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TIMERIDERS SCHOOL TOUR

posted at 12.53 on 06.02.10

All done. Sheeesh! I’m pooped. Over the week of release I’ve visited seven schools and a library and presented the book to approximately 1300 students from years 5 to 8 (9-12yrs old). Each presentation was a little bit about me, a look at the TimeRiders trailer, a little about the series of books and the possibilities of this series, and then finally, for a laugh…a game show styled history quiz.

Which was basically mental…every time we played it.

First two rounds were ‘specialist rounds’; WWII and Roman history, and the last round a quickfire-finger-on-buzzers round of general history. The students who volunteered to come up front and form two teams of three were all incredibly brave…and unsettlingly smart. I say that because I had questions that even had a few teachers and helpers scratching their heads and some of these boys and girls were getting the answers before I could even finish asking the questions.

I think a few moments during the week are worth a mention here:

Hackney City Academy, London:

An incredible venue….huge screen and auditorium. I felt like Bill Gates presenting to the entire Microsoft workforce. Superbly behaved and disciplined kids, with some contestants who quite honestly could give the Eggheads a run for their money.

Sydenham Girls School, London:

After ensuring everyone else’s phones were off and not being messed around with, during the middle of the quiz mine starts warbling away…and I ended up chatting to  my big bruv’, Simon. The girls, I hope, forgave me for that.

Broke Hall Primary, Ipswich:

Whilst technical support dealt with a troublesome laptop, I found myself resorting to entertaining 150 years 5’s and 6’s with my collection of amusing Basil Fawlty walks. Great audience. Made me feel so at home that I almost started to do my Marge Simpson impersonation. Luckily, for all concerned, I didn’t.

Northgate High School, Ipswich:

Having demonstrated my version of a chicken noise…(uh why?) I was asked if I could do any other animal impersonations. Which resulted in my finamous organgutan strut. I’m really still trying to work out where I was going with that, and how, if at all, that added any sort of ‘educational value’ to the afternoon. Great stage set by the way, guys. Hope the play goes well.

Cambridge Central Library, Cambridge:

Very swish location I must say….however, I only realised fifteen minutes into the presentation that there was incredibly overpowering aroma of dog-pooh surrounding me. So distracting was the aroma that I had no other choice but to squat down and inspect my boots. It wasn’t me by the way….I can only guess someone else had absently stepped on a dog’s egg. But suffice to say, suddenly dropping down onto all fours to inspect and sniff my shoes caused a few polite, bemused, chuckles from the front row. Uhh…if it gets a laugh, it’s all good, right?

Caton Grove Primary, Norwich:

What superstars…there is a corner of a classroom in Norwich which could only be described as ‘the temple of TimeRiders’. The kids – I kid you not – actually produced dioramas of scenes from the trailer! Absolutely incredible! I can only say to you fellas, if you’re reading this….you warmed my heart with that!

St Louis Middle School, Bury St Edmunds:

The technical fault…was all my fault. Being the clumsy klutz I am, I stepped on an audio cable and out it popped. Never mind, we got it sorted. My apologies go out for my awful Irish accent. I do love hamming-it-up when I do a reading. Frustrated thesp’ dontcha know, but that…that accent was wholly unforgivable, so it was. There are kids there, by the way, that I hope never to go up against in a pub quiz. They’d thrash me.

Northgate Middle School, Bury St Edmunds:

Great lads setting the AV up. Reminded me of a team of roadies. Great gig all round. The tension on that final buzzer round was palpable; the audience cheering for their teams, jumping off their seats with each fast paced question answered correctly. I think now it probably wasn’t the smartest thing of me to promise that the supporters who gave their team the loudest cheer were going to be let off homework for a whole month.

In general….I’ll say this. I was worried I’d pitched a quiz that was going to be too hard for the school tour. Instead, I discovered we have kids out there from age 9 upwards who know it was Lee Harvey Oswald killed JFK; who can identify a Lancaster bomber from a B17, who know a ‘pilum’ is a Roman javelin, who know a ‘Legate’ outranks a ‘Tribune’. You guys, all of you, audience too….it was a genuine pleasure for me to meet every last one of you.

You made my first book tour a total blast.

 

 

 

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