We can all be authors and illustrators!

This week we were lucky to have in all K1 classes a visit from a William’s mummy, Katherine. She came into class with a very different hat on than her ‘mummy hat’. Katherine, who was so inspired to write after the birth of her first son, published three books, all about being special. The children were thrilled to learn that Katherine was an author and her friend, an illustrator. We have talked a lot in class about the people who write and draw pictures in books.

Listening to the story ‘I am me!’ was by no means a passive experience. She had the children up and making the actions of particular characters. Thank you, Katherine; we had a great Monday afternoon!

Seeing as book are very much on my mind this week, I thought I would share with you a fantastic book I have just read, which was written by a child development expert- Sue Palmer. The book – Toxic Childhood – explores current day issues and challenges that teachers, parents and children face in everyday life. I bought a copy of this book through a conference I attended back home in the UK, where one of the key speakers was Sue herself. She is quite an inspiration and this book is an easy, fascinating read.

The Amazon synopsis reads, “Every concerned parent MUST have this book! Children throughout the developed world are suffering, with obesity, dyslexia, ADHD, and other serious ailments on the rise. And it’s not simply that our diagnostic ability has improved—there are very real and growing problems. Top literacy expert Sue Palmer examines the danger zones, from poor diet, lack of exercise, and sleep deprivation to symptoms emerging from our modern lifestyle of TV, computer games, and cell phones. This combination of factors, along with parents’ increasingly stressful lives, means that we are developing a toxic new generation, with its health and brains at risk. Here is the latest research from around the world, with advice for worried parents on protecting their families and ensuring their children emerge as healthy, intelligent, and happy adults”.