Weatherhead LitFest 2024: 22nd – 26th April

19 April 2024 | LRC, School News

Weatherhead ‘LitFest’ is a week-long celebration of books, authors and reading and we have a cracking line-up of guest authors joining us: Candy Gourlay, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Simon James Green and Louisa Reid. LitFest is a fantastic opportunity for students to meet published writers, as well as a chance to develop and encourage a love of reading and writing. Here’s the full line-up for the week ahead…

On Monday 22nd April our student librarians will take a trip to a local bookshop to choose new books for the school library. At lunchtime, a range of ‘Wonderland’ themed activities will be in the library – open to all students. After school, our Year 7 cookery club students will be baking cakes in preparation for our “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party” event on Tuesday evening.

On Tuesday 23rd April guest author Candy Gourlay will be talking to Year 8 students in the theatre, delivering a writing workshop with some of our KS3 keen writers and running a creative writing session with students from a local primary school. Candy will be in the library at lunchtime for book signings. In the evening, our “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party” guests (a ticketed event) will be joined by Animals Take Over.

Author Frank Cottrell Boyce joins our Year 7 students on Wednesday 24th April and will be signing books in the library at lunchtime.

On Thursday 25th April author Simon James Green will join our Year 9 students in the theatre and will be in the library at lunchtime signing books. Simon will meet with our KS3 LGBTQ+ club members.

Author Louisa Reid joins our Year 10 students on Friday 26th April and will run a poetry workshop with Year 12 English Literature students. Book signings will be in the library at lunchtime.

We end LitFest week with a small group trip to Wallasey Central Library for a tour and scavenger hunt.

We will be stocking some books for students to buy at a reduced price of £6.00 per book and these books are on display in the LRC for students to browse, along with ‘shopping list’ sheets they can take home to ensure they select the correct titles.  Please see Letters to Parents for details.

For a chance to win a set of signed LitFest books, Weatherhead students can enter the LitFest writing competition. Students are invited to write a short story or poem of their own creation using the theme of ‘Wonderland’ as inspiration. The closing date is 3rd May. Entry forms are in the library.