Literacy Resources

Scroll down for FREE powerpoints and photocopiable resources for all my books to support schools and libraries in class and home work and encourage reading and writing for pleasure. (And use them to maximise the benefits before and after an author visit!)
“The stuff available from the your website is fantastic!”  Walden School

I have worked with over 5,000 UK and international schools.  I am a consultant for the National Literacy Trust and the Reading Agency.  I promote Reader Development for the British Council in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Russia, Australia, Egypt and S Korea
“Guerilla reading motivation at its finest” Jim, National Literacy Trust


 

Newsletter

Sign up here for my termly newsletter for teachers and librarians with exclusive extracts from forthcoming books, new resources, etc. via my contact form here.  Please refer to my Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions for further information.


signed poster tweetPoster Pack

Order a free poster pack with signed personalised materials for your school or library or Download online exclusive high resolution poster PDFs to print out for your school or library from here.

“I received the pack that you sent me today. Thank you very much. The books look really interesting. In fact, we have already had some interest from the boys! The posters will really brighten up our displays. ” M Wyatt, Sir Graham Balfour School.


Certificates

I have certificates I can sign for you to present to pupils reading all my History books or the Football Academy, Foul Play, The Squad, Wings, Defenders or Rugby Academy series.

More information here about how to tell me the names of your pupils for me to add onto signed certificates.

“Our boys so love the certificates, we all do.  I have put them on the achievement board until the holidays when they can take them home to motivate others to aim for a certificate for themselves..  You cannot beat one which is signed by a real author!” Girvan Academy

 


Powerpoint

A quick introduction to me and my books.

Download here

 

 


Free Reads

Call of Duty

First chapters, classroom reads and extra stories to download from here.

 

 

 


Angel of Grasmere Resources

Cover Prediction Worksheet There are no wrong answers so let your imagination go wild. Download here

Playscript download here

 

 

 

Settings Map Worksheet

Identify and colour in the key aspects of physical and human geography of Grasmere village and its Lakeland surroundings where Tarn and her friends live. Download here

 

A Little Lakeland Nature 

Read along, spot me and colour in…

From Herdwick sheep to stiles

Download and print on to 2 sheets, cut and fold and stick to make a minibooklet here

Paper Angels to cut out and decorate with more ideas:

  • Think of an act of kindness each angel could do to make the world a better place. Write it on the back
  • Make a display of them against a backdrop of the Lake District’s mountains and lakes or make a display of them where you think your angels are most needed to help the world today

Download here 

Herdwick Sheep Craft Activity

Download full instructions here

 

 

WW2 Cumbria Quiz download here

 

 

More here

Resist Resources

Chapter 1 here

Cover prediction worksheet here

 

 

Resist Playscript here

 

 

 

 

Resist Colouring here

 

 

Resist Oranjekrant newsletter (the sort of letter young Edda delivered) includes an original recipe for Nettle Soup from the “Hunger Winter” of 1944-45 here

 

 

 

 


Arctic Star

Christmas Blackout Poem Challenge here

Includes a how to guide, suggested extracts featuring the King’s speech on Christmas Day,  examples and a signed certificate.

More Christmas resources here

 

Cover prediction worksheets here

 

 

Colouring here .  Use your imagination to draw and colour the planes in the sky and submarines in the sea below during the Battle of the North Cape or what young naval recruits can see on their lookout.

 

Y5/Y6 lesson with a focus on inference

kindly shared by @MrB_Y3 here https://twitter.com/i/status/1389323613950693381

More here

 


After the War

Cover prediction worksheet here 

 

 

Paper dolls here

 

Book trailer here

 

Poetry Blackout challenge here

 

 

 

Films of the settings about research and writing After the War to come

More here


First World War – Armistice Runner Resources

The Armistice Runner Challenge – a running and memory activity for schools Guidelines & certificate 

Literacy & Dementia 

Literacy & Sport

Literacy & History

Colouring  

Draw a landscape to colour in for the Armistice Runner characters here: Lily (running today) and Ernest (a trench runner in the First World War) here.

Cover Prediction Worksheets including:

  • Who, where, what, when, why etc ?
  • Predictions and why
  • Download here

First World War Over the Line ResourcesOTL certificate

Posters, Videos, First Chapter, A Short Story, Quiz, Playscripts and Classroom Discussion Guides  and support your classwork together with a Signed Certificate here.

More First World War Literacy Resources are gathered here.


D-Day 75th Anniversary Resources :

D-Day Dog cover prediction worksheets 

Download here 

 

D-Day Dog Blackout Poem Challenge

Introduction and how to guide to create your own Blackout Poems, including suggested texts, examples and a certificate.

