Sita Brahmachari

 

Author Visit

with

Sita Brahmachari 

Tuesday 27^th July 2023

TRANSITION

Year 6 classes were treated to an engaging workshop with the award-winning author, Sita Brahmachari, to support them as they make the big change of moving to secondary school.

Sita’s workshop introduced her book ‘When Secrets Set Sail’ highlighting the themes of journeys, change and transition. She shared with the children her own experiences of growing up and her journey to becoming an author. She told the children how she was shy at school and only had the confidence later in life to share her writing.

She used the symbols of anchor and sails as metaphors for what connects us to our past, and what propels us into our future encouraging the children to doodle on ‘anchor and sails’ worksheets things that they treasure and emotions they feel that connect them to their history and inheritance.

 “Fold all your emotions and experiences into stories”, advised Sita, as she stretched the treasured sari from her past across the classroom with the help of a child.

With Sita’s help the children also completed a Reading Identi-tree noting books on branches of a tree that were important to them and creating a type of character map. 

Sita’s book ‘When Secrets Set Sail’ deals with issues of transition and her workshop helped the children think about ways of positively embracing this new beginning. 

Sita was given a tour of our school and library. She was impressed not only with our school library but with all our reading corners giving children every opportunity to read.

Sita signed school copies of her books to the delight of the children. 

In our school library we have copies of the following books written by Sita:

Red Leaves

Worry Angels

Where the River Runs Gold

Swallow’s Kiss

Thank you to the #GetIslingtonReading program run by The National Literacy Trust for giving us this opportunity.

 

BOOKS FOR BIG CHANGE

 

BOOKS FOR BIG CHANGE

Going to secondary school is a big change, and it’s natural to feel nervous, excited, or just confused! 

Here are our favourite books that tackle the theme of big change. 

You can find books from the ‘ten top picks’ in your school, and your local library.

Fiction 

• When Secrets Set Sail by Sita Brahmachari: a magical and moving adventure story about unlocking stories and secrets of the past. 

• The Gifted, The Talented, and Me by William Sutcliffe: a brilliantly funny book about fitting in, falling out and staying true to your own averageness. 

• Arctic Star by Tom Palmer: a gripping story of courage and survival about three young Royal Navy recruits on their first mission. 

Graphic novels 

• Frankie’s World by Aoife Dooley: A two-colour graphic novel offering a unique perspective on Autism, told with humour and heart. 

• Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi: a world of man-eating demons, a mechanical rabbit, a giant robot, and two ordinary children on a life-or-death mission.

Non-fiction 

• You are Awesome by Matthew Syed and Toby Triumph: Practical, insightful and positive, this is the book to help you build resilience and embrace your mistakes. 

• Go Big: The Secondary School Survival Guide by Matthew Burton: From your first day to your final exams, this handbook will have you achieving, succeeding and being the best you can be.

Poetry 

• Everything All at Once by Stephen Camden: A collection of poems about the highs and lows of one week in a secondary school, where everything happens all at once. 

• A Hurricane in my Head by Matt Abbott: A collection of honest poems on themes of friendship, bullying, technology and being a teenager

There are so many great books that tackle big changes! 

Thank you to the National Literacy Trust and the Get Islington Reading project

for donating these books to our school library.