TEDDINGTON SCHOOL

BOOK WEEK

Monday 27 June to

Friday 1 July 2016

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Chris PRIESTLEY

Book Week 2016

Melvin BURGESS

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Teddington School Book Week is a major feature of the cultural calendar of our school. When I first arrived at the school in 2014 Book Week was the first whole school event to take place. I was so impressed by the scale of the event and the commitment of so many people to bring such a professional literary festival together in a school setting. School libraries need to be cherished and developed. Reading is both a real gift and an essential skill. The love of reading and the skills required run deep in the school‘s English Department, Library and across the school. Events like Book Week ensure that reading has all of our attention and it inspires our young people, staff and families to read more, read different and read new. It is a wonderful event. My thanks to everyone involved, the PTA, the English Department, the Library staff and staff and volunteers across the school who ensure that we bring together such a high quality programme of writers and experiences for our young people. I am looking forward to attending as many events as possible and sharing with our young people the genuine enjoyment Book Week brings.

John Wilkinson Headteacher

Welcome to TEDDINGTON SCHOOL

BOOK WEEK 2016

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Anthony McGOWAN

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Book Week 2016

Melvin BURGESS Juno DAWSON

Helen EAST Pete JOHNSON Gareth JONES

Tanya LANDMAN Anthony McGOWAN Chris PRIESTLEY

Bali RAI Nick TOCZEK

Catherine WEBB Matt WHYMAN

Marcia WILLIAMS

Authors visiting TEDDINGTON SCHOOL

BOOK WEEK 2016

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Persist (2015)

La dose (2014) Death (2014)

Krispy Whispers (2013) Hunger (2013)

Junk (reissued 2014, published 1996) Doing It (reissued 2014, published 2003)

The Hit (2013) Bloodtide (reissued 2013, published 1999)

Bloodsong (reissued 2013, published 2007) The Baby and Fly Pie (reissued 2012, published 1993)

An Angel for May (reissued 2013, published 1992) Burning Issy (reissued 2012, published 1992)

Kill All Enemies (2011) The Cry of the Wolf (reissued 2011, published 1990)

Nicholas Dane (2009)

Melvin Burgess was brought up in Sussex and Berkshire. He didn‘t do very well at school as he was too much of a daydreamer, and ―came away with two very bad A-levels, in Biology and English‖. After he left school, Melvin got a job as a journalist with the local newspaper and was sent on a six month training course. Although he enjoyed the course, by the end of ithe had decided that the only thing he wanted to be was an author. He left to write his first novel—which no one wanted to publish—and for the next fifteen years maintained casual jobs here and there, while keeping up his writing. Melvin then decided to move to Bristol, where he lived until he was thirty. ―Inner-city Bristol was a great place to live, with a big racial and cultural mix. I learned a lot there and got my feeling for life.‖ It was only when he moved to London that he decided to try and really make a go of his writing. Until then he says, ―I‘d never really put getting published over writing what I felt like writing.‖ (from http://www.melvinburgess.net) His first children‘s book The Cry of the Wolf was published in 1990 and was shortlisted for the prestigious Carnegie Medal. His controversial and best-known book Junk, about a group of heroin-addicted teenagers, was published in 1996. It won the Carnegie Medal and the Guardian Children‘s Fiction Award. Melvin is now regarded as one of the best writers of contemporary children‘s literature.

AWARDS Bloodtide - shortlisted for Angus Book Award (2005) Junk - winner of the Carnegie Medal (1996) and the Guardian Children‘s Fiction Award (1997) - shortlisted for the Whitbread Children‘s Book of the Year (1998)

For more information about Melvin visit his website: http://www.melvinburgess.net

or find him on Twitter @MelvinBurgess

Melvin BURGESS

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS FICTION: Mind Your Head (2016) Spot the Difference (2016) All of the Above (2015) Under My Skin (2015) This Book is Gay (2014) Say Her Name (2014) Cruel Summer (2013) Hollow Pike (2012) NON-FICTION: Being a Boy (2013)

Juno Dawson was, and still is, an avid Doctor Who fan and indulged her creative side by writing imaginary new episodes for the series. Later she worked as a journalist and also as a teacher, specialising in PSHCE. In 2011 Juno decided to become a full-time writer. Her first book, teen thriller Hollow Pike, was published in 2012 and was shortlisted for the Queen of Teen award—as James, he was the first male author ever to be shortlisted. A second novel Cruel Summer shortly followed, and her latest novel Mind Your Head is hot off the press. Drawing on her experience as a PSHCE teacher, she has also written a non-fiction guide to puberty, sex and relationships for teenage boys called Being a Boy. Juno has been a School Role Model for the gay rights charity Stonewall. She describes herself as an ―activist, film fan and pop obsessive.‖ Originally from West Yorkshire, she now lives in Brighton.

