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To commemorate book week, Year 8 students warmly (and virtually) welcomed local author Alex Wheatle to La Retraite.

A recipient of many awards, including: MBE for Services to Literature, London Arts Board New Writers Award, Guardian’s Children’s Fiction Award and shortlisted for the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature, Alex certainly knows his stuff when it comes to writing.

Citing CLR James, James Baldwin, John Steinbeck, Yvette Edwards, Nadifa Mohammed, Toni Morrison and Iceberg Slim as some of the many authors that have inspired him, Alex talked with students about his own history including his life in foster care, tracing his birth parents and his upcoming novels.

Students had the opportunity to ask Alex questions – and they sure did! Ranging from how he tracked down his family, book recommendations, advice for budding writers and how they can further celebrate black history in school, students thoroughly enjoyed their session with Alex and we are incredibly grateful to him for sharing his time, expertise and experience with our girls.