Teacher's reviews

Mike spent a wonderful day with us in school. The children were really excited to have an author working with them throughout the day. The assembly was the perfect start; the children were able to meet the characters from The Nana Troll stories and discover how the books were illustrated.

There were plenty of opportunities for the children and adults to ask Mike questions about his books and what it’s like to be an author.

Being able to purchase signed copies of The Nana Troll was the highlight for many of the children, and they are all eager to enter the creative writing and art competitions to design a new character.

A brilliant day - Thank you Mike

Judy Ramsell, Deputy Head Teacher

Woodcote Primary School, Leicestershire 

*****

Dear Mike,

Thank you for visiting our school again. We really enjoyed your interesting stories from Anglo Saxons times full of humour and personal anecdotes.

I would also like to sincerely thank you for responding to Anneka and sending her your beautiful books. She was quite overwhelmed and started reading them straight away. At the moment she is in the middle of composing a letter back to you.

It is clear that your style and enthusiasm for the subject has had a significant effect on all of our children’s writing as we hope you can see if you might be kind enough to take time to read their stories.

Children think that your website is exciting and lively and they hope that perhaps their work might be included so that their parents and friends can appreciate the influence you have had and subsequently enjoy the final stories.

I enclose three stories from my class and we would really appreciate your feedback.

With very kind regards

Mrs A Piszczek, literacy coordinator,
Warwick academy primary 

*****

Thank you Mike for a full day sharing your stories with the children. The children enjoyed using their imaginations to enter your competition and the winner was very pleased with her goody bag of Nana Troll gifts. Thank you again for visiting our school.

Davinia Gamble

Newton Solney Primary, Derbyshire 

*****

Hi Mike,

Just to say a massive thank you for yesterday, both children and adults really enjoyed it. What a lovely day had by all. What and a wonderful experience for children to have a real author in their school.

Hope to see you again in the near future.

Sharon Middleton

Grange Community School, Burton on Trent 

*****

Hi Mike,

Just wanted to email to say thank you so much for last week. We’ve had staff thanking us from all across school, especially F1, as the children were so inspired.

We would love to take part in the reading incentive you spoke to me about when you were leaving. Reading is a huge issue in our school and we are currently doing a lot of work to raise the profile of it. Anything you could do to help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again

P.S. Mike's visit to our school was fantastic – the children loved having him around and were so enthused by him being in school. Lots of children were inspired and even took work home to finish that they completed during his workshops. It was accessible for all children, including nursery.

Kellie Griffiths

Jeffries Primary School, Nottinghamshire

*****

Having Mike carry out a whole school assembly and working with each class has boosted the children's interest in reading and writing. The class sessions captivate the children's full attention and gets them fired up to create their own pieces of literature. Many of them even went home and used the characters that they created in their own stories. Thank you Mike for an inspiring day!

Emma Farrer

Saint Mary's primary school, Northamptonshire

*****

Hi Mike,

Just a quick email to say thank you so much for coming to visit our school today. The children really enjoyed your visit and your enthusiasm was infectious! Reading through your brilliant books and the fantastic illustrations really made an impression on our children.The competition was a fantastic idea and the children produced some super characters with great descriptions.

Thanks again

Liz Edge

Bradley C of E Primary School, Derbyshire 

*****

The children at Paulerspury School had a fabulous day when author Mike Molloy came to visit. KS2 in particular relished the opportunity to ask questions about what it was like to be an author, how to get motivated to write and how reading inspires writing. Mike answered all these questions thoroughly and sent the children away with some great messages about creativity, working hard, persevering and taking risks. He was inspiring to listen to and interacted really well with the children.

We now have lots of budding authors and illustrators. Thank you for a great day, Mike.

Kate Campbell

Paulerspury school, Northampton

*****

Mike started our session by answering questions. Both children and teachers were engaged with the honest answers that also encouraged the children. Mike then discussed how the children could improve their own writing and where he got his ideas from. This really helped the children with their descriptions of their own characters for Mike's next book.

