‘Something was stirring in the valley, something powerful and old.
Something which had no place in the rational modern world…’
I’ve become slightly obsessed with ‘The Owl Service’ by Alan Garner and have read the first chapter to just about any child who will sit still long enough. I have been taken over by the same magic that causes Alison is obsess about the flowery ‘owl’ pattern on an old dinner service which Gwyn discovers after she hears scatching in the loft.
In our Muswell Hill Saturday Writing Club session in October we introduced the children to this tense and magical novel. Though none of the children had heard of the book before it, it captured their interest and many left wanting to read it to the end.
After writing some memorable (and frightening) stories, inspired by the first chapter, they all had a chance at making the paper owls . A parliament of owls descended on Muswell Hill! They became fascinated with them, just like Alison in the novel. 
If you would like a space for your child in our Saturday Writing Club, please email helena@storyroom.co.uk.
Leave a Reply