An award-winning author whose first book, Ghostcloud, has been selected by Waterstones as one of the best children’s books of 2021, has hosted an online event at Harrogate’s Ashville Prep School.
During the virtual sessions with pupils from Years 3 to 6, Michael Mann – who grew up in the spa town and is also a teacher – spoke about how he became a writer, shared writing tips, answered questions, and provided follow-up writing challenges to support the school’s literacy work.
The pupils were keen to know more about Ghostcloud, an adventure story with a ghostly edge about children who shovel coal underground to power a dystopian London.
Ahead of the event, parents were invited to buy a copy of the book and order a signed bookplate to provide their children with a lasting reminder of the visit. The response saw 100 copies of the book ordered and handed out on the day.
Michael said: “What a pleasure it was speaking to the children. It was fantastic to see them so smart and listening so brilliantly, and there were some fantastic questions from all the year groups – about characters, inspiration, and the editing process among others. In fact, I was enjoying myself so much that I ran over a little – apologies!
“When authors talk about the creative process, students can connect with the written word in fresh new ways. Books become living things, not abstract objects, as kids begin to understand the journey of an idea to publication, and how the person who brought it all together is not so different from them.”
“Thanks again for organising it all. It’s such a pleasure to work with a school with such an evident passion for reading and books.”
Elspeth Fisher, Interim Head of Prep School, said: “It was an absolute pleasure to have Michael with us for the day, albeit virtually. The pupils in all the year groups really enjoyed listening to Michael’s journey as an author, and there were plenty of questions asked.
“At Ashville Prep School we are always looking at ways to broaden the learning experiences of our pupils, and to make them more exciting.
“That includes inviting expert speakers into the school – either in person or digitally – to inspire and to educate.”
Categories: Ashville College School News
