In 1986 Rik Mayall read George's Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl for Jackanory. I was 8 years old and I was hooked. I watched silently, in awe of the mischief making George and totally transfixed by Rik Mayall's storyteller voices- most memorably the evil Grandma. I couldn't wait for the next episode to transport me to the magical world Roald Dahl had created and I still have my original copy which I read over and over and over again. Fast forward 34 years and I have just read that copy to my own
children.
I have always loved the way books can transport you to another world and love nothing more than finding a good series, usually magical fantasy lands. From CS Lewis' classic The Chronicles of Narnia, to the modern classic of Harry Potter (I'm Hufflepuff, my wand is Rowan Wood with a Dragon Heartstring 13", reasonably supple, and my patronus is a Piebald Stallion- check out Harry Potter Wizarding World to be officially sorted)
I adore the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, I have two daughters and want them to be as caring, astute and fearless as Katniss. As I've grown up, my interest in magical worlds has broadened to include the imagined dystopian futures and I have thoroughly enjoyed Margaret Attwood's dark, dystopian Handmaid's Tale and more recently her Booker Prize winning, The Testaments- a highly recommended read for adults.
Darren Hoare
Teacher
I adore reading! I can remember my Mum and Dad reading to me when I was very young and I was hooked on reading anything and everything as soon as I could read myself. If I didn’t have a book to read, I would read the cereal packets when I ate my breakfast! I loved the author Enid Blyton as I was transported to a magical world, full of strange and wonderful characters visiting mysterious, fantasy lands. I also read all The Famous Five books - full of mysteries to investigate and solve. I thought I would make a great detective. My Mum and Dad remember every night having to come into my bedroom, turn off the light and take off my glasses as I’d fallen asleep reading - I still do that now! In a perfect world I would read every day - I usually have my nose in a book if I have the chance and I prefer a good book to any film. I love crime and thriller books, as well as biographies - it’s always fascinating learning about other people and their life experiences. I have a kindle with hundreds of books downloaded but I still prefer an actual real-life book to hold and I, strangely, love the smell of a brand-new book! Reading really is the best.