For more information about Juno visit her website: http://www.junodawson.com or find her on Twitter @_junodawson

AWARDS Say Her Name

- shortlisted for the Queen of Teen Award (2014)

Hollow Pike - shortlisted for the Queen of Teen Award

(2012)

Juno DAWSON

Helen East was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and has since lived and toured all over the world. Wherever she goes, she is always listening, learning and sharing stories with the people around her, a craft she has honed from a young age. Helen‘s vast collection of stories is drawn from all around the globe and includes many different kinds of stories: from traditional folk tales to oral history; original picture book stories to urban myths. She often works with percussionist Rick Wilson, weaving words and music together, and has also worked on many projects that have combined storytelling with other art forms. In 1980 Helen co-founded the influential group Common Lore Storytellers, which became a training ground for many up-and-coming storytellers. She was Director of the National Folktale Centre from 1987-90 and a founding member ofthe National Society for Storytelling. Helen is also a well-established writer who has written several books for children and adults.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS London Folk Tales (2012)

How the Olympics Came to Be (2011) Spirit of the Forest (2007)

For more information about Helen visit her website: http://www.eastorywilsound.co.uk

Helen EAST

Pete Johnson was born in Winchester in 1965 and has been writing from an early age. By the time he was eleven he was entering competitions and sending stories to publishers. He read English at Birmingham University and then worked as a film critic on a local newspaper, before moving onto a job at Radio 1. As well as being a journalist and author, Pete has been a film extra and an English and Drama teacher. He currently lives in St. Albans but travels all over the UK for his work. Pete wrote his first novel Secrets from the School Underground in 1986,while he was teaching at a secondary school. He has now written over 40 books and has been translated into 22 languages. He isbest known for his award-winning comedies – How To Train Your Parents and Help! I’m a Classroom Gambler –and thrillers– The Ghost Dog, Traitor and The Frighteners. He has also written plays and stories that have been dramatised for radio and theatre, and has made many TV appearances. Pete also enjoys running creative writing workshops and interactive talks for both primary and secondary school pupils.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS How to Update Your Parents (2016) Mate Match (2016) My Parents are Driving Me Crazy (2015) Autumn Surprise (2014) Eyes of the Alien (2014) Vampire Series: The Vampire Blog (2010) The Vampire Hunters (2011) The Vampire Fighters (2012) Vampire Bewitched (2014) Awesome (2013) My Parents Are Out of Control (2013) Return of the (Un) Teenager (2011) The Creeper (2011) Hero? (2010) Help! I‘m a Classroom Gambler (2006) Trust Me, I‘m a Troublemaker (2005) Diary of an (Un) Teenager (2004) How to Train Your Parents (2003) Traitor (2002) The Frighteners (2001) Rescuing Dad (2001) The Eyes of the Alien (1999) The Ghost Dog (1996)

For more information about Pete visit his website: http://www.petejohnsonauthor.com

AWARDS My Parents Are Out of Control

- shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize (2013)

- shortlisted for the Sheffield Children‘s Book Award (2013)

Help! I‘m a Classroom Gambler - winner of Leicester Children‘s Book of the

Year Award (2008) The Ghost Dog

- winner of Stockton Children‘s Book of the Year Award (1997)

- winner of Young Telegraph Paperback of the Year (1997)

Pete JOHNSON

Gareth Jones was born in Birmingham in 1973. The first story he wrote which unfortunately never made it to publication, was about a boy called Gareth and was inspired by events in his life. In his early twenties he completed his first full length novel which was also rejected by publishers. He went on to work in TV on shows such as ‗The Big Breakfast‘ and ‗Richard and Judy‘. Gareth currently lives with his wife Lisa, children Herbie and Autumn, and enjoys playing his many stringed instruments. He is involved in writing books, visiting schools and performing at festivals all over the world including the Edinburgh Book Festival, the Hay Festival, Camp Bestival, Latitude, Litteralund (in Sweden) and the Sharjah Book Fair. His performances are full of energy and fun, packed with song, dance and variety of costumes. He has a wide selection of specially written short-stories and songs for his performances and has the ability to captivate audiences of varying ages. He is most famous for his comic-gothic book, The Considine Curse, which won the Blue Peter Book of the Year 2012 and for The Thornthwaite Inheritance, which was shortlisted and won many different awards. His books include three series; namely The Ninja Meerkats; The Dragon Detective Agency and The Adventures of the Steampunk Pirates. His newest books released in 2016 are Rise of the Slippery Sea Monster and Death or Ice Cream.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Rise of the Slippery Sea Monster (2016)

