoyed the workshops from Henley Literary Festival across the school this week.

Reception & Year 1 listened to Kjartan Poskitt and Alex Willmore and heard about their story ‘The Runaway Pea Left Behind’.

‘Epic Hero Flop’ by Zanib Mian was shared with Year 3 & Year 4

Year Two listened to Smriti Halls who wrote ‘I’m Sticking With You Too’

Despite the intermittent connection with the talk with Michael Morpurgo Year 5 & Year 6 learnt from where he got his ideas.  We heard from Michael Morpurgo about a poem inspired by a lady showing him and his wife a flying fish.   He taught the children people’s history makes them.  There was a great king in this country which affects our lives now – King Alfred.  King Alfred is really only known today for burning the cakes, but he was the first king who believed people should be educated.

Michael Morpurgo recommended that we should look at George Butler’s, an illustrator, work.  This illustrator spends his life going to places of devastation where he draws powerful line drawings.

Michael Morpurgo has written his first book of poetry books – When Fish are Good and Carnival of Animal

We learnt from Sir Michael Morpurgo that ‘Words are supposed to be spoken; stories are best when spoken aloud.’ and ‘Heroes are the silent ones’. He was inspired by his mother who read to him when he was a boy and his wife.  The best sentence that sums up his life is, ‘It’s not over yet.’

Categories: English School Blog