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Pugalugs author awards local schools for commitment to reading

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Holy Spirit Primary School (4) (640x421)

A popular local author has awarded two St Helens primary schools with a selection of children’s books for their commitment to reading.

Jessica Parish, author of the now widely-popular Pugalugs children’s series, toured 30 of the borough’s primary schools with husband and publisher Mark and their adorable pug dogs – the real-life stars of the books.

Every school they visited was eligible for the ‘Pugalugs Reading Awareness Prize’, the winners of which were announced on World Book Day 2016 (3 March), with prizes awarded to the school that Jessica and Mark feel encourages reading most amongst its pupils.

Unable to decide between two schools that the author and publisher couple feel are the best, they split the prize between Holy Spirit Catholic Primary and Broad Oak Community Primary schools, which each received a selection of 50 books from the Pugalugs series and a trophy and certificate to showcase their achievement.

The schools were judged by the Parish’s on how enthusiastic the teachers were about reading, how excited the children were to meet an author, whether the schools did any preparatory work before the visit and how the school engages with parents about reading.

The Pugalugs team held special assemblies at both schools to present the prizes.

Head teacher at Holy Spirit, Michelle Ravey, said: “Reading is central to everything we do at Holy Spirit. It is a passport to learning, which all children need in order to succeed. We do everything we can to promote reading and make it fun!

“The children have been inspired to read by our dedicated teaching staff through a host of exciting and interactive activities, including the wonderful visit from Pugalugs. The children adored having Jessica, Mark and the dogs in school, listening intently and asking lots of interesting questions. A special thanks to our English Leader Mrs Nichola Lamble for organising such an inspirational event.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the prizes awarded by Jessica and Mark; they’ll help us continue to cultivate a love of reading in our pupils!”

The Pugalugs series has really taken off since it launched. It’s stocked in many bookshops up and down the country, and will soon be available in Waterstones, the national bookstore chain.

Holy Spirit Primary School (5) (640x409)

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