Death or Ice Cream? (2016) Are you the Pirate Captain? (2015)

No True Echo (2015) The Dinosaur‘s are Having a Party (2014)

The Society of Thirteen (2013) Constable and Toop (2012)

The Considine Curse (2011) The Space Crime Conspiracy (2010)

Perry's 5 (2009) The Thornthwaite Inheritance (2009)

SERIES: Ninja Meerkats

The Dragon Detective Agency Adventures of the Steampunk Pirates

For more information about Gareth visit his websites: http://www.garethwrites.co.uk and

http://www.thedragondetectiveagency.com or find him on Twitter @jonesgarethp

AWARDS The Considine Curse - winner of Blue Peter Book Award (2012) The Thornthwaite Inheritance - winner of Doncaster Book Award (2011) - shortlisted for Leicester Children‘s Book Award (2011) - shortlisted for Eleven Local Book Awards (2009) - winner of Hounslow Junior Book Award (2009) - winner of The Calderdale Book Award (2009) - winner of Leicester Children's Book Award (2009) - winner of Sefton Super Reads (2009) - winner of Rotherham Children's Book Award (2009) - winner of Fantastic Book Award, Lancaster (2009) The Dragon Detective Agency: The Case of the Missing Cats - shortlisted for Waterstone‘s Book Prize (2006)

Gareth JONES

Tanya Landman grew up in Gravesend, Kent and enjoyed the outdoors while maintaining a strong interest in all things wild. Tanya studied for a degree in English Literature at Liverpool University. She began her career working in the children‘s section of a bookshop, before moving to work in an arts centre and later a zoo. In 1992 Tanya began working with the Storybox Theatre as a writer, administrator and performer and began performing at festivals across the globe. Tanya currently lives in Devon with her partner Rod Burnett, her two sons and a number of animals. Tanya wrote her first book, A Drop of Rain Green Band in 2000 and loved the fact that she was now allowed to daydream and use this creatively in her writing. She has won many awards and has been twice shortlisted for the Carnegie Award, for Apache and Buffalo Soldier. She went onto win the Carnegie Award in 2015 for the Buffalo Soldier. As well as individual titles, Tanya has written three series of books, namely Sam Swann’s Movie Mysteries, Poppy Fields Mysteries and Flotsam and Jetsam.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS The Selfish Giant Band 12/Copper (2016) Hell and High Water (2015) Buffalo Soldier (2014) Two Words (2013) Mary‘s Penny (2011) Geronimo (2010) The Goldsmith‘s Daughter (2008) Two Words (2008) The Kraken Snores (2008) Apache (2007) The World‘s Bellybutton (2007) Waking Merlin (2006) Merlin‘s Apprentice (2006) A Drop of Rain Green Band (2000) SERIES: Sam Swann‘s Movie Mysteries Poppy Fields Mysteries Flotsam and Jetsam

For more information about Tanya visit her website: http://www.tanyalandman.com or find her on Twitter @tanya_landman

AWARDS Buffalo Soldier

- winner of Carnegie Award (2015) Murder Mysteries 1: Mondays are Murder

- winner of Red House Children‘s Book Award (2010)

- winner of Leeds Book Award (2010) - shortlisted for several Regional Book Awards

(2010) Apache

- shortlisted for Carnegie Award (2008) - selected for 50 of the Best Children‘s Books celebrating cultural diversity in the UK (2008)

Tanya LANDMAN

Anthony McGowan was born in Manchester and attended a fairly rough comprehensive school in Leeds. He graduated from Manchester University going on to complete a PhD in Philosophy. He has worked as a nightclub bouncer, an Open University philosophy tutor, freelance journalist, cinema critic and civil servant. He now writes full-time and lives in London with his family. Anthony is one of the most widely acclaimed authors of young adult fiction. Most of his books are rooted in the real world and are often based on personal experience. His first novel Hellbent draws on Anthony‘s memories of being a member of the Low Garth Rangers Gang (named after the road he lived on), while Henry Tumour was inspired by a brush with cancer as a teenager. The Knife that Killed Me, Anthony‘s thought-provoking novel about bullying and teenage knife crime has been made into a film. News of the release date is expected soon. In a slight departure from his usual writing, Anthony has recently written four contemporary adventure stories for the classic Willard Price Adventure series. The first was published in 2012 to mark the 125th anniversary of Willard Price‘s birth, and the fourth Python Adventure was published in 2014.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Willard Price Adventure SERIES:

Leopard Adventure (2012) Shark Adventure (2013) Bear Adventure (2013)

Python Adventure (2014) Brock (2013)

Hello Darkness (2013) The Donut Diaries SERIES:

The Donut Diaries: Book One (2011) The Donut Diaries: Revenge is Sweet (2012)