In the assembly children who had put in the most effort, not who were the most gifted writers, were chosen to be presented with a prize, before a grand prize was given to the overall winner. There was so much great work to choose from as a result of Mike's sessions I'd recommend it to any school.

Jonathan Cumbleton

Saint Mary's primary school, Northamptonshire

*****

Mike visited our school on the 29th of June to deliver creative writing workshops to each class. He placed huge banners outside the school which got the children  excited even before they had stepped through the door. Mike showed the children how his illustrator illustrates the stories that he writes and took the children on an inspiring journey into the creative process behind writing a story, emphasizing the fact that anybody could do it, regardless of ability. The children were thoroughly engaged and loved the funny Nana Troll stories, as did the staff. This visit, as well our continued communication with Mike, will be invaluable in helping our children to become creative writers and enthusiastic readers. Thank you so much!

Hayley Sutton,
Rosliston Primary School, Derbyshire

*****

The pupils at Belmont Primary School had an amazing two days working with Mike Molloy. The Nana Troll book really inspired them to write creatively and the experience of working with an author was invaluable. They were captivated during the assembly and their enthusiasm and engagement carried through to their entries into Mike's story competition. The whole experience was really positive and fun.

Sue Walker, headteacher,
Belmont primary school, Swadlincote 

*****
We were given a fascinating insight into Nana Troll when Mike came to lead a workshop with our Year One children. The first session began with an assembly with the whole of Key Stage One - wherethe children all enjoyed listening to the story. In a follow-up workshop the story was really bought to life with a question and answer session where Mike shared his inspiration for the ‘real’ Nana Troll. The children (and staff !) were enthralled by his entertaining stories. Working with Mike, the children were then given help to write and illustrate a potential sequel to the story and we can’t wait to see if any of our ideas make it to print.

Linda Norcross,
yr 2

*****

Good morning Mike,

Thank you very much for your email and your visit to our school. It was wonderful to have an author visit and to inspire our children to be writers. The children have been buzzing about the day ever since and have also been seen clutching their copies of Nana Troll at playtimes.

All the best with future books

Many thanks

Sarah Layhe-Humphreys, Headteacher

Hartshorne C of E Primary School, Derbyshire 

*****

Dear Mike,

Thank you for coming to Repton Primary last week, all the children are still buzzing from the experience. Our Reception and Key Stage 1 children thoroughly enjoyed your assembly and workshops. All were hooked as you read Nana Troll, with your fantastic story telling voice and were silent and on the edge of their seats when Nana Troll was about to eat the naughty boy! The staff and children alike loved the story describing Nana, told from the eyes of a young boy and were ‘all in stitches’ particularly liking the ‘Roald Dahl- like’ humour! All the children were keen to get writing immediately!

Helen Wallis

Repton Primary 

*****

Recently at Eureka we had the pleasure of meeting the author of The Nana Troll – Mike Molloy.

Mike’s story really captured the children’s imagination and they were keen to meet the man behind the monsters!  When Mike came to school he delivered an assembly that had a wonderful atmosphere - it really gave the children chance to pick the brains of an author – we had questions about the writing process, the life of an author, what inspired him and most pleasingly - how to become an author themselves!  The assembly was the perfect kick start to two days of fun – we had workshops in every classroom where Mike talked to the children and set a competition for the children to enter.  The children loved the workshop and the completion that followed – every teacher had nothing but praise for Mike’s delivery and manner and were appreciative of the spark it gave the children!  Mike generously agreed to attend our parent’s evening for two nights and made some positive links with parents.  Some of whom are seriously considering submitting their own writing to be published!

Moving forward Mike offers a publishing service to schools that provide them with the chance to create and publish a book with an ISBN number.  Our staff are currently working on a whole school enterprise project that the children can be part of to create their own books based on the inspirational ideas provided by Mike.  We look forward to being published authors and illustrators very soon!

As a school we can’t recommend Mike highly enough – he has a lovely manner with the children and staff alike and went (and is continuing) to go above and beyond to ensure school get everything they want and much more from his visit into school."

Kind regards,

Anthony Brazier

Assistant Headteacher

Eureka Primary School

Dunsmore Way, Midway, Swadlincote

DE11 7LA