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Student Adver Reviews

• Meeting Chris Higgins at Nova Hreod

  At Period 2 all the girls that were chosen to watch the amazing author had to go into the theatre. read more

• Meeting Patrick Ness

  Last year during the Swindon Literature Festival, when I met Kate Cann, I left feeling optimistic and inspired. Today when I went to see Patrick Ness was no different. He was friendly, open and surprisingly normal which just goes to show that the names printed on book covers really do belong to essentially regular people. read more

• Friday the 13th but a good time was had by all

  On Friday 13th of November, the students of Nova Hreod went to see the author Darren Shan at the Wyvern Theatre. read more

• Spreading the word in Swindon

  As part of the Swindon Ten Youth Festival of Literature several schools throughout Swindon gathered for book signings, workshops and other events all aimed at getting young people interested in reading and writing. read more

• Sarah Singleton at Greendown

  Sarah Singleton, renowned Gothic author, visited Greendown Community School on Wednesday 11th November to inspire and inform Year 8 pupils about Gothic writing. When she came she helped us to write our own Gothic story openings and taught us about her life and her novels. The Wiltshire writer inspired our Gothic story openings with her own novels. read more

• Darren Shan – Horror Hero

  On Friday the 13th November at 9.30a.m., students from a wide variety of secondary and primary schools witnessed Darren Shan in the Wyvern Theatre. He spoke about his Darren Shan Saga, and a bit about the movie. He also spoke about the Demonata series. He read out extracts from the first book of the Demonata series, ‘Lord Loss’, and he also read an extract from ‘Cirque du Freak’ of the Darren Shan saga. During the reading of the Cirque du Freak extract, he had volunteers from different schools in the audience to read out speaking parts and also perform. As a student in the audience I thought it was great to see a ‘horror hero’, to learn about his life and why he wrote the novels. However I thought to improve the performance, he could have played with the lights a bit to create a more gripping performance. read more

• Darren Shan reads in a cool voice

  Today we went to the Wyvern Theatre to see Darren Shan, as part of the Swindon Ten Youth Festival of Literature. read more

• Reviewing Darren Shan...

  Our review of the Darren Shan Show! read more

• The ecstasy of meeting Darren

  We went to the Wyvern Theatre, to see Darren Shan, author of the Demonata series and Darren Shan saga. We all really like his books and, and were ecstatic to meet him. He read us an extract of ‘Lord Loss’ and then asked for volunteers. Gabby got chosen, as well as some other pupils from the other schools. They then acted out a scene from ‘Cirque du Freak’; it was really funny. He told us about some of the new books coming out, a one-off fantasy, and a four book series, about the Darren Shan saga vampire, Larten Crepsley! read more

• The start of a story

  The girl stands observing the velvet green curtains this was where her mum last stood looking out into the rainbow garden. Now so dull and empty; no rainbow colours anymore. She rubbed her cold, hard white fingers over the orange rusty key, wondering what it unlocked: not the cobwebbed kitchen window; not the dusty jewellery box; where? Where? read more

• Gothic Story Writing, inspired by the Sarah Singleton visit

  Glaring wide-eyed, the old man stroked the glass dome, hypnotized by the light streaming off it. A cold shiver ran down his spine; goose bumps pushed to the surface of his skin; “Brian” read more

• Gothic tales...

  Chilling, the icy, winter air whips the pale child’s delicate skin. Alone in her cold, bare room. Her head a spinning whirlpool of lonely words, broken phrases; but she can’t put them together. As night creeps up on her, she cuddles up to the blood stained veil, her only memory of her deceased mother. Slowly, her grey eyes, once sapphire, close to the power of the night. read more

• A Gothic Story, inspired by Sarah Singleton

  The glowing moon spills through the cracks of the hunched trees. Sharp winds blow at her lifeless face. In her hand, the key. Rusty and old – but as new as the moon. Suddenly something brusher past her skinny legs – unsettling the air! What was that? Panic rushes through her cold body. Motionless, scared, alone – or was she? read more

• The fastest story...

  Ever thought of writing a story in a day? Well, students from Swindon have done just that! Six schools:- Commonweal, Swindon Academy, Dorcan, Kingsdown, Warneford, and Greendown - have all taken part in an exciting event to write possibly the fastest story in the West! read more

• Spreading the word

  On the 10th of November, 3 schools from Swindon (Greendown Community, Isambard and Nova Hreod) took part in a reading day called “Spread the word” at the library in Greendown School. read more

• Anthony McGowan: Murder, Hell and a Brain Tumour

  Teen author, Anthony McGowan, visited Highworth Warneford School on Thursday 12th November to speak with year 9 students about his life and becoming an author. He told the audience about himself; where he grew up (Leeds) and what inspired him to write. There were stories of his school life that were quite shocking and brutally honest. Beforehand, he told us that one story was true and one false, but afterward when asked which one was false, he smiled mischievously and said “You’ll never know!” read more

• Quizzing Darren Shan at the Wyvern

  Filled with over four hundred students from eleven different schools, the Wyvern Theatre is packed full to see Darren Shan. read more

• Spread the word at Greendown

  On Tuesday, a group of students from Isambard and Nova Hreod went to join fellow students at Greendown in a book debate called "Spread the Word". They had all read four pre-selected novels and got together to discuss their thoughts and to vote for their favourite. read more

• Kate Cann gets honest at Isambard

  On Wednesday 11 November 2009, the amazing Kate Cann visited our school. For me it was a great change to scoot off in a girly group to the library for a sizzling workshop and to meet her! read more

• The inter-schools book quiz

  On the 9th of November 12 schools took place a book quiz held at Dorcan technology school. It was the start of a week’s festival of books in Swindon. Twelve schools took part in it. The questions ranged from story openings to werewolves and monsters. The rounds were six questions long and there were 12 rounds with an additional 2 rounds that were an author picture round and a title abbreviation round. Each team consist of 6 pupils in it and had 2 year seven, eight and nine. The room fell silent when Mrs Fiona Hardcastle from Dorcan started to tell everyone what was going to happen. Everyone then knew this is when the real business starts. The first round started and everyone’s heads bowed down and they were ready. After the first question was told, there was a loud hum of people whispering to tell each other what the answer was. Then it went back to a blissful silence. The suspense kept building after round of questions was told. You could tell that everyone was determined to win. It was in their faces. But a lot of people were also nervous. Maybe they didn’t want to let their school down or it was just nerves. Like Jenny Eagle from Greendown said “It’s not about winning it’s about taking part…… but winning would be a great bonus” read more

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