The Donut Diaries: Escape from Camp Fatso (2012) The Fall (2011)

Einstein‘s Underpants: And How They Saved the World (2010)

The Knife that Killed Me (2008) Henry Tumour (2006)

Mortal Coil (2005) Hellbent (2005)

For more information about Anthony visit his website: http://www.anthonymcgowan.com

or find him on Twitter @anthony_mcgowan

AWARDS The Knife that Killed Me - shortlisted for the Booktrust Teenage Prize (2008) Henry Tumour - winner of the Booktrust Teenage Prize (2006) Hellbent - shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award (2006) - shortlisted for Anthony Horowitz‘s Daily Telegraph Book of the Year (2006)

Anthony McGOWAN

Chris Priestley grew up in Wales and Gibraltar. As a nine-year-old, he won a medal in a local newspaper‘s story-writing competition. Chris is inspired by a variety of things including his love of unsettling, creepy fiction, ghost stories, weird tales, sci-fi and horror. His style is influenced by his love of traditional horror stories by authors such as Edgar Allan Poe and Mary Shelley. In 1976, after spending his teens in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, he went to study illustration at Manchester Polytechnic. In 1980 he moved to London to work in freelance as an illustrator for a wide range of clients and his work appeared regularly in The Times, The Listener and The Observer. Chris has worked as a cartoonist and illustrator for many years, working mainly for magazines and newspaper (including The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Economist and the Wall). Chris also worked briefly as a poster designer and his paintings have been widely exhibited. Chris has written a variety psychological thrillers for young readers since his first book, Dog Magic which was published in 2000. He is the author of chilling and brilliant Tales of Terror series, The Haunting, The Dead of Winter and the fantastically frightening Mister Creecher. Chris has also written two book series, namely the Tom Marlowe Adventures and The Tales of Terror. Chris has been shortlisted for a variety of awards, was the winner of BASH (Book Award St Helens) in 2012 for his outstanding novel Mister Creecher as well as various awards for the Tales of Terror Series.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS The Wickford Doom (2015) The Last of the Spirits (2014) The Dead Men Stood Together (2013) Through Dead Eyes (2013) Blood Oath (2011) The Dead Of Winter (2010) Mister Creecher (2010) Billy Wizard (2005) Witch Hunt (2003) Dog Magic! (2000) SERIES: Tom Marlowe Adventures Tales of Terror

For more information about Chris visit his websites: http://www.chrispriestleybooks.com and http://www.talesofterror.co.uk or find him on Twitter @chrispriestley

AWARDS Mister Creecher

- winner of the BASH (Book Award St Helens) (2012)

The German translation of Uncle Montague‘s Tales of Terror

- shortlisted for a Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis (2011)

Tales of Terror from the Black Ship - winner of a CPNB Vlag and Wimpel

for the Dutch translation (2010) Tales of Terror from the Tunnel‘s Mouth - winner of the Dracula Society Children

of the Night Award (2009) Redwulf's Curse

- winner of the Lancashire Fantastic Book Award (2006)

Death and the Arrow - shortlisted for an Edgar Award

in the US (2004)

Chris PRIESTLEY

Bali Rai was brought up in a multicultural community in Leicester. As a child he dreamt of three things: playing football for Liverpool FC, being Bob Marley, and becoming a writer. While books by many authors (including Roald Dahl) had encouraged him to write for fun, it was reading The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged13 3⁄4 by Sue Townsend that inspired him to start writing seriously. After a degree in Politics at Southbank University, Bali did various jobs to make ends meet. It was while he was working as a nightclub manager back in Leicester that he started writing his first young adult novel (Un) arranged Marriage. The novel was published in 2001 to great acclaim and was soon followed by The Crew and Rani & Sukh. Since then Bali has become a well-established writer for young adults. Rani & Sukh became a set text for GCSE in 2010, and he was appointed the writer-in-residence at Booktrust in 2012. Bali remains an avid fan of reggae music and a dedicated supporter of Liverpool FC.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Game On (2015)

Web of Darkness (2014) Old Dog New Tricks (2014)

Kiss of Death (2014) The Night Run (2014)

Shivers (2013) Trouble - Tales from Devana High (reissued 2013) Secrets – Tales from Devana High (reissued 2013)

What‘s Your Problem (reissued 2012) Fire City (2012)

The Demon Hunter (2012) Killing Honour (2011) City of Ghosts (2010)

The Whisper (2005) Rani & Sukh (2004)

The Crew (2003) (Un)arranged Marriage (2001)

