More than 30 lucky school students from Isaac Newton Academy got to meet an award winning author when she came to visit their school.

Ilford Recorder: Journalist Ruth Eastham author of The Messanger Bird, visitng Issac Newton Academy school and gave the Year 7s who had read it over the summer a workshop.Journalist Ruth Eastham author of The Messanger Bird, visitng Issac Newton Academy school and gave the Year 7s who had read it over the summer a workshop. (Image: Archant)

On Friday, Ruth Eastham was greeted by Year 7 pupils who got the chance to talk to her about her book The Messenger Bird which they read over the summer.

Students did a variety of projects based on the book including drawings and their thoughts of the book.

Helen Atkinson, the Head of English, said: “It was a fantastic day and the 32 winners got to spend some time with Ruth where they found out a little more about Ruth and what inspired her to write”.

Mrs Eastham now lives in Northern Italy with her husband and so she flew to England especially to meet the students of the Academy.

On the day, she spoke during an assembly, did writing workshops and she then decided who the winners of the best projects were.

The Messenger Bird was shortlisted for the East Sussex Children’s Book Awards 2013 and her first novel The Memory Cage won the 2012 Coventry Inspiration Book Award.

Ms Atkinson added: “Ruth who was so excited and blown away by all of the projects and you could tell that everyone really enjoyed the day”.