Inspiring a Love of Reading: Phil Earle Visits Rossall School
“As part of the National Year of Reading, and ahead of World Book Day this week, we were delighted to welcome children’s author Phil Earle to Rossall School on the final day of his UK tour celebrating the launch of his new book, Finn’s Epic Fails.
Phil is the award-winning author of more than 25 books for children and teenagers, including the much-loved When the Sky Falls. The novel won the British Book Awards Children’s Fiction Book of the Year and the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards for Children’s Fiction, and was also shortlisted for the prestigious Carnegie Medal.
Phil spoke to pupils from Years 4 to 7, sharing how he first got into writing and the journey that led him to become an author. His talk was full of humour, energy and plenty of laughter, and pupils loved hearing about the inspiration behind many of his characters. One message that really resonated with pupils was Phil’s belief that writing should feel like play:
“To write is to play: it’s the most brilliant reminder of waiting on the edge of my school chair at the age of eight, for the bell to ring for playtime. Because when I’m writing, regardless of my age, there’s nowhere I can’t go, no person I can’t be, no world I can’t create, no adventure I can’t go on.”
Phil also explained that when he was younger, becoming a writer was not his plan at all. He dreamed of becoming a professional footballer for the mighty Hull City. Reading novels initially felt like a challenge, but he discovered a love of comics. A temporary job in the children’s section of a bookshop changed everything, as he quickly found himself immersed in children’s fiction and a new passion was born.
During the visit, Phil introduced pupils to Finn’s Epic Fails, the story of Finn N. O. Hope, whose start to secondary school has not exactly gone to plan. Determined to turn things around, Finn, alongside his two loyal friends, sets out to navigate classroom mishaps, family challenges and everyday adventures, with the “Fail-o-metre” recording every success and epic fail along the way. Pupils were immediately engaged by the story and many were keen to start reading it straight away.
All pupils left the talk having had the opportunity to chat with Phil and ask thoughtful questions. It was wonderful to see such enthusiasm for books and storytelling, and many pupils spent the weekend reading to find out more about Finn and his adventures.
At Rossall, we place a strong emphasis on reading and on helping every pupil discover books they truly enjoy. Pupils read regularly during tutor time and events like author visits are an important part of building a vibrant reading culture across the school. Our aim is for every child to see reading not only as an academic skill, but as something enjoyable, inspiring and lifelong.
Research linked to the National Year of Reading highlights just how powerful reading can be for young people. Reading for pleasure is associated with stronger writing skills, improved wellbeing and greater confidence, as well as better outcomes later in life. Studies have even shown that children who are proficient readers earlier in their education can go on to earn significantly more over their lifetime.
Reading regularly also supports learning across the curriculum, helps children build empathy and understanding of others and encourages curiosity about the world around them. By creating opportunities for pupils to engage with books in different ways, through author visits, shared reading time and discussions about stories, we hope to inspire a genuine love of reading that will stay with them for years to come.
Later this year we are excited to welcome Reverend Richard Coles to Rossall as he launches his first ever children’s book, A Heist Before Bedtime: True Scrapes and Escapes. More details about this exciting event will follow soon.”
- Clare Cohen, Head of Year 7
