On Monday, we had the pleasure of welcoming Peter J Murray, the acclaimed author of the Mokee Joe series, and his wife Kath to our school. They delivered an inspiring session to our Year 5 and Year 6 pupils, sharing insights into his writing journey and the creative process behind his popular books.

Peter spoke passionately about the importance of reading for pleasure, explaining how stories can spark imagination, build empathy, and strengthen literacy skills. He started by talking about his life at home and how he was once a Maths and Science teacher before turning his talent to writing stories. He explained that he created the stories based on the games he used to play with his own children. His enthusiasm for storytelling was infectious, and he encouraged pupils to see reading not just as a school task, but as an adventure that opens doors to new worlds. He talked widely about his own life and how he visited all the settings of his books to get inspiration for his stories including a visit to New York where he witnessed a man saving a ladies life on the subway, which he then placed in his book. The children found his American accent very funny and were very surprised to find that 36 schools from New York, over 1500 pupils and 200 staff visited the famous theatre for the reading of the first version of book 4.

Peter’s personal anecdotes and practical tips on writing captivated the children, showing them that anyone can become a writer with determination and creativity. Many pupils expressed excitement about reading the Mokee Joe series and even trying their hand at writing their own stories. We were even able to win a free copy of the book for our library for repeating the end of poem without a prompt. Well done Year 6.

Engagement throughout the session was exceptional. Pupils asked thoughtful questions, participated eagerly in discussions, and demonstrated genuine curiosity about the life of an author. Several children have already been inspired by the stories and have begun to use the work in in their own writing. An example of a story written by Kate in Year 6.

We are grateful to Peter and Kath for their time and for inspiring our pupils to embrace reading and writing with renewed enthusiasm. We hope that all the children, who were given a book or who brought a copy, enjoy reading it at home and in school. To have a signed copy of a book is a special occasion so look after the book. We hope you get the chance to share the books with other people. The school have also purchased several copies of the books for the library and several copies for the reward shop and a display that will be placed in the office.

Peter sent us a lovely complimentary letter after returning home from his visit. Click here to see the letter.