A game of three halves

Today has been a game of three halves. Yes, somehow it was stuffed with more than was surely possible – and yet it all worked wonderfully. And this was thanks to the brilliant organisation of Jayne Gould from Ipswich Children’s Book Group, who has masterminded my two days in Ipswich (of which today was the first).

Event number one took place this morning at Westbourne Sports College, in the large, light-filled library, the domain of inspirational school librarian Sarah Greenacre.

Tomorrow is Sarah’s last day before retirement, and it was thoroughly obvious to me just how much the school will be missing once she’s gone. It is a theme of this tour that I am meeting astonishingly dedicated, enthusiastic, expert & inspiring librarians… and Sarah is certainly one of them. (Mr Gove, are you listening?)

Along with Sarah, I met the equally energetic, dedicated & imaginative history teacher Zoe Potter, and was wowed by her account of some of the ways she approaches the teaching of history, engaging the pupils’ creativity.

(l-r) Zoe Potter, me, Sarah Greenacre

I spoke to a group of 30 or so Year 8s – and they were a delight. Switched on, interested, enthusiastic & intelligent, they were generous with their attention and thoughtful in their questions. I had a great time – thanks Westbourne!

And on the way out I was impressed by some of the pupils’  ceramics on display too:

PR-whizz Liz Scott is my very kind & supportive minder, helper & all-round problem-smoother for the rest of the tour. After a lovely lunch with Zoe & Sarah, Liz whisked me off in a taxi out of Ipswich to Farlingaye High School in Woodbridge. There, in a hall this big…

…I was due to speak to 260 Year 8s. Looked after by another fantastic, welcoming & energetic whirlwind of a librarian, Elaine Bate, and helped by the school’s IT expert, we set up my powerpoint and the book’s trailer, overhearing, all the while, some simply astonishingly virtuoso piano-playing from a Year 10 student who was practising in the next room. My mouth was literally hanging open at the sound, and Elaine told me that Farlingaye has some wonderful musicians – I believe it!

The school also has, as I had found out on my way in, great designers – I wish my daughters could have seen these pieces of work on display, because I know they would have loved them:

Before long the Year 8s – all 260 of them – poured into the hall and I was off, talking and questioning, showing them pictures and waving my hands in the air a lot, as usual. They were a wonderful crowd, though after an hour of projecting my voice, I wasn’t sure I would be able to answer all their questions audibly… The voice held out – just! The extra treat was that lots of pupils came up to me with questions in the signing queue, and it was fab to have a chance to chat with them one-to-one.

Then, Liz and I returned by taxi to our hotel in Ipswich, passing this fine Suffolk windmill en route, if you can spot it in my photo!…

And so to the third ‘half’ of the day: an evening event with the Ipswich branch of the Federation of Children’s Book Groups, where I had the pleasure of meeting up with Jayne Gould herself. I had first met her – and several other lovely FCBG members who attended the event tonight – at the FCBG conference in Kesgrave near Ipswich last autumn. Just as I found on that occasion, the welcome this evening was warm, the atmosphere relaxed and friendly, and the audience for my talk interested & interesting, enthusiastic & knowledgeable. I love Federation events – they are a real treat to come to, and an honour to speak at.

The venue this evening was Church’s Bistro, whose home is an ancient house right next to the church of St. Mary-le-Tower. The event was held on the top floor, in a room with wonderful exposed beams and, to add to the historical flavour (if you’ll forgive the pun), the chef had researched & devised a menu of Tudor food (including a delicious pottage). We were all very happy diners.

I gave a reading in front of a loo door (those are genuine Tudor fairy lights, obvs)…

…met some fantastic readers…

…and had a great time chatting with Federation members about historical mysteries & Josephine They, about researching the history of a house, and about our shared fevered anticipation of Hilary Mantel’s forthcoming Bring Up the Bodies.

Thank you so much to Ipswich CBG for an absolutely lovely evening in a wonderful setting!

And so to bed…