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Witness Literature – Books for Keeps 258, January 2023

Witness Literature – Books for Keeps 258, January 2023


           

My piece for Books for Keeps about the vital importance of speaking truth to young readers…

“I was born in colonial South Africa, where my birth certificate, issued in the middle of World War 2, included a category ‘Race’. I … Read more

Why we need great school libraries and librarians!

Why we need great school libraries and librarians!

My piece for Great School Libraries. Do look at their website if you don’t already know it!

The last time I was in an actual school library was before our first covid lockdown in March 2020. Since then, I … Read more

In praise of libraries!

In praise of libraries!

Yesterday evening I ‘attended’ an engrossing online event to celebrate Libraries Week. Hosted by Annie Everall of Authors Aloud UK , it was a chance for a bunch of us authors to share personal memories of ‘My Library, My Books … Read more

2020… striving to look UP in Lockdown

2020… striving to look UP in Lockdown

Looking for one positive thing that came out of our lockdown from March, it’s this. My eldest granddaughter and I began reading together, every morning for half an hour. Living over 100 miles apart, we Skyped. For a while previously, … Read more

Some events in 2019

Some events in 2019

It’s now autumn and my summer was spent with family, writing and some book events in schools and libraries (from Truro to South London).  In spring (as you can read further down), I was looking forward to visiting Shropshire for … Read more

Some events in 2018

In April, I spent many hours reading entries for Tower Hamlets School Library Service Creative Writing competition. The theme was ’We need to make some changes around here’. Three months later, I have enjoyed meeting the writers behind the … Read more

Some events in 2017

Some events in 2017

My winter hibernation ended with visiting a couple of primary schools for the Tower Hamlets’ Library Service creative writing competition This is My Dream.

With the help of Authors Aloud UK, a number of writers have offered workshops in … Read more

Some events in 2016

For my e-interview with the Letterpress Project, click here.

This year’s World Book Day got me out of my ’writing hole’ to meet young people in Caterham, Farnborough, Cobham (all south of London) and in Birmingham. It was such … Read more

Some events in 2015

In January, I began (in earnest) to sort through 40 years of papers for archiving. For a glimpse of the personal challenge, read ’Parting from papers’ on my blog. The picture below shows Sarah Lawrance and Kris McKie from Seven Read more

Some events for 2014

In April, Rhodes University in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, honours Neil Aggett’s memory and legacy with the launch of its Neil Aggett Labour Studies Unit (NALSU) in the Institute of Social and Economic Research, along with the first Annual Neil Aggett … Read more