Granny Rainbow in the classroom

Yesterday, I had a phone call from a friend.

We met at uni - well, poly as it was back then - and she has been a staunch supporter of my writing for several years. In fact, her children were testers for the Granny Rainbow stories, and are apparently eagerly waiting for Granny Rainbow 2 to do the same again! My friend was so pleased with Granny Rainbow when it was published, she sent copies the children's primary school with a view to getting Granny on their library shelves.

The school were very complimentary about the book - there were mutterings of an author visit, but all went quiet and to be honest, I thought they'd changed their mind. Not so... my friend phoned to say that St Michael's C of E Primary School in Pelsall would like 15 copies of Granny Rainbow for Year 6 children to use as a class reader! AND the teacher is going to plan some short story and biographical writing sessions around it! With a view to using it in Year 5 as well if it's successful!

When I took Granny into school...

*squeeeee!*

What my friend then went on to say is that she will be donating these books to school, because at the moment she's in the process of moving her mum into a permanent care home. How is that relevant, you ask? Because her mum (when her mind was whole) loved books. So the proceeds of furniture sales from the flat she's vacating are going into a book fund for St Michael's, which will buy both the Granny Rainbow books for use in the classroom and, fingers crossed, some more general books for the library.

This, to me, seems a wonderful way to remember a lifelong love of books and pass it on to a new generation. I think I'd feel the same even if it wasn't my book that's being purchased.

But... it is MY book.

To say that I'm delighted is an understatement. When I started writing stories, it was primarily to get kids reading and enjoying reading. The fact that Granny is now going to be used as a teaching aid to get kids writing too is...is...FABULOUS! I know it's only in one primary school, but it feels like the world to me!

It's more than I ever imagined happening when I put pen to paper a couple of years ago to sketch the outline of a little story called Granny Rainbow and the Black Shadow to raise a few pounds for charity...