Tucker In The Community

St Vincent’s Special Education School

Back in December I was very proud to be invited to read my first book, Tucker, to the pupils of St Vincent school in Yewtree Lane, West Derby.

It was new to me to read like this but I felt honoured to be asked. I was met by the music teacher Vicky, at the door and was introduced to the staff and some of the children.

I was made very welcome, which helped ease my nerves a bit. I was shown around this beautiful building which in the past had been a convent. I was shown the stunning chapel and then to the classroom where the children were waiting for me.

The pupils are mostly blind or partially sighted but were the happiest and most pleasant bunch of primary age kids you could imagine.

I introduced myself and they all said, “good afternoon Bob” and were so happy that I had brought and handed out cardboard cut outs of Tucker and the Liver building.

The head teacher and staff sat behind the children, and I began to read. At first I fully expected to be asked questions during the reading, which would have been fine, and I would have been happy to answer them. However, they all sat and listened in silence to every word.

They looked unhappy at the sad parts, but all smiled and cheered at the happy parts of the story. When I finished reading they clapped and cheered.

Vicky asked the pupils “do you want to ask Bob any questions, all their hands went up together. We went around them all in turn and I was asked the most intelligent questions you could imagine. Mostly about why I wrote a book, was it very difficult, how did I get started, did I think they should try to write a book. One pupil even asked if the Liver Birds, Bella and Bertie could ever have babies?

In the story it states that, Tucker “had a pot of the of the most wonderful smelling mouth water-watering stew bubbling away”, One of the younger pupils had his hand up but was to shy to ask a question, so I asked him what part he liked best. He said “the part about the Scouse” brilliant.

I gave the head teacher a signed copy of the book, she thanked me and said she would have it converted to braille and placed in the school library.

I promised I would be back to read them my next Tucker adventure.

The children are so beautiful, happy and cheerful. They are a credit to their teachers and parents.

I found the visit a very moving experience and needed to take a couple of minutes when I got back to my car before driving off.