Shortly before Christmas I received a fabulous package of letters from Class 5F at Shakespeare Primary School in Leeds, who had been reading The Phoenix Code. I was SOOOO impressed by your writing - both the polite, thoughtful and interesting content, and the neat, clear and stylish presentation. Every letter was enriched with striking artwork that made the letters a pleasure to behold.
I'm really honoured that you put in so much time and effort to write and tell me that you enjoyed reading The Phoenix Code. It was a pleasure to write back and answer all your questions. I'm just sorry I didn't have the time (or talent!) to illustrate my replies as beautifully as you did.
The Phoenix Code is a loooong book - full of historical intrigue and mystery, so I'm really impressed by children - and their teachers, of course - who take it on as a class read. It's quite a commitment!
When I wrote the Secrets of the Tombs series I had readers of 10+ and in mind, so the plot and vocabulary may be quite for Y5 - although those who have raced through Harry Potter and other mammoth volumes will have no trouble, of course!
As an author, there's simply nothing better than to hear from readers. It's so great to know that classes that are enjoying following Cleo and Ryan's adventures as they search for the missing Benben Stone. I hope you all have an exciting journey and that along the way, the story will give you some insights into the amazing world of the Ancient Egyptians too. And I know you'll love Leo Hartas's illustrations, which bring the story to life, cleverly reflecting the modern day action in the style of Ancient Egyptian wall paintings.
Apologies to everyone whose letter is not shown here - they were all brilliant - but this post would have been nearly as long as The Phoenix Code if I'd put them all in, so I've picked a selection.
