Tim;
No we have not entered the world of the premier league.... Just yet.
This post is really just a big thank-you to all the people who have made Big Green Wednesday a huge success.
For those of you who don't know (and for those who do know, but have just forgotten... No, I mean it. I know exactly what you're talking about... No, I think you explain it much better) Big Green Wednesday happens every Wednesday during term time. The shop is shut from 9.30 to 10.30am and we have a class from a local school come to meet a - hopefully - suitable author. It is simplicity itself, and it works. A good time is had by one and all.
Right then, to the role call. (I am sure Simon could put clever links in, and pictures and stuff, but that's just cause he's smarterer than what I am)
First up was the lovely Fiona Dunbar. as this was our first one, we didn't really know what to expect. But Fiona took control, and the kids of West Green primary had a lovely time.
Second was the mad-genius that is Sam Enthoven. Now this time the students of Noel Park had been prepared by their teacher, the legendary Mr Stephen Pearce, and the questions started before they'd even sat down. "How many words do you write a day?..." "How much money do you make?..." "How many books are you going to write?..." "What colour are your socks?..." (I may have made that last one up.) Sam dealt with them all in his own inimitable - slightly over-enthusiastic, yet truly lovable - way. And everybody had a lovely time.
Then came the slightly scary Catherine Johnson (Scary in a really gorgeous way...)She encouraged more Noel Parkers to think about nasty things in envelopes - severed fingers, bits of ear and the like. Shivery stuff, but we all had a lovely time.
After Catherine came the first of our first time authors. Inbali Iserles - who is quite scrumptious. She bravely met with two schools, Campsbourne and Alexandra Primary. Cat stories abounded, and yes, everybody had a lovely time.
Then the absolutely fantastic Karen McCombie arrived in a whirl of flying crisps, and entertained - and educated - the girls from Downhills Primary. Karen is arguable the most prolific of our Big Green Wednesdayers. With Karen in charge you can bet we had a lovely time.
Could it get any better??? Well no, not better. But just as good...
Keeping our standards high, we were visited by the amazing Echo Freer. She died, you know. Actually died.... and then became an author. How amazing is that. Echo met with the first of our secondary schools. St Thomas More, accompanied by the fantabulous Sabrina Elliot. School Librarian extra-ordinaire, learning mentor and all round good egg (I'm not sure what her exact title is) Anyway. Echo held us all enthralled with her life and books and stuff, and you better believe we had a lovely time. Oh yes.
Potentially one of the funniest visits we had was with ex-liverpudlian turned aussie Martin Chatterton. Who came to meet some Highgate Wooders (My old school) and some home educated kids. I haven't laughed so hard in ages. But with most really funny things it loses something when you write it down. So I'm not going to. You'll just have to take it from me that he was hilarious, and that we had that lovely time that I keep going on about.
Then we had Joe Friedman, who had the kids of St Michaels put on silly hats, and speak in silly accents. Even Simon joined in with his rendition of a Shi-kaa-go (Chicago - which I pronounce She-Car-go as I am terribly posh) accent. And - do you know what? We had a lovely time.
As if that wasn't enough the following Wednesday we had the smashing Sally Nichols. Who talked, cheerfully about death and the afterlife (if any)to the year sixers of Camsbourne (Including my son, George, who I am not allowed to talk about)Deeply philosophical stuff. And - I have it on good authority (the aforementioned George) - that everybody had a lovely time.
Our penultimate Big Green Wednesdayer was the effervescent Jonny Zucker who fights it out (metaphorically) with Karen as - potentially - the most prolific author, and with Martin as - potentially - the funniest. He did magic... actual magic. Well I believed it , anyway. He stole ideas gratuitously from the children of Rhodes Avenue Primary. Who had a really really lovely time.
You may have noticed that I haven't mentioned any of the books that these guys have written. Well this is intentional. I am saying thank-you to the authors for their time and enthusiasm. That's all. Well.. er.. that is. Well there has to be an exception to the rule, and here it is.
Our final Big Green Wednesday Author is Gentleman James Dunn. Whose book 'ABC UK' is just beautiful. It's an ABC book, about the U.K. Simple ideas are always the best. James spent a lot of his time with Alexandra Primary looking surprised at the inventiveness of the children, who had worked on their own ABC UK (S is for Sandles. British people like wearing sandles) We all genuinely had a lovely time, and we will be launching a competition based on the book.... watch this space...
Anyway. Thank you to all the Authors, Kids, Teachers, Teaching Assistants, Parents, Marketing Depts, Publicity People and Miscellaneous Lovely Types who have made Big Green Wednesdays just the loveliest days in the whole week.
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