We had so much fun on with our author visit yesterday!

We started off by reading a couple of chapters of his book ‘Madge the Mermaid’ and Stephen explained his inspiration for the story, a mermaid made out of items washed up on Perranporth beach in Cornwall!

Next, we practiced singing the songs that were in the story. We also explored some of the poems that he’d written and he talked to us about how he comes up with them, in his head whilst out walking or biking.

After the break, Stephen talked us through the writing and illustration process – lots of redrafting and editing! He also explained to us how he used to be a journalist and uses shorthand to write his stories to save time. The class even had a go at writing their names in shorthand before having a go at another song in the story before the session ended.