Download here

 

10 Questions about War for class discussions

Download here

 

 

 

Colouring

What view do you think Jack and his new puppy are looking at?

Can you draw the plane Emile and his dog Glenn are parachuting out or where they might be landing?

Download here 

“Tom Palmer is a true reading hero and has been responsible for motivating many thousands of young people to get into books” Booktrust


Colouring Sheets

Colouring sheet of the great RAF planes featured in my children’s series Wings – the Sopwith Camel, Spitfire and Typhoon – to mark this year’s centenary of the RAF.  Download here.

Iron Age / Roman / Anglo Saxons / Vikings colouring sheet to accompany my Defenders series.  Download here .

 

Secret FC colouring Download here

 

 

Football Academy colouring Download  here

 

Gus the Famous Football Cat colouring sheet download here 

 

 

Draw a landscape to colour in for the Armistice Runner characters here:

Lily (running today) download here.

 

Ernest (a trench runner in the First World War) download here.

 

 

A picture of Roy of the Rovers for you to colour in and design a new football kit for Melchester Rovers here.

 

 


History Quizzes

Anglo Saxon/Viking history quiz based on Defenders: Killing Ground here

Roman Britain history quiz based on Defenders: Dark Arena here

Iron Age history quiz based on Defenders: Pitch Invasion here


Accelerated ReaderPrint


Many of my books are quizzed on the Accelerated Reader programme.  Books range from an AR level 2.4 (The Penalty) to AR4.9 (Black Op).  See here for more.

“The school was busy last autumn incorporating Accelerated Reader into the Library and English department. It is going really well. Reading figures have trebled in one term and you will be pleased to know that you are top of the favourite author and titles lists.”  Northwood Prep


Web Questwebsite quiz

A simple way for pupils to learn more about my books and writing by navigating around my website and taking this accessible quiz with teacher’s answers.  Photocopiable.

Download here.

 


Reading Quizzes for my books

  • short passages
  • six reading comprehension quiz questions
  • video links with author reading
  • certificates

More info and download from here.

“The video comprehension is a brilliant idea especially with so few male reading role models in primary schools. ” Julie Anderson, Castor CE Primary School


Men’s Rugby World Cup – Sept to Nov 2019

Use my NEW Rugby Academy free accompanying resources to promote reading for pleasure during the forthcoming Rugby World Cup.  Posters, literacy pack, etc.

More rugby resources here.


Football Readers PackFootball Readers Pack to accompany the Football Academy series.

Includes six posters with new ideas to encourage reluctant readers to read for pleasure, featuring real reading boys from across Britain, Ireland and Australia.

Download Football Readers here.

 

“WOW! It’s brilliant.  Our boys will love it” Librarian, QEGS

“I think pupils in the academy will definitely love it “ Librarian, Oldknow Academy


Flyboy Pack  – Guided Reading for the classroom, library or at home.

  • Introductory Reading Quiz
  • Small Group Guided Reading
  • Small Group Guided Reading
  • Reading Group Questions
  • Reading At Home – Questions for parents to ask whilst reading with your child

Download your pack here


Ghost Stadium pack to accompany Ghost Stadiumghost stadium pack

  • poster
  • reading comprehension
  • class writing activity
  • wordsearch & answers
  • an author interview with Tom Palmer
  • printable first chapter of Ghost Stadium

Download here.


Football Academy Boys United Reading ComprehensionExtended reading comprehension to accompany Football Academy : Boys United

Devised for the Blue Bottles Reading Group, Glasgow Academy Dairsie by Mrs Ali MacLeod (P3) May 2015. Thank you very much for sharing it with us here.

More Football Academy literacy resources here.


The Squad : Spy Pack a writing pack to accompany the Squad Series.  Includes:

  • MISSION 1 : SET UP YOUR SPY RING ( forming a writing group for those who don’t want to be in one)
  • MISSION 2 : CREATING A SPY COVER STORY
  • MISSION 3 : BUGGING (or, writing interesting dialogue in fiction)
  • MISSION 4 : MIND READING FOR SPIES ( how to describe characters to help tell a story)
  • MISSION 5 : GARBOLOGY (creating an effective setting by listing the contents of your teacher’s bin)
  • MISSION 6 : INTERPRETING SURVEILLANCE PHOTOS (how to piece together an interesting narrative structure)
  • FINAL MISSION : THE SPY CHALLENGE; Four real spying missions undertaken by Tom Palmer; Spy phrases you need to know

Download here.

