We had two visiting readers, James Carter and Ray Brooks.

James is a poet and musician and was here sharing his poems with us, playing his guitar and signing copies of Cars, Stars, Electric Guitars and The Journey to my Centre of my Brain.

At the age of 8, James played biscuit tin drums in his first and short-lived band The Electric Spiders. Sadly, the band broke up after only one morning because his best friend's mum wanted her drumsticks - well, knives and forks - back. Several years later, James played guitar in his first school band, Villain, but they were booed off at their first concert during their first song!

James now lives in Oxfordshire with his four guitars (all called Keith), three ukuleles (all called Keith), two terrific daughters (not called Keith) and their two pets (the-cat-that-drinks-the-bathwater, Dylan, and the-cat-that-eats-slugs, Hollie) and not to forget his one wonderful wife (not called Keith).

Every time he visits a school, children ask Where do you get your ideas from? – to which he replies that he gets his ideas from the magic wood at the back of his house.

Seriously though, James believes there is a magic wood – your imagination – which takes things from your life, things you’ve done, seen, daydreamed, remembered – and turns these into poems..

You can hear a performance of one of James’ poems, complete with electric guitar, by clicking on the link below:

James Carter - Electric Guitars

 

Ray Brooks is a highly successful British film and TV actor and also the voice of Mr Benn.  Ray was here reading some Mr Benn stories to us, signing copies of Mr Benn and the Red Knight  and talking about his acting career to Year 6 Doctor Who fans.