Friday May 23rd 2025

Dear Diary,

Today’s school visit to Noremarsh Junior was arranged through Devizes Books. I don’t know how on earth this wonderful bookshop managed to secure 70+ pre-orders when there are only around 200 pupils at Noremarsh!!! But I’m guessing it has a lot to do with the headteacher’s unwavering dedication to fostering a love of reading for pleasure at this school, something that was extremely evident throughout my visit.

The stupendous students worked so diligently throughout the day… despite it being the last day of term before the school holidays!!! I hope they all have a happy, fun-filled half term. And I hope the pupil whose arm will very sadly be out of action for a while has the best birthday ever today!!! 🎁🎂🥳🎈

Speaking of holidays, I think it’s time I had a bit of a rest, too, as I can’t locate the notes I took down about today’s visit. What I do remember, though, is how warm and welcoming everyone at Noremarsh was, how much fun we all had during my assembly and workshops, and how involved all the teachers and students were in every session. There are a couple of pieces of work that I did manage to snap photos of Mollie’s fabulous letter exchange between her and her teacher:

… Poppy and Ruby’s super story written under the title What Do Dragons Do with Doughnuts:

… And Elsie’s scary story about a dragon who ate her grandma:

Frank also wrote a super poem about his friend Isabelle (who’s a dragon):

Isabelle ate my grandma,
It really is so sad,
She didn’t eat my grandpa,
Because Grandpa smelt so bad.

She stuck her tongue into the air,
Then Grandma got too close,
Isabelle snatched her by the hair,
Then gobbled up her toes.

My dad then tried to save her,
But he got eaten, too!
My cat gave a loud purr,
And bit Isabelle in two.

They all came out of Isabelle’s insides,
After a little time.
They asked for a hug, but I didn’t oblige,
As my dad and grandma were covered in dragon slime!

And Isabelle herself wrote a wonderfully comical opening to her story:

My grandma is… actually, I don’t know how old she is. I’m guessing – by the thousands of wrinkles on her face and the twinkle in her eye – that she’s about the age of 504.

Sadly, that’s the extent of my memory depleted now. But I thoroughly enjoyed spending the day at Noremarsh, and I hope to be invited back next year with my third book in the Words of WARNING collection (about a crazy grandma).