“Thank you for all the work you put in to the pack. Loads of great ideas” Ruth Shallcross


Reading & Writing Pack to accompany The Squad The pack

  • Tom Palmer interview
  • Poland : The setting for Black Op
  • Norway : The setting for White Fear
  • School And Library Football Reading ACTIVITIES
  • Top Ten Tips for Families to use Sport to encourage reading at home
  • Reading Comprehensions
  • School and library DISPLAY IDEAS
  • Football shaped Book Review
  • Characters
  • Discussion Topics
  • Write Your Own Squad story
  • Design Your Own Squad Book Cover

Download here.

 

Danny Harte is the Football Detective” a Reading for Pleasure pack to accompany the Foul Play series.Football Detective Writers Pack

  • Anton Holt Interviews Tom Palmer
  • Foul Play Discussion Topics
  • Foul Play stories
  • My Own Foul Play Story
  • My Foul Play drawing
  • Book Reviews

Download here.


Foul Play 2 : Dead Ball resource

SPAG worksheet here with powerpoint here
based on  Dead Ball – my Russian children’s thriller (useful for linking to the 2018 men’s football World Cup).


Foul Play 3 : Offside : Fair Play Pack FairplayPack

  • Fair Trade
  • Literacy
  • Football

Download here.

 

 


Writer’s Pack to accompany Foul Play 5: Own Goal  

An insight into how writers write  with discussion topics and a writing project.

  • Research
  • Creating Characters
  • Themes
  • Writing
  • Blurb and Film Trailers
  • Certificates

Download here.

The Own Goal resource is fabulous. Thank you very much for that. We are reading Own Goal as a class reader and the boys love it.” University College School


Setting a story in Leeds to accompany Foul Play seriesSetting a story in leeds

Download here a handy guide to the real places that inspired scenes in Foul Play with ideas for class discussions.

More Foul Play literacy resources here.


Football Academy & Foul Play Series Reading Challenge

    • Certificates

 

Email me for more information or to order your pupils’ signed certificates here.


activitypackFootball Activity Pack

  • About Tom
  • Prediction game
  • Premier League wordsearch
  • Fun quiz
  • My Own Foul Play story
  • Draw Danny Harte
  • Foul Play and Football Academy discussion topics
  • Book Reviews
  • Further reading

Download here.


The Mystery of the Stolen FA Cup Medal

Commissioned by the British Council and Reading Agency’s ‘Chatterbooks’ project.  With classroom resources.

Read and listen to the story here.


The World Cup activities and story that I developed for the National Literacy Trust were a great success, with thousands of schools using the materials. Thank you! So, we have developed a new pack of stories & activities to be used at any time in the school year.

The Scout

Read here a Year 3-4 short story about how Ronan and Connor from the Football Academy series came to join Premier League United.

Find out more about the National Literacy Trust.


The Character Strikes Back

A five-part Foul Play short story for Years 4, 5 and 6.

“We are reading ‘The Character Strikes Back’ this week, and SO enjoying it! They love the cliffhangers each day and beg me to read on…”

“Reading Tom Palmer’s short story ‘The Character Strikes Back’ to my Y3/4 class was as delightful an experience for me as a teacher as it was for my young listeners, who truly learned the meaning of a ‘cliff-hanger’. Writhing in a delightful agony of suspense and anticipation at the end of each day, their desperation to find out what happened next informed many discussions and some marvellous predictions. Parents even called the school to find where they could buy the book their children couldn’t stop talking about!” Catherine Monaghan, Y3/4 Teacher, Middleham CE VA School


Maybe Football is Exciting – Charlotte’s Diary

Read here  a Year 6,7 and 8 short Foul Play story written for the National

Literacy Trust.

“I just finished reading the Danny Harte story online (I read it all at once because I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next) I really really enjoyed it!! Thanks” Sophie


Call of Duty

Call of DutyRead my short story Call of Duty about a famous footballer today having to go to war here.  (This was written to accompany Over the Line – about a footballer volunteering to fight in the First World War. )

“The best time I remember from my primary school was when our teacher read the Foul Play World Cup Mystery out to us. I’ll never forget us all listening together every morning and worrying about what would happen to Danny if England won!” Kylie

 


Tour de Leeds Libraries coverTour de France Literacy Pack and read aloud Tour De France Story.

“Hoping to use a selection of your ideas, in our Central Library when Le Tour de France comes through Cambridge.” Community Librarian

 

 

Buy Books

Signed and dedicated copies are available personalised to order from my local independent children’s bookshop “The Thoughtful Spot”  here.

Schools bumper book pack and class set offers here.

Visit my Amazon bookshop  or support your local bookshop HIVE

Overseas : FREE Delivery worldwide from The Book Depository.
Australia: Boomerang   

Canada: Amazon Canada
New Zealand: Wheelers       

USA :  Indigo books

Email me here for more information or use my contact form here to ask me a question.

Thank you.

 

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