Teach-Primary-Issue-19.1

Meet the author LINDSAY GALVIN ON MYTHICAL CREATURES AND PLACING YOUR STORIES IN HISTORY What was primary school like for you? A whirlwind of country dancing, the hall apparatus in PE, long singing practices, and big class art projects, like turning the entire hall wall into a giant dragon with milk bottle tops for scales. There was the terror of quick-fire times table tests and that nasty and inexplicably shiny toilet paper. I remember loving dictation but not loving working in a group. But the best bit was being read aloud to at the end of every day! What inspired you to write The Great Phoenix of London ? I always have lots of potential ideas buzzing around in my head, but they need a character or mythical creature as well as a historical era and setting before they can develop into a story. For years I knew I wanted to write about a phoenix and the kid it bonds to, but I couldn’t place it in history. It was out of the blue that I thought it would be fun to write something set during the Great Fire of London, and it was an obvious home for my fiery phoenix who had been waiting in the wings. What was your favourite thing you learned while researching the book? A key research moment was finding out the fire melted the roof of St Paul’s cathedral, and the molten metal ran down the street. I also learned that people sheltered in the crypt, piling it with flammable items that would later explode. These were the first scenes I had fully fleshed out in my mind and became a lynchpin to the whole story. The Great Phoenix of London by Lindsay Galvin is out now (£7.99, Chicken House). www.teachwire.net | 63 Great Lives in Graphics: Muhammad Ali (£9.99 HB, Button Books) Packed with intriguing bite-sized facts about one of the world’s greatest boxers, this non-fiction picturebook for older readers explores Muhammad Ali’s life and times as well as his sporting achievements and legacies. A clear introduction to the rules of boxing is included together with its history. Double spreads cover Ali’s ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ and ‘Thrilla in Manila’ wins against George Foreman and Joe Frazier, but his 1964 conversion to Islam and his high-profile post-retirement charity and peacekeeping work are given equal coverage. One of the fascinating ‘Great Lives in Graphics’ series featuring famous names including Greta Thunberg, Leonardo da Vinci and Coco Chanel, this eye-catching and dynamically designed book will please sports fans and is especially good for reluctant older readers. The Great Phoenix of London byLindsayGalvin (£7.99, Chicken House) Separated from his family by a fire in Pudding Lane, Gil clutches a mysterious rock as he battles to reach the safety of St Paul’s. But as temperatures rise, the rock hatches, and Gil and his friend Jennet are hunted through the flames by people who’ll stop at nothing to trap a legendary Phoenix. Woven from well-researched facts shot through with glimmering strands of mythical fantasy, this exciting middle-grade adventure brings history to life through pacy storytelling and convincing characters. A light-touch approach to complex themes (the amoral pursuit of scientific goals, the blaming of French-speaking immigrants…) gives it depth and impact. An engaging UKS2 curriculum- related readaloud, this will also be a popular independent choice for confident readers. RESOURCES RECOMMENDED WAGOLL WRITING PACKS Support pupils when writing across a whole range of text types and genres with these engaging resources, differentiated for KS1, LKS2 and UKS2. Each of the 86 packs includes model texts, planning guides, writing templates and more. Every one focuses on a particular kind of text, encouraging children to make appropriate vocabulary, register and layout choices. Visit tinyurl.com/ PlzWAGOLL KS2 KS2