Award winning authors promote World Book Day 2021 at Alsop

The Alsop family came together with award winning authors to celebrate World Book Day. The day included video links to authors including Frank Cottrell Boyce and Joseph Delaney who shared their passion for reading and their love of Alsop High School.

Students were provided with the opportunity to pause, be still and listen to readings of award winning best-selling authors. Additionally Alsop is making signed books, exclusively available, free of charge. Students can also select a book to be delivered on their return to school.

Alsop has also launched a World Book Day writing competition. This is a 500 word competition with four categories. There is one for Key Stage 3, one for Key Stage 4, one for the sixth form and finally, a category solely for the staff and parents.

World Book Day 2021 began with a special message from the Alsop Patron of Reading and international children’s author, Frank Cottrell Boyce who said: ”Hello Alsop my favourite school in the whole wide world! Today, I wish you a very, very Happy World Book Day. I hope today’s events will inspire you to read something that will change your life, or make you laugh, or become a treasured memory or any of those amazing things that a book can be!”

Frank Cottrell-Boyce also gave an exclusive reading from his new novel, Noah’s Gold, to be published in May.  Frank will be visiting Alsop later this year, when he will be conducting a special, socially distanced book-signing event.

Ms Sally-Anne Tapia Bowes, disciplinary literacy co-ordinator told students: “Reading is a gateway to many worlds. You are never alone with a book. You can travel the world reading!​

“Not many students truly understand that when you sit your final, formal examinations in Year 11, you actually need your English language, and all of the wonderful vocabulary that you have stored inside your brains to use in ALL of your subjects!

“How you communicate, the words that you use, and the manner in which you understand language and structure is learned from the very first time you pick up a book. Books are your passport to a bright and happy future!”

World Book Day celebrations included a reading of the Alsop Poem called “The Door”. This is a beautiful poem with a simple message: Open a door! Take a chance! Move forward in life! As the poem says, the worst that can happen is that there will be a draft.

The poem was performed by a famous professional poet Joshua Seigal, who was recently awarded The Laugh Out Loud Book Award. Joshua will be returning to Alsop in October for National Poetry Day.

Students also heard from the Alsop Patron of Writing, Joseph Delaney, with an exclusive reading of his new book, the sequel to Brother Wulf, entitled Wulf’s Bane.​

Joseph has been visiting Alsop for many years. He is a world famous author whose Spooks series have won him many awards. The first book was adapted for film by Hollywood, The Spooks Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch; it stars Julieann Moore and Jeff Bridges.

Alsop is also delighted that the British writer and journalist Patrice Lawrence has agreed to be judge of the writing competition. Patrice has published fiction both for adults and children. Her writing has won awards including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for Older Children and The Bookseller YA Book Prize for her debut novel ‘Orangeboy’.

Parents and staff are encouraged to submit entries to the writing competition. The title is “I see a Shadow.” Liverpool writer Paula Rawsthorne will judge this category. Her multi-award winning, thought-provoking thrillers, The Truth About Celia Frost, Blood Tracks, Shell and The New Boy, without question, get teenagers reading and talking.​

Every entry to the competition will receive a signed book. Frank Cottrell Boyce has signed 220 books exclusively for Alsop. Additionally they have 100 books signed by Joseph Delaney and many more, titles by Patrice Lawrence, Paula Rawsthorne and Joshua Seigal. To enter the competition. Email your entries to: office@alsophigh.org.uk