For more information about Bali visit his website: http://www.balirai.co.uk

or find him on Twitter @balirai

AWARDS Web of Darkness - winner of Shropshire Teenage Book Award (2015) - winner of Leeds Teen Book Award (2015) Killing Honour - winner of North East Teen Book Award (2012) The Whisper - shortlisted for the Booktrust Teenage Prize (2005) Rani & Sukh - shortlisted for the Booktrust Teenage Prize (2004) (Un)arranged Marriage - winner of the Angus Book Award (2002) - winner of Leicester Book of the Year Award (2003) - shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award (2002)

Bali RAI

Nick Toczek was born and brought up in Bradford, where he still lives with his family. He graduated from the University of Birmingham with an MSc in Industrial Metallurgy but has always had a passion for music, words and performing. Today he is well known, not just as a writer, but also as a performance poet, professional magician, stand-up comedian, journalist, radio DJ, and rock musician! A best-selling author with over 40 books published, his poetry books alone have sold well over half a million copies. His poems are funny and thought provoking, accessible yet challenging, and appeal to a wide audience. He has visited thousands of schools and worked with students all around the world performing his poetry and running writing workshops. Nick has been making music since the ‘70s, and has written and recorded many songs with various artists. He recently co-wrote a song for acclaimed indie band Babyshambles and is currently recording tracks for his own new album. He was commissioned to write the script and lyrics for a children‘s opera The Jailer‘s Tale. With music by Malcolm Singer, it was premiered at London‘s Arts Depot in 2010 and has also been performed at the Royal Festival Hall and the Yehudi Menuhin School. His first full-length political book, Haiters, Baiters and Would-Be Dictators: Anti-Semitism and the UK Far-Right, was published by Routledge at the end of 2015. He is currently working on the follow-up, "Farage Faces Foreigners", covering the history of British Euro-scepticism, Islamaphobia and wider xenophobia.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Haiters, Baiters and Would-Be Dictators: Anti-Semitism and the UK Far-Right (2015) Cats ‘n‘ Bats ‘n‘ Slugs ‘n‘ Bugs (2009) Number, Number, Cut a Cucumber (2009) Me and My Poems (2008) Hogs ‘n‘ Dogs ‘n‘ Slugs ‘n‘ Bugs (2008) Read Me Out Loud! A Poem for Every Day of the Year chosen by Nick Toczek and Paul Cookson (2007) Dragons! (2005) Kick It! (2002)

Nick TOCZEK

Catherine Webb was born in 1986. She attended Godolphin and Latymer School in London and wrote her first novel Mirror Dreams during the summer holidays when she was fourteen. It was published by Atom Books two years later. After she left school, Catherine studied International History at the London School of Economics where she became the first student to be the Technical Manager for the university theatre. She went on to study Technical Theatre and Stage Management at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and now works as a freelance lighting designer and electrician when she is not writing. Catherine initially wrote young adult books under the name Catherine Webb, as her writing and style developed she then wrote adult fantasy under the name Kate Griffin. In 2014, she released The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August under the pseudonym Claire North. This became a paperback bestseller and was selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club, the Waterstones Book Club and the Radio 2 Book Club. Her writing is influenced by London itself, by books she has read, and by films she has watched. She enjoys walking around London as part of her research and encourages people to write about the things that they enjoy doing.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS As Catherine WEBB Horatio Lyle SERIES:

Horatio Lyle: The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures (2006)

The Obsidian Dagger: Being the Further Extraordinary Adventures of Horatio Lyle (2006)

The Doomsday Machine: Another Astounding Adventure of Horatio Lyle (2007)

The Dream Thief (2010) Sam Linnifer Series: Waywalkers (2003)

Timekeepers (2004) As Kate GRIFFIN

Magicals Anonymous Series: Stray Souls (2012) The Glass God (2013)

Matthew Swift Series: A Madness of Angels (2009) The Midnight Mayor (2010)

The Neon Court (2011) The Minority Council (2012)

As Claire NORTH The Sudden Appearance of Hope (2016)

Touch (2015) The Gameshouse Novellas:

- The Serpent (eBook - 2015) - The Thief (eBook - 2015)

- The Master (eBook - 2015) The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (2014)

For more information about Catherine visit her website: http://www.kategriffin.net

or find her on Twitter @ClaireNorth42

AWARDS The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August - selected for Richard and Judy Book Club (2014) - selected for The Waterstones Book Club (2014) - selected for The Radio 2 Book Club (2014) The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle - nominated for Carnegie Medal (2005) Timekeepers - nominated for Carnegie Medal (2005)

