9 March 2020
Ms Amanda Owens, Librarian
The highlight of our World Book Day celebrations on Thursday 5 March was a visit from the award-winning Young Adult author Lisa Heathfield. Lisa spoke to the whole school at assembly in about the power books have to transport readers around the world without leaving home, support them through difficult times and help them realise that, whatever they are feeling, others have felt the same.
During the rest of the day, Lisa talked to groups of Year 8 and Year 9 students – and some of their peers from nearby Oasis Academy - about her books and career. Lisa’s books, which include 'Paper Butterflies’ and ‘Flight of A Starling’, have powerful themes and messages relevant to young people today. Lisa also ran creative writing sessions with Year 7 classes, who enjoyed trying to find original ways of describing an ‘olive’ and a ‘buckle’!
Happily, there was also enough time in the day to show Lisa around Woldingham. It was her first visit here and she found it particularly special as her mother was a pupil here in the 1950s.
All students received World Book Day book tokens, which they are encouraged to spend by choosing a book at their local bookshop.
Woldingham is also supporting local charity Delight for World Book Day. Students are donating new and good condition used books for children aged 3-11 who do not have any books of their own at home.
