Stourport pupils itching to quiz Mayo on debut novel (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Stourport pupils itching to quiz Mayo on debut novel

7:50am Friday 4th May 2012 in Other Leisure By William Tomaney

RADIO broadcasting legend Simon Mayo will bring his debut novel to Stourport.

The BBC Radio 2 drivetime host has written a children’s book called Itch and will be talking to about 650 students from across Worcestershire at Stourport High School and VIth Form Centre on Tuesday next week.

Year 7 and 8 students from the school will be joined in the audience by pupils from Wolverley CE Secondary School, King Charles I School and Bewdley School and Sixth Form Centre. Year 6 children from Burlish Park Primary School will also attend.

Julie Benkwitz, Stourport High School librarian, said: “We are really excited. We will have the main hall and the gym packed out there will be a video link between the two rooms so as many pupils as possible can ask questions.”

The book centres on Itchingham Lofte “Itch”who is an accidental, accident prone hero. Science is his weapon and elements are his gadgets. He is 14, loves science and has decided to collect all of the elements in the periodic table.

Itch then discovers a new element he has never seen before. At first no one believes him but soon someone hears about the new rock and wants it for himself.

Mayo wrote the book after taking an interest in the topic, having interviewed several scientists on his radio programme.

“He wrote the book for his son and has just had it published,” said Ms Benkwitz.

“Simon will come and talk about the book and all the students have their questions ready. We are really looking forward to him coming and understand he is also very excited.”

The school will also run competitions on the day and youngsters have made their own bookmarks for the occasion.

“It is one of the biggest events we have ever done and we wanted to make a big community event,” said Ms Benkwitz.