Catherine WEBB

Matt Whyman was born in 1969 and grew up in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. Straight after leaving school he got a job making night-vision cameras for German fighter jets but very quickly realised this wasn‘t for him. A graduate of the University of East Anglia‘s MA in Creative Writing, Matt is now a best-selling author and is also well known as a teenage advice columnist. He was the first male advice columnist for 19 magazine and is currently the resident agony uncle on Radio 1‘s The Surgery. Matt has written widely for all ages across arange of subjects: fiction and non-fiction, books for adults, teenagers and younger children. His first young adultnovel Superhuman was published in 2003. It was quickly followed in 2004 by Boy Kills Man, a story about two boys growing up on the streets of Medellin in Columbia who are drawn into a world of drugs and guns. Boy Kills Man was shortlisted for the Booktrust Teenage Prize and is now being adapted for film. Matt‘s most recent novels The Savages and American Savage are two darkly humorous stories about a family with extreme tastes in meat-eating. Vegetarians beware! Matt has also written several teen advice books, including Unzipped: A Toolkit for Life.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS FICTION: Boy Kills Man (reissued 2014, published 2004) American Savage (2014) The Savages (2013) Goldstrike (2009) Inside the Cage (2007) The Wild (2005) Superhuman (2003) As Lazlo STRANGOLOV Tooth & Claw (2010) Feather & Bone (2009) NON-FICTION: Unzipped: A Toolkit for Life (2007)

For more information about Matt visit his website: http://www.mattwhyman.com or find him on Twitter @mattwhyman

AWARDS The Savages

- winner of Angus Book Award (2014) - shortlisted for North East Teenage Book

Award (2013) Feather & Bone

- shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal (2010) Boy Kills Man

- shortlisted for the Booktrust Teenage Prize (2004)

Matt WHYMAN

Marcia Williams’ mother was a writer and her father a playwright. She spent the early part of her life in Hong Kong, Nigeria and the Middle East with her mother and diplomat stepfather. Marcia didn‘t receive any formal art training and didn‘t set out to be an illustrator. Her distinctive comic-book style developed at an early age when she was at boarding school and had to write home every week. ―I never wrote normal letters. I tried to tell my family about whatI was doing in a way that was more fun. Also, my parents didn‘t let me read comic books, so I decided to create my own.‖ Marcia has written and illustrated numerous books, her first The First Christmas was published in 1987. Many of these have been retellings of the classics—from the Greek Myths to retellings of Shakespeare‘s plays. Marcia also recently created Archie’s War, a child‘s scrapbook of WWI, and Flossie’s Secret War Diary, an account of WWII as seen through the eyes of young Flossie Albright. Both books have received huge critical acclaim. Earlier this year The Romans: Gods, Emperors and Dormice was shortlisted for the new Booktrust Best Book Award. Marcia now lives on a riverboat on the Thames and is a regular speaker at universities, festivals and book events.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Charles Dickens SHORT NOVELS:

A Christmas Carol (2014) Great Expectations (2014)

Oliver Twist (2014) David Copperfield (2014)

Lizzy Bennet‘s Diary (2013) The Romans: Gods, Emperors and Dormice (2013)

The Elephant‘s Friend and Other Tales from Ancient India (2013)

Ancient Egypt: Tales of Gods and Pharaohs (2012) Mr William Shakespeare‘s Plays (reissued 2009) My Secret War Diary, by Flossie Albright (2008)

Oliver Twist & Other Great Dickens Stories (2007) Archie‘s War (2007)

Chaucer‘s Canterbury Tales (2006) Charles Dickens and Friends (2002)

For more information about Marcia visit her website: http://www.marciawilliams.co.uk

AWARDS The Romans: Gods, Emperors and Dormice - shortlisted for the Booktrust Best Book Award (2014) Ancient Egypt: Tales of Gods and Pharaohs - winner of Platinum Best Book Award Oppenheim Toy Portfolio (2011) My Secret War Diary - winner of the British Book Design and Production Award (2009) Archie‘s War - winner of the UK Literacy Association Book Awards (2009) - shortlisted for the English Association English 4-11 Best Books Awards (2008)

