Simon Mayo visits Bedford Modern School

Simon Mayo, author and radio presenter, set students’ imagination alight when he visited Bedford Modern School yesterday on 5th November.
A selection of Bedford Modern School Year 6, 7 and 8 students, together with students from Cedars School and Redbourne School, were able to listen to Simon talk about his two publications, Itch and Itch Rocks and also had the chance to purchase signed copies. To coincide with the science element in Simon’s books and because it was Bonfire Night, colourful flashes, loud bangs and a ring of fire were just some of the explosive experiments carried out on stage by the School’s chemistry department.
Simon said: “The story is about a 14-year old boy called Itchingham Lofte, or Itch for short, who’s a science-mad element hunter, fascinated by the periodic table. Itch attends a school in Cornwall, the perfect setting for the story as the county has such rich geology with plenty of seismic activity in its past. When Itch adds some highly radioactive rocks to his element collection sinister forces come after him, desperate to get their hands on the rocks – there’s plenty of explosive action in Itch’s life!”
Simon has just finished writing his third novel and this will be published next year. “Writing a book is harder than presenting on radio but it’s always important to write about something that interests and excites you. If you work out how your story will finish in advance, you can enjoy getting there,” he added.
Margaret Brown, Bedford Modern School Librarian commented: “The opportunity to have an engaging author like Simon Mayo to visit and talk to students is priceless.”