Sally, who has sold over two million books in the UK and won both the Costa Children’s Book Prize and Carnegie Medal for her novel Maggot Moon, visited to speak about her journey to becoming a writer – against the backdrop of being diagnosed with severe dyslexia as a child.
In two engaging sessions, Sally shared stories from her life, speaking honestly about the challenges of growing up with dyslexia and how she learned to embrace it as a unique strength rather than a limitation. While much of her talk focused on overcoming this particular learning difficulty.
One highlight was when Sally read aloud a gripping extract from Maggot Moon, leaving students on the edge of their seats. The sessions, held for Y7 and then Y8 and Y9, lasted 45 minutes and concluded with a lively 15-minute Q&A, where students asked thoughtful questions about her books, writing style, and life as an author.
The visit ended with a book signing, with all students receiving a free copy of one of Sally’s books to take home and treasure.
Mr Clarke, Stockport Academy’s librarian, said:
“It was an absolute privilege to host Sally. Her honesty, humour and encouragement left a lasting impression on our students – particularly those who might not always see themselves reflected in the world of books. Events like this are so powerful in showing students what’s possible.”