What is The Joy of Reading?
The Joy of Reading is an event to encourage young peoples’ passion for reading and inspire them with a visit from an author. Each child in Year 6 or 7 is gifted a copy of the chosen book and the author will visit your school several months later to give a talk and answer questions.
This is a fun and inspiring event that helps promote a love of reading. Evidence suggests there is a positive relationship between reading frequency, reading enjoyment and attainment.
This Year's Book: Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star
Cosima Unfortunate has spent all her life at the Home for Unfortunate Girls - a school where any disabled children, or children deemed different, are sent, whether their families want it or not.
But when Cos finds out that Lord Francis Fitzroy, the explorer behind the Empire Exhibition, is planning to adopt them, she and her friends plot the biggest heist of their life. Instead of fondant fancies, they're going to steal Fitzroy's prized tiara, containing the legendary Star Diamond of India!
But, as they start preparing for the day, Cosima finds herself drawing ever closer to discovering the one secret she's always wanted to know - the truth about her parents...
Funny but also thought-provoking, this is a historical mystery adventure with a difference.
This Year's Author: Laura Noakes
Laura Noakes is a children's author who lives in Bedfordshire. She has studied at three different Univerisites, including the University of Hertfordshire!
Whilst studying for her PhD in legal history, she fell down a “rabbit hole” of looking at how disabled children were institutionalised during the Victorian era, which birthed the inspiration for Cosmia Unfortunate Steals a Star.
Like the title character, Laura has Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder, and has spoken about how disabled characters suit heist stories as they always have a plan B at the ready, saying "Innovation is quite innate when the world isn’t built for you."
You can find out more about Laura on her website.
Additional Resources
See examples and testimonials from Laura's previous school visits
For any budding writers interested in Laura's process of working on her books