Marcia WILLIAMS

Carefully, I trudge along the precarious path. One careless step and I could fall onto the jagged rocks below, prey of the sea. Far off, I hear the ear- shattering shriek of a gull, viciously the ocean pounds the crumbling cliff relentlessly. The familiar smell of salt and seaweed tickles my nose, dusting away the cobwebs at the back of my mind; foam assaults my face. I breathe out. Gently, the breeze ruffles my hair. It calms me. I came here to see the tragedy that my friends told me about. Would it really be so bad? I feel a lump rise at the back of my throat surprisingly – despite the chilly air- I feel beads of sweat trickle down my warm cheek. I can‘t contain myself any longer. My hands tremble uncontrollably I can feel the emotion rising up inside of me, like a bubble or a bird trapped in its cage for too long. Nervously, I gaze at the swirling, inky depths below me. Almost angrily, I stare at the roughly cut stone steps. With one final glance behind me I run to the steps. Step one… Why am I doing this? Step two… Who or what would I meet? Step three… How bad could it possibly be? Step four… How will I cope? Step five… The final step! Frantically I throw myself onto the ground in front of me. Yellow, sun-dried grass stings my palms. The terrain around me seems hauntingly beautiful. Helplessly, I inspect my environment. Clumps of dead heather and grass hang their heads gloomily. Old trees dot the hills, dark, gnarled and twisted. A cacophony of malevolent cackles come from a cluster of trees. Crows. I shudder. Bones line the bushes along with the sinews of their long-dead owners. The stench of burnt flesh is fresh in the air, making me cough. Unconsciously, I grit my teeth. I keep moving, running, away from the land behind me… Nothing can prepare me. Crippled buildings rest on trees and beams as if they were walking sticks, the quaint little shops which used to stand to attention like toy soldiers seem to have been infected with the fire‘s touch. Squeaking rats skitter and dance about my feet, willing me to play. The stench of corpses overwhelms my nose, bits of tarpaulin and torn grasses blow mournfully across the horizon. Angry tears blur my vision and spill over my cheeks, I feel like all my energy has been sucked out of me. Cracked roof tiles and broken window panes litter the floor. I scoop up a shard of glass. As my reflection merges into view I cautiously hold the fragment of translucent glass at arms length. This is a memory from my past. The key to my future. In disgust, I hurl it as far as I can. Scarlet blood licks my palms. It smashes. I wish I could smash everything. All the pieces of time. In a haze of grief and pain I sink to my knees. My blood mingles with the mud. The sun gazes down on me like one golden, omniscient eye. I am alone.

CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION YEAR 7 - 1st Prize Winner TITLE: Pieces of Time BY: Tilly Syvret

CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION

Sponsored and Judged by Waterstones, Teddington

2nd Runner up: Olivia West

3rd Runner up:

Title: Echoes by Vanessa Rexhepi

CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION YEAR 8 - 1st Prize Winner TITLE: Echoes BY: Kate Breaks

It was the drip of water and the luminescent glow that first lured me in... Now, I‘m going to die. The sun was high in the clear sky; an angry orb of flame brought by the Gods. My throat burned as a raging thirst took over; if I didn‘t drink now I would certainly die. I ran on, the dry grass scratching my shins as the ever-shining sun beat down on my bare back. I must find shelter. As I burst though the bracken a cave loomed up ahead daring me with the whispers of ghosts and the drip of water. The drip of water, my only hope, I seized the chance and stumbled inside, scraped my head on the low ceiling and dropped to a crawl. As the cave widened to a cavern I saw a pool of water, glitteringly smooth and ice cold, freezing my tongue. I drank my fill and headed back to the entrance to set up camp and some snares. I sat down after placing the offerings in a corner of the cave, the heart and liver from the hare – which I had caught in one of my snares. After reaching a comfortable position, I lent my head against the smooth, cold wall and listened to the howls and yaps of the hunting wolves outside. I had chuckled to myself at the idea of fulfilling my namesake; Lykos meaning wolf and pack member, when all I could remember was the chieftain banishing me from the safety of the spirit gates protecting them from demons. How could I ever live in a pack? Slowly as dusk came with all the stars I let my thoughts drift to dreams, and soon dreams turned to nightmares. I sat up, banged my head and waited for the echoes of screams and stone to disappear, the echoes of someone dying. Carefully, I stood up and as my sweat cooled, my head cleared. I shivered at the idea of being trapped by craggy hands, unable to run. There was no chance of me falling asleep again with spirits hunting me in my dreams. Instead, I had set some more snares and started to explore deeper into the cave where earlier I had drunk my fill from the incandescent water. I stopped when I reached the pool and lent against the soothing wall listening to the rhythmic drips and watching the glowing shadows dance across the ceiling. As I drifted into sleep again I felt the strange sensation of something cold and damp clench around my wrist; I brushed it away not wishing to have any more visions... My eyes snapped open and closed again. Sunlight. I had slept though half the day! As I tried to move nothing happened, I was trapped. Looking around, what I saw made me recoil in fear; stone hands protruding from the wall had grasped my wrists and ankles. Those dreams I had had, they were to scare me, to warn me from the angry spirits trapped in the shadows for all eternity. Now I was to join them. My limbs were already turning grey and soulless. I tried to scream, but it sounded dull like rock. Then it came to me... All those echoes... They were mine.

CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION

Sponsored and Judged by Waterstones, Teddington

2nd Runner up: Title: Echoes

by Alex Emms

3rd Runner up: Title: Echoes

by Orla Bell

"Ash wake up! Go get the box of hats from behind the drama stage" Snapped Miss Stone, waking Ash from his short nap. "Fine...fine," replied Ash sluggishly, making his way out of the Drama class. While passing Jay, the 'popular' guy, Ash had to make a fool of himself and trip, sending the class into hushed snickers. Embarrassed, he stumbled out of the class and into the theatre. Muttering, Ash walked into the echoing room and towards the pure red curtains where the drama store cupboard was. "I hate school, I hate my class. When will this disaster of a day end?" . He glanced at his watch to see the silver hands at 20 past 2, 14th of March 2016, but before he could look up again, he tripped on his laces and fell through the curtains, landing face first on the floor. "Again?!" Ash cried, picking himself up and walking out of the theatre, without the box of hats. Pushing through the packed corridor, Ash bumped into Logan and James (Logan with the big glasses and James with the braces). "Hi guys! What an awful day I've had. Jay was being an idiot as per usual " However, by this time Logan and James had walked straight passed him as if he didn't exist. "He's such a jerk now," muttered James, walking away. 'What?' Ash was confused, his best friend had just called him a jerk. Ash was opening his locker when Jay and his friends Ethan and Chris appeared out of nowhere. "What do you want?" snapped Ash at Jay. "Me and the guys wondered if you wanna come skating with us after school?" asked Jay, but with no bitterness in his tone. Ash looked down at his watch to see the silver hands at 2pm, 14th of March 2019. "What?!" Ash said aloud, more confused. "You want me to come skating? And it says we're in 2019, what is going on?" Jay and the others just laughed. "What is up with you today?" Ethan asked, still laughing. "It's as if you think you're in the wrong time and place," Ash slipped away from the group and back to the theatre. Ash ambled back into the echoing room and straight towards the pure red curtains. He was still bewildered about why everything around him was different so quickly. Ash carefully walked through the curtains, not wanting to trip again, and picked up the crumpled piece of paper off the floor. While walking back toward the curtains, Ash found a note written on the back of his homework saying 'Look at your watch'. As Ash did so, he stumbled back through the curtains landing on his face again and just as he looked up Jay, Ethan and Chris past the door. "I'll see you guys later!" called Ash. "A nerd? Hanging out with us?" said Jay, laughing to themselves. Ash glanced down at his watch again to see the silver hands at 20 past 2, 14th of March 2016.

CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION YEAR 9 - 1st Prize Winner TITLE: Time Pieces BY: Anna Gold

The Ghost: You watch. You watch as they slowly forget you, piece by piece, time over time. You watch as they pack up your room, act like you were never there. Yet you have left echoes of yourself behind: events that have shaped their lives. Brought them together. Changed them forever. You remember when you whispered those words when you died the first time; words that saved a young boy, words that began a journey. ―You will live because another, who was meant to live, has given his life to you.‖ Yes, you remember this well. The Ones Left Behind: The boy who once died but lived He remembers. He shouldn‘t, yet he does. He remembers a boy with the deepest grey eyes, the blond hair that shone like the halo of an angel. He knows now that the boy was a ghost, and that it was that boy who gave the boy who once died but lived his life. The memory that shouldn‘t be yet is still remembered. The boy who was once deaf but can hear now This boy remembers too. Yet his memories are different—they are of a bright boy, of his own age, laughing, skating, living as well as a ghost could. This boy remembers a boy who would keep your secret, of a boy who was a coward at heart. The boy who was once deaf but can hear now remembers of a ghost that made him hear again for the first time in seven years. He shouldn‘t, but he remembers. The girl that was freed of her curse This girl also remembers. She remembers a sweet, charming, caring boy who was killed wrongly. She remembers a ghost who brought together an unlikely group of people; who gave them all something in common: love. She remembers a ghost who was her first kiss; a ghost who lifted her once killing curse forever. The girl was freed of her curse is forgetting, but she remembers. The boy who dreamt the world This boy will always remember. He will remember a best friend—a ghost who liked to be chucked out of windows; a boy who would happily go street-racing with him. He will remember a boy who, when he was once alive, dreamt strange dreams of fighting ravens. He will remember how he dreamt the boy the world, and how the ghost gave it back to him. Yes, the boy who dreamt the world will remember this. The Memory: That is all you are now, memories. You are fading. Slowly, slowly…In years to come you will be forgotten. You are an echo of how you used to be; you have left echoes behind you that will fleet away and disappear. That is all you are now. That is all. A boy. A ghost. A memory. An echo.

CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION YEAR 10 - 1st Prize Winner TITLE: Echoes - The Memories You should Never Forget BY: Jessica Holdway

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Book Week 2016