Cranleigh Prep pupils love having a visit from an author, but this last visit was an extra special one.
MG Leonard is our Patron of Reading for the academic year 2017-2018, and was also shortlisted for our Awesome Book Awards last year. As luck had it, her second visit to school this year coincided with the launch of her third book in her beetle trilogy, Battle of the Beetles. On that basis, we were thrilled to have our own launch party!
After speaking to small groups during the day, the whole school and parents gathered in the Wyatt Hall for the launch. First, M.G. Leonard introduced herself (her real name is Maya) and showed us her pets, two stag beetles and a baby beetle! The children could see the beetles move and burrow in our specially set up “Beetle Cam.”
Then Rufus and Tory read from Beetle Boy and Beetle Queen respectively and Maya told us a bit about these novels. Next, we had a whole school quiz, when Maya asked us lots of beetle related questions. She couldn’t believe how much we all knew about her books and bugs in general. 
Finally came the big moment. A reading from the new Battle of the Beetles. We all were truly inspired and can’t wait to read it!
