Written by Ms McMorrow, Librarian
Readers and crime-solvers from as far as Poland came to Oxford High on Tuesday evening, for the chance to meet author Robin Stevens, and to celebrate the tenth birthday of the Murder Most Unladylike book series.
The bestselling children’s mysteries, featuring 1930s schoolgirl detectives Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells, are some of our most borrowed books here in the OHS library, and changed the landscape of both children’s and crime fiction publishing when they first hit the scene in 2014. As well as giving young readers engaging characters and challenging mysteries to solve, the books engage with themes such as racism and social class, “treat[ing] children and their capacity to engage with the complexity of the world around them with respect” (HuffPost). No wonder they have such a following amongst OHS pupils!
Robin Stevens herself is an Oxford talent, moving to the city aged three, and working as a Blackwells bookseller when she started writing the first book. Members of the OHS Detective Club were delighted to meet Robin and present her with one of their club badges, before she gave a brilliant talk, including a build-your-own-murder-mystery with the audience.
Afterwards, audience members queued to have their books signed by Robin, with Waterstones Oxford on hand to supply the whole back catalogue. Young readers were over the moon to meet their favourite writer! It was wonderful to welcome so many visitors to the school, to share in the joy of reading and empowering young people. A real treat for a school librarian! Thank you to everyone who came, to Robin, Puffin Books, Waterstones Oxford, and to the fantastic staff members who helped make it happen. It was amazing! Keep your eyes peeled for more booktastic events in the future…
Come along to our next library event: Trailblazer: Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon. An event with author & historian Jane Robinson on Wednesday 19th June.
You have probably not heard of Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon but you certainly should have done.
This is a celebration of the life of the founder of Britain’s suffrage movement: campaigner for equal opportunity in the workplace, the law, at home and beyond. Co-founder of Girton, the first university college for women, a committed activist for human rights, fervently anti-slavery, she was also one of Victorian England’s finest female painters. Jane Robinson’s brilliant new book shines a light on a remarkable woman who lived on her own terms and to whom we owe a huge debt.