Camberley pupils are VIP guests at book launch

Two lucky pupils from a Camberley school were an author’s own VIP guests at the book launch of her new adventure for children.

Ally Sherrick is the Patron of Reading at Cordwalles Junior School and she held a competition to design a book cover during a recent visit to pupils and the prize was to accompany her to the Museum of Farnham for the launch of The Buried Crown, a wartime adventure.

Pupils Maisie Bampini and Nischal Gurung were the joint winners and they met Barry Cunningham, founder of Ally’s publisher Chicken House Books, who discovered JK Rowling. The young visitors also me Ally’s editor Kesia Lupo and the author’s father George, who was one of the inspirations behind the new book and who the hero, George Penny, is named after.

“The quality of entries was extremely high and I had a very tough job to decide an overall winner, but I was particularly struck by the strong colours and lovely details of Maisie and Nischal’s work. It was lovely to meet them both and to be able to showcase all the children’s work to guests at my book launch,” said Ally.

As part of her role as Patron of Reading at Cordwalles Junior School, she regularly updates a page on her website for the pupils and the winning pupils both received a signed copy of her latest book.

“Ally is a rising star in the world of children’s books and we are so pleased that she is so involved with our pupils and encourages them to develop a love of reading which will last them a lifetime. The book launch was a wonderful event and we were delighted to be a part of Ally’s special day,” said Philippa Leah, English Subject Leader.

Set during the Second World War it tells the story of the young hero and his brother, Charlie, a trainee fighter pilot. Part of the inspiration for the story is her own father who was an evacuee during the war and was sent to West Wales. His home was bombed and he and his brother had a lucky escape.

The author’s first book, Black Powder, was the winner if the Historical Association’s Young Quills Award last year.