Children from St Luke’s read and edit ‘Mary Moorhen goes skating’

Year Six children at St Luke’s Primary School in Heywood recently had the chance to exclusively read, edit, illustrate and act out a new book by Yvonne Weatherhead, M.B.E.

Yvonne's new book Mary Moorhen goes skating, was written about her childhood memories, living on Lake Drive in Alkrington, Middleton where the story begins.

Enthusiastic children in Year Six – Isabelle Radcliffe, Remi Sedgley, Phoebe Drennan, Genipher Payne, Evie Chubsey, Grace Lemon-Thompson, Niall Middleton and Aroni Thomas – read, edited, illustrated and acted out the tale.

The children were given a little insight into Yvonne’s childhood home and looked at the lake in detail, where the animals from the story came from.

Yvonne told them ‘Lake Drive; it was a magical place to live… in the big freeze of the 1960’s the children of Lake Drive skated on the lake.’

In the book, Mary Moorhen, just wanted her friends to join her in ‘an early morning skate’ but she was left feeling upset and rejected, as they were all too busy. When disaster struck, her animal friends became the ‘dramatic rescuers’ of Mary.

Yvonne said: “The children of St Luke’s were amazing. They rose to the challenge of assisting me to design, edit and act out the story, for all the school.

“The book launch at St Luke’s went really well, it is always a pleasure to be there. The children are so well behaved and enthusiastic; it is an absolutely awesome school.

“The children illustrated all the animals in the book, also the plants and trees around the frozen lake, to give it the atmosphere.

“The children’s imaginations were amazing, and they were able to ‘act out’ the play with emotion and feeling.

 

 

Kim Farrall, Headteacher at St Luke's CE Primary School, Heywood said: “This has been a unique opportunity for the children to be involved in. 

“It has enhanced their learning opportunities to work with an author to develop their editing and illustrating skills. 

“Children in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 were captured by the storyline during the book launch and children in Year 6 confidently performed the story with the talented Mrs Weatherhead.”

Yvonne, a former headteacher, author and educational consultant, has been performing workshops with children in primary schools with her books for many years. Each book has benefitted from an editorial day where children are able to read, criticise and add to the story of the book.

The books were printed by Bamford Print in Heywood.