Authors Andy Cope and Michael Lawrence visit New End primary school for World Book Day

Published: 2 March, 2011
by JOSIE HINTON

PUPILS from New End primary school met their favourite children’s authors on Monday as they celebrated World Book Day.

Andy Cope, the writer behind the popular Spy Dog series, and Michael Lawrence, who writes Jiggy McCue stories, spoke to children about the new books they have written to mark the literary celebration.

Mr Cope, who describes himself as an “accidental author’, told bookworms at the Hampstead school the inspiration for his new book, Spy Dog’s Got Talent, was his dog Lara.

He said: “She’s black and white with a silly sticky up ear, and that got me thinking what if that means she’s always on alert, listening for danger while she’s asleep. What if she’s a secret agent undercover in my house, and goes patrolling the neighbourhood and catching baddies in the night?” 

Available for just £1, the “flipbooks” can be bought with special tokens distributed to school children across the country. Pupils were given the opportunity to get their new books signed by the authors.

Year 5 pupil Delphie Jones said: “I'm still deciding which of their books to get but I love reading. I read every day.”