Book Launch: 'The Poppy Project' by Tom Dobson

The Poppy Project is inspired by my daughter's WWII history project, where she interviewed her great great auntie about her experiences as an evacuee during the war. Learning about my great auntie's experiences through my daughter's project was a humbling experience for me. I thought it was an important story to tell and I wondered how I might make it relatable to a middle grade audience. It was then the idea of a dual narrative came to me. I would write from the point of view of Mia, a thirteen year old girl struggling at home and at school, who, through her school history project, learns about her great great auntie's evacuee story.

Tom will be reading extracts from his debut solo novel, The Poppy Project, followed by a Q&A session led by Professor Abi Curtis.

The Poppy Project is perfect for upper Key Stage 2 and lower Key Stage 3 pupils, with strong links to the History curriculum. If you work in a primary school or secondary school, you will receive a FREE copy of the book at the launch.

"A beautiful, compelling novel about the power of friendship. Tom Dobson uses a dual-timeline dual-narrative to cleverly interweave Mia's and Mary's stories into an emotional, gripping rollercoaster of a book." Catherine Coe, author of The Owls of Blossom Wood and founder of All Stories

"I highly recommend The Poppy Project. The story intertwines the life of a girl in 2021 lockdown with the historical journey of a young evacuee during WWII, making it really relatable for young readers." Polly Hudson, The Daily Mirror

Tom Dobson - Professor of Education at York St John University and author of The Poppy Project.
Abi Curtis - Professor of Creative Writing at York St John University and author of novels and poetry. Her most recent novel, The Headland, was published earlier this year.

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