Liz Pichon is ‘absolutely fantastic’ …what an ‘Extra Special Treat’!

12 Nov 2013

Bishop’s Stortford College Prep School was thrilled to welcome author-illustrator Liz Pichon on Tuesday to launch both the Bishop’s Stortford College Festival of Literature Short Story Award  and the latest title in her  amazing Tom Gates series, ‘Extra Special Treats’.

The day began with an art class, where Liz demonstrated her fantastic doodling skills, evidence of which can be found not only in her books, but on her shoes and earrings too! The class of seven and eight year olds then decorated and made their own paper “bangers” with characters from the book, leading to a noisy and explosive ending to the session.

Book club followed with fifty Lower and Upper Shell (year 3 and 4) pupils all desperate to tell Liz their favourite bits from her books. Liz showed the pupils her original exercise book, which contained the spark of the idea for the Tom Gates series, and revealed how many of the very funny incidents which Tom encounters were very often quite similar to events which had happened to her at some point. ‘Tom Gates is Absolutely Fantastic’ was given by book club readers a resounding thumbs up!

Finally, Shell and Form 1 (year 3, 4 and 5) pupils at Bishop’s Stortford College Prep School were joined by 100 pupils from four other local schools and together they composed a monster, which Liz then drew, and, as a world premiere, Liz read to them from her new book.

The smiling faces in the very long signing queue showed what an ‘extra special treat’ the day had been for them.

 

For more details of the Festival of Literature Short Story Award (closing date 18th November) go to:

http://www.bishops-stortford-college.herts.sch.uk/events/events-festival-literature-2014-short-story/

…and for more details of Liz – and Tom – go to http://tomgatesworld.blogspot.co.uk/