Jack Trelawny School Author Blog: Jack Trelawny Visits to UK Primary Schools

The text below is from an email sent by Campion Books to all UK primary schools today, 18 April 2012

Jack Trelawny - FREE Author Visits to Primary Schools

DIARY DATES NOW AVAILABLE FOR UK TOUR OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS

IN SPRING / SUMMER TERMS 2012 AND FOR NEXT ACADEMIC YEAR 2012-13

Over 800 schools already visited - Contact Campion Books (publishers) now
Contact Jane Bennett, Events Manager... E: info@campionpublishing.com Tel: 01992 714369
See BLOG for schools and families: www.jacktrelawny.blogspot.com Website: www.jacktrelawny.co.uk

Dear Headteacher / Literacy Co-ordinator,

Children’s author, Jack Trelawny, is currently touring the country, giving FREE 40-minute talks at schools about his Kernowland in Erthwurld adventure series (published by Campion Books for children aged 7-11).

The six novels in the Kernowland in Erthwurld adventure series

See www.jacktrelawny.com for details of his next series, Thirteen Things - 13 stories inspired by the BBC's A History of the World in 100 Objects.

Jack is an experienced presenter and is comfortable speaking to up to 500 children without a sound system

Following our previous correspondence, 25 schools booked for February 2012 and 31 schools booked for March 2012. Jack has been kept very busy visiting these schools. One teacher reviewed the visit as follows...

To Jane Bennett, Events Manager, Campion Books

Dear Jane,I just wanted to e-mail to say how fantastic our visit from Jack Trelawny was yesterday. The children (and staff) found his talk really inspirational and the opportunity to have books signed after the visit was brilliant too. I have been approached by one parent this morning to say that her son, who is usually a reluctant reader, has already read the first ten chapters of the book and had to be pried away from it at bedtime! Another child has come into school this morning with the beginning of a story he is writing which has clearly been influenced by Jack's book and presentation. Please could you pass my thanks on to Jack.

Thank you, Caroline Morgan, Sidmouth Primary School, Devon EX10 9XB

Children imagine their own mixed-up creatures after Jack shows them the Erthwurld 'mutants' in the talk

For more reviews of Jack Trelawny school visits by teachers click on the links at the end of this email.

Around 250 schools requested a visit and it has proved very difficult to accomodate all the requests as there is a wide geographical spread.

Jack often 'opens' libraries, learning centres, etc. and is quite happy to do this by prior arrangement if there is time

Many schools asked if we could arrange things so that Jack's events are known well in advance in order that schools have time to book and plan. We have therefore organised Jack's diary well in advance and the dates he will be in your area for the rest of this academic year and some way into next year are set out below and on the same page as Jack's Events Calendar on our website. Please do apply again if we were not able to accomodate your request after the last correspondence.

Making Treasure Maps in class after the 'Pirates' themed visit

Below are the lists of Free School Visits for the rest of Academic Year 2011-12 and the first part of Academic Year 2012-13. Simply scan the lists to see when Jack will be in your area, check Jack's Events Calendar to see if the date you would like is available, and then contact Jane Bennett to arrange a visit. (Please note the author is visiting some areas more than once in the periods covered so you may like to check the complete listings).

We are currently adding to the author's diary for Spring and Summer Terms 2012, so please respond as soon as possible if you would like a visit this year. The earlier schools respond, the more likely we will be able to plan the diary to fit in all those wanting a visit when the author is next in their area.

We are also planning the diary for next Academic Year 2012-13, so please also respond if you would like to book for the year starting in Autumn Term 2012.

Why book a Jack Trelawny free author visit?

The visits are free. Jack covers the cost of all his own travel, accomodation, and other expenses.

The series has quickly become class reading material in many schools.

The responses from schools have been very enthusiastic:

'The children were spellbound' ‘We were all inspired!’ ‘…books… to get boys reading’ ‘Jack’s show created a brilliant buzz around the school’
‘…many of the children have developed a passion for reading since Jack’s visit’

Jack is an experienced children’s presenter.
Teachers report that Jack’s visits inspire children to read and write their own stories and his talk addresses many aspects of the curriculum. His Kernowland series is now a top-seller at Waterstone’s.
Some schools are calling Kernowland, ‘our getting boys to read book’, although it is equally popular with girls.

Jack has now visited over 800 schools

The lively ‘edutainment’ event involves an interactive Powerpoint slideshow.
The children enjoy the slides of the characters in the books and the author talks about gathering ideas and how a story is written.
Jack can talk to up to 400 children in one session; at larger schools he can do two talks on the same day.

There is, currently, no fee to the school.

In recognition of the fee waiver, we simply ask that parents are made aware of the author visit in advance in order that the children can purchase a book or books on the signing day for the 'Meet the Author' event should they wish to.

There is currently a '3 FOR 2 OFFER' on books for the school visits, which is proving very popular with parents. The new Kernowland audiobooks will be offered at 1/3 off the usual retail price for the school visits.

To make things as simple and straightforward as possible for the school, we provide a letter that is sent home to parents, which incorporates a tick box order form, in our Author Visit Confirmation Pack.

The books are available online or from your nearest Waterstone’s store and all other good booksellers; they have colour maps and are reasonably priced at £6.99.

Signed copies of the Kernowland books, with a dedication to a child by the author, can be purchased online direct from our website with free delivery.

The stories are now also available as ebooks for Kindle, Ipad, Iphone, PC, etc., and can be downloaded from Amazon.co.uk and other internet retailers such as Tescoebooks.com. The Amazon Kindle books have a free Look Inside! option so you can read the first few chapters.

The stories are currently being recorded in Audiobook format by West End and Broadway actor, Tom Solomon. The first 12 chapters of Kernowland 1 The Crystal Pool are available to listen online or download free from Tom's website.

For more info about Jack Trelawny and reviews of his school visits by teachers , also see the author’s blog www.jacktrelawny.blogspot.com.

The first two chapters of Book 1 can be printed off for class reading here.

We have just begun quizzing the books. See quizzes here.

Lots of schools have provided very positive feedback about the Jack Trelawny author visits.
View the comments here or click on the links below...

'The children were spellbound'
'We... would recommend him without reservation to any school you would like to refer to us.'
‘We were all inspired!’
'His presentation was very visual; he has certainly fired the children's imagination...'
'He...was an absolute star...'
'Jack’s show created a brilliant buzz around the school'
'The teachers really liked the points you made...'
'The event was a big success... fantastic morning.'
'Helps our literacy classes...'
'...many of the children have developed a passion for reading since Jack's last visit.'
'Exactly what a reading school should look and sound like.'
'Jack's books are constantly being taken out of the library...'
'The teachers enjoyed your presentation...'
Comment from a teacher of dyslexic children about the Kernowland books

We are also planning the diary for next Academic Year 2012-13, so please also respond if you would like to book for the year starting in Autumn Term 2012.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,
Jane Bennett
Events Manager

E: info@campionpublishing.com