By Nigel Paul Morgan, Fiction Author
A crazy, Harley-Davidson riding headmistress, a scruffy, mischievous pooch, twins, Jenny and Jimmy and their teacher, Mr Freddy Frost … these are some of the main characters living in the sleepy little village of Barrowmarsh-in-the-Marshes.When the village football team, Barrowmarsh Thursdays, are drawn against the mighty United, Premier League and European champions in the third round of the FA Cup everyone predicts an absolute massacre. But the antics of Teabag, a scruffy little dog, ensure that the match goes down as the greatest result in the history of the Cup.
Teabag the Magnificent is aimed at young people in the 9 -14 age group. It was written primarily to provide stimulation for boys to engage in reading. There is plenty, however, to interest and amuse girls and adults.
The characters bring the book to life. Jimmy and Jenny, the twins, are at the centre of the story, along with their pest-of-a-pooch. Miss Nelly Bell is an elderly and eccentric, Harley-Davidson riding headmistress. The twins’ classmates include Sam, who is autistic, and Yunara, an asylum seeker from a war-torn African country. The story of Nails, the school bully, is gradually revealed in a heart-rending tale.
Norman Nailsworthy, known as ‘Nails’, is grumpy, bad-tempered, surly and a bully. His story is gradually unravelled as another sub-plot that knits into the main story.
Add to this, school life in Mr Frost’s class, an escaping hamster, Nelly Bell, the totally bonkers, Harley-Davidson riding headmistress (She insists on the title; she doesn’t like ‘head-teacher’) Jenny’s obsession with her beloved Treasure Book, a mischievous little dog and lots of giant-killing football action and you have ‘Teabag the Magnificent and the Road to Wembley’.
Schools, libraries, Arts Centres and bookshops – Contact the author to arrange personal visits, public readings, creative writing sessions or even Hot-Seat-the-Author. The author does not charge for these visits; his main aim is to promote the educational and enjoyable elements of the book. Books can be available, and signed by the author at the events.
‘Teabag the Magnificent and the Road to Wembley’ is the second novel from Nigel Morgan, following his first, ‘Under the Cinder Tip’
Please Note – All author Royalties from sales of this book are being donated to Llys Nini Animal Rescue Centre in Penllergaer, Swansea.
The author is undertaking a programme of visits to libraries, art-centres (including Swansea, Cardiff and Aberystwyth) Book Shops and schools.
The book was written with the aim of motivating boys to read and to engage in creative writing. It is a work of fiction but the book includes many useful links to the curriculum – particularly Literacy, Numeracy, PSHE and Y Cwricwlwm Cymreig. The novel also includes many issues – cognitive conflict – that appear in modern schools.
What the Readers say:
The story focuses mainly on the village primary school and twins, Jenny and Jimmy, who own Teabag. Although ostensibly about football, the writer has also included an autistic child, a bully and African refugees. However, this has been done in such a careful way that there is no overt display of political correctness: the children are very real and their problems are sensitively and unobtrusively managed.
Reader’s review – Welsh Books Council 2014
Readers’ reviews (Welsh Books Council) have loved the subtle references to Dylan Thomas, Jane Austen, Shakespeare, the Welsh identity and Tudor history. Jenny’s Treasure Book is a wonderful vehicle for an abundance of follow-up literacy work in the classroom and at home; an opportunity for children to involve their parents, or for the More Able and Talented to explore endless individual possibilities.
Under the Cindertip – The first novel by Nigel Paul Morgan
This is a hard-hitting time-slip novel for young adults (crossover to adults) Zoe, a 21st Century fourteen year-old, is mysteriously transported back to the smoke-choked maelstrom of Merthyr in 1831. Here she is caught up in the harsh world of street gangs, forced work, beggars and orphans. As the events of the bloody Merthyr Rising and the execution of working-class hero, Dic Penderyn, unfold, Zoe struggles to understand the turmoil around her. Her memory of the modern day world recedes as she becomes immersed in a drama of Celtic mystery and violent political uprising. Meanwhile, in the present day, the police are mounting a nationwide missing-person search.
Under the Cindertip was shortlisted for the prestigious Tir-na n-Og award in 2008.
Nigel Paul Morgan has just completed a trilogy of books for young adults. The first is due for publication in 2015. The books are called, ‘Through Death’s Dark Veil’, ‘Thirteen Deepwater Wood’, and ‘Threshold of Beyond’. If you like atmospheric, historically based ghost stories (With very modern characters, Holly, Jack and Davinia) then these are for you.
The author will be undertaking a series of visits, public readings and writing workshops for young people during autumn 2014 – see his website for details. The official launch of ‘Teabag the Magnificent’ will take place in Mumbles, near Swansea in the autumn – again, see website.
Websites:
www.blog.nigelmorganauthor.co.uk
www.nigelmorganauthor.co.uk
Contact Nigel:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Contact Nigel Paul Morgan – website and e mail above - if you’d like to arrange a school visit (subject to availability) – He will undertake 60 to 90 minute sessions (for children and parents/teachers) of reading from his books, talking about writing; the development of characters, ‘Killer first lines’ and many more ideas. He will also be happy to undertake ‘Hot-seat the Author’ activities – Great for Boys’ Learning, but also brilliant for girls and parents.
There is no charge for the visits, which are subject to availability. The author is on the Published Authors’ List of SCBWI – ‘The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’. He has been a teacher for twenty seven years, and a Headteacher for seventeen years, and would like to give back to the youngsters of Wales some of his passion for children’s literature and creative writing.
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For more football themed books, click HERE
For football themed resources, click HERE
