I know how hard it can be to get children to read. I’ve got two little girls of my own and a nephew who (much like me when I was younger), loves nothing more than bouncing round the house in his brand new football boots. Getting your kids to sit still and engage with a book can be tricky.
But when they discover a story that really captures their imagination, reading becomes not just easier, but a pleasure. I still remember the Roald Dahl books I read and loved as a child, the magic of escaping into another world and being inspired to read just one more page.
I hope that Frankie’s Magic Football will inspire children everywhere. The stories start with football, because that’s my career and what I know, but they are so much more than that. Frankie vs the Pirate Pillagers is book one in the series. Frankie and his friends win a tattered old football at the fair and are magically transported onto a ship full of nasty pirates who want to beat them in the fantastic fantasy football league.
Frankie and his team have to use not only their football skills, but the right morals to get them through the game. There’s magic and adventure but there’s also the underlying messages of friendship, sticking together and playing fair, all of which are so important for kids these days.
If you start reading from a young age, it opens so many doors. And if you enjoy reading as a child, it stays with you for life. If Frankie’s Magic Football can encourage boys and girls around the country to enjoy reading and to spend more time reading, then that’s…hitting the back of the net!
Frankie and his friends know that they need to stick together to beat their opponents and come out on top in the fantastic fantasy football league. They also need the skills: when it comes to football, practice makes perfect. Which is why I’m offering one Tesco reader in Primary Education the chance to win a training session for their class at school.
For your chance to win the opportunity for me to come to your school and give your class a football training session (subject to making the necessary arrangements – please see terms and conditions below), simply finish the following sentence in less than 30 words:
If I was playing football with Frankie and the team, I’d like to play against . . .
Whether it’s pirates, cowboys or even your science teacher, let us know for your chance to win!
Buy Frankie’s Magic Football in store from 6th June!
Who out there has had a memorable experience volunteering in your local schools or communities? Or, should I say, who hasn’t had a memorable experience…? The truth is most volunteering has its sticky moments: standing at a fete stall in an empty field in the summer rain; stuck behind the bar at a social while everyone else is drinking; making a cake for a sale, and then watching, circling, as it is left last, alone, on the table. There is generally a point where you start to mutter: what kind of a mug was I to get myself landed with this one?
Hello Tesco Books Blog readers,
I’ve been counting my blessings, which might seem an odd thing to do, considering I have cancer that can’t be cured. But I wouldn’t be Bernie if I couldn’t find that glimmer of light in the dark.
This month, just in time for the summer, we see a brand new book from the nation’s best West-Indian Chef, Levi Roots! Fresh, fast and fun: Grill it with Levi celebrates Levi’s passion for great barbecue flavours with a Caribbean twist!
Hello Tesco Books Blog readers,
I do love a good dual time frame novel; it’s one of my favourite formats for a book. But I had no idea when I sat down to write Before I Met You that that’s what I would end up writing. The book started off as a retro romance.
