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Meet the author JENNIFER CLAESSEN ON SCARY TIME-TRAVEL AND POWERFUL WOMEN What’s your favourite fact about Ancient Greece? I got SO excited about all the amazing things I learnt about Crete in the Minoan period where the first Netta Becker book is set. For example, in the palace at Knossos, they found a terracotta vase in the shape of a bull’s head and Netta and her friend Ari watch this being used to pour out wine – and think it’s blood from a real bull’s head. Gold is very important in the book, too (my amazing publisher has done a beautiful job of making the cover of this new book very shiny!). I loved learning about the importance of colour in Minoan culture, where it was such a signifier of social status – that’s why we’ve got purple on the cover, too. If you could go back in time to any period, what would it be, and why? Wow, tough question! My main character, Netta, goes time-travelling without her body which I think – though it’s a bit scary for her – might be the best way to do it! There’s a lot of ancient history where I wouldn’t want to be as a woman at all, but I would love to pop by and observe. I’d really like to have seen the first run of some of Shakespeare’s plays or watch painters like the pre-Raphaelites at work. Howwould you like teachers to use your book in the classroom? Teachers have already been so generous and kind about the Netta trilogy. It follows the life of Theseus through the women he encountered – Ariadne, Antigone and Helen – and hopefully makes a great class read! I’d love to see extracts of it alongside different takes on the minotaur, Daedalus and Icarus to show the varied potential these stories have. Without encouraging outright theft, I really want to empower young writers to make these myths their own. Netta Becker and the Timeline Crime (£7.99, UCLan Publishing), by Jennifer Claessen, is out now. www.teachwire.net | 69 A Place of a Thousand Wishes bySarahMerrett, ill.HollyOvenden (£7.99, Everything With Words) Netta Becker and the Timeline Crime by Jennifer Claessen (£7.99, UCLan Publishing) RESOURCES RECOMMENDED ESSENTIAL TEMPLATES Sometimes it’s the little things that can make the biggest difference, and this collection of basic (but evergreen) templates will save you hours. From research sheets and writing frames, to lesson and unit planners, you’ll find all those teaching tools you use over and over again, yet somehow find yourself designing from scratch every time! Visit plazoom.com/collections/ essential-templates KS2 KS2 How would you feel if you were pulled back in time and then couldn’t get home? When Netta goes on holiday to Crete with her family, she thinks she’ll just be bored by her annoying little brother, Remy. But when Netta’s dreams of Ancient Greece and King Minos’ famous labyrinth start actually pulling her back in time, she feels her present-day self slipping away. Can she figure out what’s happening before she disappears completely? The third book in the Netta Becker series, this is a fun twist on the classic time-travel portal story, and a historical jaunt that is sure to pique the interest of your KS2 pupils. Link it to history units on Ancient Greece, or just admire it for its beautiful storytelling. Either way, it’s a winner. Mason makes ice cream. Possibly the world’s best ice cream, but it’s 1899, and Mason and his Pa are in desperate need of a little help to bolster their business. When disaster strikes, thanks to a sinister stranger, Mason turns to Darlington the magical wish-maker (who can float wishes up to the stars in his special bubbles) to help him set things straight. Darlington has his own reasons for helping Mason, but his magic comes at a price. Can Mason and his friend Clem defeat the corrupt villain in time to save Darlington and their livelihoods? A thrilling tale of magic and vengeance, this is a wonderful book to share at story time. With touches of Roald Dahl-esque enchantment, and an excellently structured plot, hours of fun await. © Jack Barnes